HMAS Australia
Part of the British County-class Kent subclass heavy cruisers, together with her sister ship HMAS Australia. Building ordered in 1924, laid down by John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland with yard number on 513 on 9 September 1925, launched on 31 May 1927, completed on 10 July 1928, commissioned on 9 July 1928 and heavily damaged in the battle off Savo Island against the Japanese fleet was she sunk by the American destroyers USS Ellet and Selfridge on 9 August 1942.
Displacement 9.850 (light)-10.000 (standard) tons and as dimensions 180 (between perpendiculars)-192,05 (over all) x 20,80 x 6,50 metres or 590-630.1 x 68.25 x 21.4 feet. The machinery consisted of 8 Yarrow superheated boilers, and Brown-Curtiss geared turbines delivering 80.000shop allowing with the 4-3bladed screws a speed of 12 (cruising)-31.5 (maximum) knots. The range was with a speed of respectively 12 and 31.5 knots 13.200 respectively 2.870 nautical miles. Crew numbered 815 men. The armour consisted of a belt with a thickness of 11cm/4.5” fitted in 1938-1939, anti torpedo bulges, while the magazines and machinery spaces, gun turrets and conning tower were protected by respectively 3,8-1.5”-7,5cm/3”, 5,1cm/2” and 7,6cm/3”.
The original armament consisted of 4x2-20,3cm/8” guns, 4x1-10,2cm/4” anti aircraft guns, 4-x1-4cm/2pd pom-poms, 12-0.303” machineguns, 2x4-53,3cm/21” torpedo tubes, 5x1-2cm Oerlikon guns and 4x1-4,7cm/3pd saluting guns. In 1942 were 4 multiple pom-poms added. She could carry one floating plane with her, first a Seagull III which was later replaced by a Supermarine Walrus.
