British light cruiser HMS Phaeton 1933-1934) and Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney 1934-1941

Leander-class

Australian HMS Hobart

Computer line drawing of the Sydney by Portsmouth Bill, UK, 2011

German auxilary cruiser Kormoran

Building ordered as HMS Phaeton on 10 February 1933, laid down at Swan Hunter&Wigham Richardson, Wallsend-on-Tyne, England on 8 July 1933, launched on 22 September 1934, commissioned on 24 September 1935 and sunk during a fight with the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran (1) with none survivors on 19 November 1941. In 2008 was her wreck finally discovered. Pennant 48. Of the Leander-class light cruisers consisting of the Leander, Orion, Neptune, Ajax, Achilles, Amphion, Apollo and Sydney). With the Leander and the Perth-Sydney-Hobart forming sub classes. Preceded by the Emerald class and succeeded by the Arethusa-class..

Displacement of 6.701 (light)-7.198 (standard)-8.940 (full load) tons and as dimension s 160 (between perpendiculars)-171,40 (over all) x 17,285 x 4,65 (fore)-5,25 (aft) metres or 530-562.4 x 56.8½ x 15.3-17.3 feet. The Parsons geared turbines and 4 Admiralty 3-drum boilers supplied via 4 shafts 72.000 shp allowing a speed of 32,5 knots and with a speed of 16 knots a range of 7.000 nautical miles. Crew numbered 594 (when commissioned)-645 (when sunk) men. The armour consisted of 2,5cm/1” thick hull plating, a 7,6cm/3” thick belt over machinery spaces and a 5,1cm/2” thick belt protected the magazines and shell rooms. The armament consisted of 4x2-15cm/6” Mk XXIII guns, 4x1-10cm/4” Mk V high-angle quick firing guns, 3x4-1,3cm/0.50 Vickers Mk III machineguns, 14-7,7mm/0.303” Lewis machineguns of which 5 were removed before 1939, 2-7,7mm/0.303” Vickers machineguns removed before 1939, 4-4,7cm/1.9”/3pd Hotchkiss quick firing saluting guns removed in 1940 and 2x4-53cm/2” deck mounted Mk VII torpedo tubes. She carried one Supermarine Walrus plane with her for which she was fitted out with a revolving catapult situated amidships.

Note
1. She was launched as the passenger ship Steiermark at the Krupp-Germania Werft at Kiel, Germany 15 September 1938 for account of the Hamburg-America Line (HAPAG) for the East Asia Line. She was however requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine and commissioned 9 October 1940. By the Allies known as the Raider G while in Germany as HSK-8 (class designation) and Schiff 41 (administrative designation). With a tonnage of 19,900 tons or 8,736 GRT were her dimensions 164 x 20,2 x 8,5m. The 4x9-cylinder diesel engines supplied 14,00 hp allowing a speed of 18-19 knots. Her crew numbered 400 men. The armament consisted of 6-15cm guns, 2-37mm anti tank guns, 5-20mm anti aircraft guns, 6-53,3cm torpedo tubes 2x2 surfaced and 2x1submerged, mines, two Arado 196 sea planes and one LS-3 mine laying boat.