#heavycruiser

The heavy cruiser Almirante Brown (C-1) was one of the most significant surface combatants operated by the Armada Argentina during the interwar period and the early Cold War. Built in Europe during a period of naval modernisation in South America, the ship reflected both regional naval rivalry and the influence of Italian cruiser design in the late 1920s.

Design and construction

Almirante Brown was ordered as part of Argentina’s effort to maintain naval parity with neighbouring Brazil and Chile. The cruiser was constructed by the Italian shipbuilding firm Ansaldo at Genoa in Italy. She was laid down in 1927, launched in 1929, and commissioned into Argentine service in 1931. The vessel was the lead ship of a two-cruiser class that also included ARA Veinticinco de Mayo.

The design was closely related to contemporary Italian heavy cruisers, particularly in hull form and propulsion layout. Standard displacement was approximately 6,800 tonnes, with a full-load displacement exceeding 9,000 tonnes. The cruiser measured about 170 metres in length and was powered by steam turbines capable of producing roughly 85,000 shaft horsepower. This machinery allowed the ship to reach speeds of around 32 knots, making her one of the fastest warships in South American service at the time. Armament consisted primarily of six 190 mm guns mounted in three twin turrets, two forward and one aft. This main battery was supported by secondary guns, anti-aircraft weapons, and torpedo tubes. Armour protection was relatively light, consistent with cruiser design philosophy of the era, which prioritised speed and firepower over heavy protection.

Operational service

After commissioning, Almirante Brown became one of the principal units of the Argentine fleet. Throughout the 1930s, she participated in training cruises, diplomatic visits, and fleet exercises intended to demonstrate Argentina’s naval capability. These deployments often involved goodwill missions to foreign ports, reinforcing Argentina’s maritime presence and political ties abroad.

Although the cruiser was active during the period of the Second World War, Argentina remained neutral for most of the conflict. As a result, Almirante Brown did not engage in combat operations. Instead, the ship continued routine patrol, training, and readiness duties in the South Atlantic. Her presence nevertheless contributed to coastal defence planning and maritime surveillance during a period of global instability.

The Japanese heavy cruiser Furutaka was one of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s earliest attempts to build a treaty-era cruiser optimised for surface combat. She was laid down in 1922 at the Kure Naval Arsenal and commissioned in 1926, becoming the lead ship of her class. Designed before the Washington Naval Treaty limitations were fully understood, Furutaka reflected evolving Japanese cruiser doctrine rather than a settled design philosophy.

As completed, Furutaka displaced about 7,100 tonnes standard and carried a main armament of six 200 mm guns mounted in single turrets. This arrangement soon proved inefficient, as the low rate of fire and limited protection restricted combat effectiveness. Her propulsion system, based on geared turbines and oil-fired boilers, produced a top speed of roughly 34 knots, giving her the ability to operate with destroyer flotillas and fast task groups. Protection was modest, with thin belt armour and limited deck coverage, a common compromise for cruisers of her generation.

Between 1937 and 1939, Furutaka underwent an extensive modernisation that transformed her into a true heavy cruiser. The single gun mounts were replaced by three twin 203 mm turrets, her torpedo armament was expanded with quadruple launchers for the Type 93 “Long Lance” torpedo, and her superstructure was rebuilt to improve command facilities and anti-aircraft defence. These changes significantly enhanced her offensive power, though stability remained a concern.

The Japanese heavy cruiser Kako was one of the earliest heavy cruisers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy under the limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty. She was the second vessel of the Furutaka class, which represented Japan’s first generation of treaty-compliant heavy cruisers designed to combine strong armament with high speed and long operational range.

Kako was laid down at Kawasaki Shipyard in Kobe in 1922, launched in 1925, and commissioned in 1926. Like her sister ship Furutaka, she was initially armed with six 200 mm guns in single turrets, arranged along the centreline. This configuration reflected pre-treaty cruiser design concepts but soon proved less efficient than newer turret arrangements. During a major modernisation in the mid-1930s, Kako was rebuilt with three twin 203 mm gun turrets, significantly improving her firepower and combat effectiveness. The refit also included upgraded torpedo armament, improved aircraft handling facilities, and enhanced machinery performance.

By the time the Pacific War began in December 1941, Kako served with Cruiser Division 6 alongside Furutaka, Aoba, and Kinugasa. The division supported Japanese amphibious operations across the western Pacific. In August 1942, Kako participated in the Battle of Savo Island, part of the Guadalcanal campaign. During this night engagement, Japanese cruiser forces surprised Allied naval units and sank several cruisers in one of the most decisive Japanese surface victories of the war.

The Foch was a heavy cruiser of the Suffren class that saw service in the Second World War. She was the third vessel of her class, launched in 1929 and active until her scuttling in 1942.

