Light cruisers

Cairo class

5 ships

The Cairo class light cruiser HMS Colombo.

Type	Light cruiser
Displacement	4290 BRT
Length	451.5 feet (oa)
Complement	400 men
Armament	As designed; 5 6" guns (5x1) 2 3" AA (2x1) 2 2pdr AA (2x1) 8 21" torpedo tubes (4x2) Cairo, Calcutta and Carlisle as rearmed; 8 4" AA guns (4x2), 4 2pdr AA (1x4) 8 .5" AA (2x4)
Max speed	29 knots
Engines	Geared turbines, 2 shafts
Power	40000 HP
Notes on class	Repeat of the Ceres-class but given trawler bows as a result of the previous classes being very "wet" forward. Cairo and Calcutta were rearmed as Anti-Aircraft cruisers shortly before the war. Carlisle was undergoing this reconstruction when the war broke out. Colombo was reconstructed during 1942/1943 for her new armament see her page.

All ships of the Cairo class:

Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Cairo (D 87) (lost 12 Aug 1942)
HMS Calcutta (D 82) (lost 1 Jun 1941)
HMS Capetown (D 88)
HMS Carlisle (D 67)
HMS Colombo (D 89)

2 light cruisers of the Cairo class lost.