Minotaur-class cruiser (1947)
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Design Z (Minotaur) |
| Operators | Royal Navy |
| Preceded by | Neptune class (planned) |
| Succeeded by | Tiger class (actual) |
| Planned | 6 |
| Cancelled | 6 |
| General characteristics Design Z, Version D | |
| Type | Light cruiser |
| Displacement | 15,280 long tons (15,525 t) standard 18,415 long tons (18,711 t) deep load |
| Length | 645 ft (197 m) pp |
| Beam | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Draught | 24 ft 0 in (7.32 m) |
| Installed power | 100,000 shp (75 MW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 33.5 kn (62.0 km/h; 38.6 mph) (light) 31.5 kn (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph) (deep load) |
| Range | 6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h) |
| Complement | 1,090 |
| Armament |
|
| Armour |
|
| General characteristics Design ZA alternative | |
| Class & type | Light cruiser |
| Displacement | 13,870 long tons (14,093 t) standard 16,760 long tons (17,029 t) deep load |
| Length | 616 ft (188 m) pp |
| Beam | 73 ft (22 m) |
| Draught | 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m) |
| Installed power | 110,000 shp (82 MW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 33.5 kn (62.0 km/h; 38.6 mph) (light) 31.5 kn (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph) (deep load) |
| Range | 6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h) |
| Complement | 1,090 |
| Armament |
|
| Armour |
|
| Notes | Smaller alternative of main Minotaur design |
The Minotaur class, or Design Z, was a proposed class of light cruisers planned for the British Royal Navy shortly after the Second World War. Design Z had several proposed configurations with differing armament and propulsion arrangements. The designs were large ships that were planned to be armed with ten 6 in (152 mm) dual purpose guns and an extensive array of 3 in (76 mm) secondary guns. Six ships of the class were planned in 1947 but they were ultimately cancelled before construction could begin, owing to the post-war economic difficulties of the United Kingdom and shifting naval priorities.