She was originally intended to bear the name Louvois, after the Marquis de Louvois, the Minister of War under King Louis XIV. Marshal Ferdinand Foch died on 29 March 1929, one month before the ship’s launch, and she was renamed in his honour. The main gun turrets were named after places associated with Marshal Foch during the Great War.

Ordered on 1 March 1928 and built at the Arsenal de Brest, Foch was laid down on 21 June 1928 and launched on 24 April 1929. She incorporated several design changes from the earlier ships of the class. The shallow armoured belt was replaced by an armoured caisson over the machinery spaces, with increased protection on the magazine sides. The coal-fired cruising boilers were removed and replaced by additional oil fuel bunkers, which resulted in the second funnel being slimmer than those of the preceding vessels.

194 metres in overall length with a beam of 19.26 metres, she displaced 10,160 tonnes at standard load, rising to over 13,600 tonnes at full load. Three-shaft Rateau-Bretagne geared steam turbines gave a designed speed of 32 knots. Her armament comprised eight 203 mm guns in four twin turrets, supported by anti-aircraft guns of various calibres and six 550 mm torpedo tubes. She carried up to three floatplanes and was fitted with two catapults.

Foch entered service on 20 December 1931, assigned to the First Light Division at Toulon. She remained in the Mediterranean through the interwar years. On the outbreak of war in September 1939 she was at Toulon, and subsequently sailed to Dakar. In December 1939 she sailed as part of a Franco-British force which included HMS Neptune and HMS Hermes in search of the German raider Admiral Graf Spee following the engagement off the River Plate. The operation did not result in contact with the German vessel.

Her only use of main armament in combat came in June 1940. On the night of 13–14 June she took part in Operation Vado, the bombardment of Genoa and Vado, Italy, as part of the French Third Squadron. Half of the shells from the Vado group fell into the sea, and Foch suffered a steering malfunction on the return passage, though she reached Toulon without further incident.

HMS London was a British heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy, the name ship of the London sub-class of the County-class cruisers. She was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard in February 1926, launched in September 1927, and commissioned in January 1929. The County-class cruisers had been authorised under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, which limited the displacement of cruisers to 10,000 tons and their guns to 8 inches. London and her sisters were designed to meet those restrictions while still carrying a powerful armament and having the range needed to operate across the far-flung stations of the Royal Navy.

As completed, London displaced just under 10,000 tons and carried eight 8-inch guns in four twin turrets, a secondary battery of 4-inch anti-aircraft guns, and multiple lighter weapons. She was powered by Parsons geared turbines driving four shafts, giving a speed of 32 knots and the endurance to serve on overseas stations. Her appearance was dominated by a large bridge structure and tall funnels, typical of the class.

During the interwar years, London spent much of her time on the China Station, where the Royal Navy maintained a strong presence to protect British interests in the region. She was modernised in 1939–41, the most extensive reconstruction of any County-class cruiser. This refit involved replacing her superstructure with a massive blockhouse-style bridge, improving armour protection, and greatly enhancing her anti-aircraft armament. However, the reconstruction increased her top weight, making her heavier and less stable, which earned some criticism.

In the Second World War, London was heavily engaged in convoy escort and fleet operations. Early in the conflict she patrolled in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, later returning to home waters. She was part of the forces hunting German surface raiders and blockade runners, and in 1941 she played a role in operations against the German battleship Bismarck, although she did not directly engage in the final battle. Later she served in Arctic convoy duty, escorting the vital supply runs to the Soviet Union, a task that exposed her to extreme weather and persistent German air and submarine attacks.

In 1944, London was transferred to the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean. She remained in the Far East until the end of the war, supporting Allied operations against Japanese positions and protecting shipping lanes.

After the war, London continued in front-line service during the late 1940s. She was present during the Chinese Civil War in 1949 and played a role in the Amethyst Incident on the Yangtze River. HMS Amethyst, a British frigate, had been trapped by Communist Chinese forces after coming under heavy fire. London was ordered to assist in freeing Amethyst but came under intense shore-based artillery fire while steaming up the Yangtze. She was repeatedly hit by shells, suffering severe damage and casualties among her crew. Despite this, London managed to extricate herself, though the mission was unsuccessful and Amethyst remained trapped until her eventual breakout. The action demonstrated the vulnerability of heavy cruisers when confined to restricted waters against well-prepared shore batteries.

HMS York was laid down at the shipyard of John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland, on 16 May 1926. She was launched on 17 July 1928, and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 1 May 1930.

The British heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall was one of the Royal Navy’s County-class cruisers built during the interwar period. Commissioned in 1928, she was designed under the limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty, which restricted the size and armament of cruisers. As a result, Cornwall displaced around 10,000 tons and carried eight 8-inch guns mounted in four twin turrets.

Cornwall intercepted and destroyed the German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin in May 1941.