HMS Belfast
Museum ship
| Type | Light cruiser |
|---|---|
| Class | Town |
| War | Second World War |
| Main guns | 12 × 6-inch (152 mm) Mk XXIII guns (4×3) |
Broken by a magnetic mine in the Firth of Forth in November 1939 and out of action for three years. Burnett's flagship at the North Cape; bombarded Normandy on D-Day and fought in Korea. A museum ship on the Thames since 1971.
Armament and specifications
Armament
1939
- 12 × 6-inch (152 mm) Mk XXIII guns (4×3)
- 12 × 4-inch (102 mm) Mk XVI dual purpose guns (6×2)
- 16 × 2-pounder (40 mm) anti-aircraft guns (2×8)
- 8 × 0.5-inch (13 mm) AA machine guns (2×4)
- 6 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes (2×3)
Armour
- Main belt: 4.5 inches (114 mm)
- Main turrets: Up to 4 inches (102 mm)
- Decks over magazines: 3 inches (76 mm)
- Decks over machinery: 2 inches (51 mm)
- Bulkheads: 2.5 inches (63.5 mm)
| Builder | Harland and Wolff shipyard, Belfast, Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
| Laid down | 10 December 1936 |
| Launched | 17 March 1938 |
| Commissioned | 5 August 1939 |
| Displacement | 11,550 tons (14,900 full load) |
| Length | 613 ft 6 in (186.99 m) overall |
| Speed | 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) |
| Complement | 781–881 (as flagship, 1939) |
As built, from the ship's Wikipedia article. Figures there may cover later refits too.
Career
Launched
17 March 1938
Battle of the North Cape
Survived
26 December 1943
Burnett's flagship
Decommissioned
Museum ship
24 August 1963