Which type is the best out of the Washington-cruisers category, considering only the european ships ? Italy: Trento class cruiser Displacement: Trento and Trieste 13,110 t Normal, 13,545 t full load Bolzano 13,243 t Normal, 13,885 t full load Length: 196.9 m Beam: 20.6 m Draught: 6.7 m Propulsion: 12 boilers 4 Parsons turbines 150,000 hp total Speed: 35 knots (63 km/h) Range: Trento and Trieste: 4,160 nautical miles at 16 knots (30 km/h) Bolzano: 4,460 nautical miles at 16 knots (30 km/h) Complement: 723 (Bolzano 725) Armament: 8 × 203 mm / 50 caliber 16 100 mm / 47 caliber 8 40 mm / 39 caliber AA 8 12.7 mm AAMG (Bolzano: 8 13.2 mm) 8 533 mm torpedo tubes Zara class cruiser Displacement: Zara 11870 t standard, 14530 t full load Fiume 11508 t standard, 14168 t full load Gorizia 11900 t standard, 14560 t full load Pola 11730 t standard, 14360 t full load Length: 182.8 m Beam: 20.6 m Draught: 7.2 m Propulsion: 8 three-drum Thornycroft boilers 2 Parsons turbines 95,000 hp (71 MW) total Speed: 33 knots (61 km/h) (Gorizia and Zara) 32 knots (59 km/h) (Fiume and Pola). Full load sea speed: 31 knots Range: 4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) 2950 nautical miles (5,500 km) at 25 knots (46 km/h) 1700 nautical miles (3,100 km) at 31 knots (57 km/h) Complement: 830 Armament: 8 × 203 mm / 53 caliber 12 100 mm / 47 caliber 8 37 mm / 54 caliber AA, 8 12.7 mm AAMG Protection: belt 3.9 to 5.9 in (100 to 150 mm) deck 2.75 in (70 mm) turrets 4.7 to 5.5 in (120 to 140 mm) barbettes 5.5 to 5.9 in (140 to 150 mm) Germany: Admiral Hipper class (Blücher) Displacement: 14,247 tons (standard) 18,208 tons (full load) Length: 675 ft 4 in (206 m) Beam: 69 ft 9 in (21.3 m) Draught 19 ft (7.7 m) Armament: 8 × 8 in (203 mm) (4x2) 12 × 4.1 in (105 mm) (6x2) 12 × 37 mm (6x2) 8 × 20 mm (8x1) 12 × 21 in torpedo tubes (4x3) 160 mines Propulsion: 3-shaft SR Deschimag turbines, 12 Wagner boilers 132,000 hp (98 MW), Speed: 32.5 knots (60 km/h) Range: 6,500 nm at 17 knots Crew: Approximately 1,600 UK: County class cruiser Kent Class Displacement: 9,750 tons standard; 13,450 tons full load Dimensions: 590 pp, 630 oa x 68.25 x 16.25 feet Propulsion: 4 shaft Parsons geared turbines (Brown Curtisin Berwick), 8 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 80,000shp. = 31.5 knots Range: 3,100 miles at 31.5 knots, 13,300 miles at 12 knots; 3,400 tons fuel oil Complement: 700 Armament: 4 dual 8-inch / 50 Mk 8; 4 single 4-inch / 45QF Mk 5 HA (later replaced by 4 dual 4-inch / 45 QF Mk 16 HA); 2 quad 2 pdr; 2 quad 0.5-inch MG (added 1936-1939); 2 quad 21-inch TT (later removed from all but Kent); 1 seaplane from 1930 (later 3) Armour: 1 to 4 inch magazine box protection; 1.375 inch deck ; 1 inch side-plating, turrets and bulkheads (4.5 inch narrow belt and 4 inch internal boiler room sides added 1936-1940) London Class Modified Kents with internal bulges and slight layout changes. Devonshire and Sussex had their X-turret removed towards the end of WWII to allow increases in their AA battery. Displacement: 9,750 tons standard; 13,220 tons full load Dimensions: 595 pp, 633 oa x 66 x 17 feet Propulsion: 4 shaft Parsons geared turbines, 8 Admiralty3-drum boilers, 80,000 shp. = 32.25 knots Range: 2,930 miles at 31 knots, 12,500 miles at 12 knots; 3,210 tons fuel oil Complement: 700 Armament: 4 dual 8-inch / 50 Mk 8; 4 single 4-inch / 45QF Mk 5 HA (4 further 4-inch added, 4 dual Mk 16 in London); 2 quad and 4 single 2 pdr; 2 quad 0.5-inch AA (added 1936-1939); 2 quad 21-inch TT.; 1 seaplane (later 3) Armour: 1 to 4 inch magazine box protection; 1.375 inch deck; 1 inch side-plating, turrets and bulkheads (4.5 inch narrow belt and 3.5 inch internal boiler room sides added 1938-1941) Dorsetshire Class Londons with new lighter Mk II turrets. Displacement: 9,900 tons standard ; 13,290 tons full load Dimensions: 595 pp, 633 oa x 66 x 17 feet Propulsion: 4 shaft Parsons geared turbines, 8 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 80,000 shp. = 32.3 knots Range: 2,930 miles at 31 knots, 12,500 miles at 12 knots ; 3210 tons fuel oil Complement: 700 Armament: 4 dual 8-inch / 50 Mk 8; 4 single 4-inch / 45 QF Mk 5 HA (later replaced by 4 dual 4-inch / 45 QF Mk 16 HA); 4 single 2 pdr (replaced by 2 octuple 2 pdr); 2 quad 0.5-inch AA (added 1936-1939); 2 quad 21-inch TT.; 1 seaplane Armour: 1 to 4 inch magazine box protection ; 1.375 inch deck; 1 inch side-plating, turrets and bulkheads France: Suffren class cruiser Type: heavy cruiser Displacement: 10,000 tons (standard) 12,780 tons (full load) Length: 636.5 feet (194 metres)(overall) Beam: 63 feet (9.10 metres) Draught: 20.75 feet (6.35 metres) Propulsion: 3-shaft Rateau-Bretagne SR geared turbines, 9 Guyot boilers, 90,000 shp Speed: 31 knots Range: 4500 @ 15 knots Complement: 752 (Suffren: 773) Armament: 8 203 mm (8 inch) 50-calibre guns (4 × 2) 8 90 mm (3.5 inch) 55-calibre anti-aircraft guns (8 × 1; Dupleix 4 x 2) 8 37 mm anti-aircraft guns (4 × 2) 12 13.2 mm AA (4 × 3) 6 550 mm (21.7 inch) torpedo tubes (2 × 3); Armour: belt 60 millimetres; deck 25 millimetres; turrets and tower, 30 millimetres. Aircraft: 3 (Suffren: 2), 2 catapults Regards, Che. Soruces; http://home.swipnet.se/~w-11578/hms_norfolk.htm and wikipedia
The Zaras were fine ships, though their inclusion among the treaty designs is dubious--they were well over 10,000 tons. They didn't have great range, but their armor was arguably the best among all heavy cruisers. Hipper was even heavier than Zara. The armor was nowhere near as good, and the machinery was not very reliable, at least in Eugen. The Counties were all very practical. The first units entered service without belt armor, but all were fitted by the time of WWII except the Australian ships. The main battery had splinter protection only, and the percentage of protected volume was not very good. With Duquesne, the French probably had the worst treaty design. With Algerie, they may have had the best. I wish the designers hadn't tried to be so creative with the armor layout. Simpler would have ben better.
