Queensland-class battlecruiser

_{This article is about the battlecruiser with the original design designation "Queensland", later named HMAS Australia- not to be confused with the Queensland-class large cruiser of the 1930s.}

Queensland-class
History
Country	United Kingdom Australia
Planned	2
Completed	2
General characteristics
Type	Battlecruiser

The Queensland-class, also known as the Australia-class was a two ship class of battlecruisers designed uniquely for the Royal Australian Navy in the early 20th century. The class served in both World War I and World War II.

Background

In 1908 the Royal Navy proposed a scheme to improve the defense of the Dominions by having each Dominion purchase a 'fleet unit' of one battlecruiser, three light cruisers and six destroyers. Australia agreed and a further Indefatigable-class battlecruiser was planned to be constructed. New Zealand also offered to fund a second ship for the Royal Navy. However, as discussion progressed, the Indefatigable-class was seen as outdated, similar to the Invincible-class, and was unsatisfactory. Australia provided a limited amount of funding for the alternative- to design a new class of battlecruisers on a similar tonnage as Indefatigable, beginning 1909. This led to the creation of the then Queensland-class.

Design

The new design was to displace 19000 tons, significantly smaller than the planned British Lion-class, and similar in tonnage to Indefatigable. Regardless, the design featured many elements planned for the Lions. The ship under design name Queensland was 630 feet long at the waterline, with a ram bow protruding 10 feet. She had a beam of 75 feet and a draught of 28 feet.

Queensland had 36 Yarrow boilers fired by both coal and oil, and 4-shaft direct drive Parsons steam turbines. With 59500 horsepower and a design speed of just over 26.52 knots, they were slower than Lion, but faster than Indefatigable. A high flush deck freeboard meant that the ship was a comfortable seaboat even at top speed.

The main battery consisted of 3 two-gun turrets, two forward and one aft with the "B" turret superfiring, for 6 13.5"/45 Mk. V guns. These were an upgrade over the 12" guns of Indefatigable, with better performance, range, and, with hindsight, service longevity. This was complimented by a secondary battery of 16 casemated 4"/50 Mk. VII guns mounted at weather deck height, and 6 3-pounder guns. The class also had two 21" submerged torpedo tubes with 8 torpedoes carried.

The most significant upgrade the class received over Indefatigable was protection, carrying armor to match the Lion-class. A 9" waterline belt ran abreast the machinery and magazines, thinning to 4" at the ends. The main armor deck was 2" thick, below a 1" thick casemate deck, and thinned to 1" at the ends. Main battery turrets had 10" faces, 8" sides, 6" roofs and 10" barbettes. The secondary battery was protected by 4" of upper belt. The conning tower was 10" thick.

Service History

HMAS Australia (ex- HMAS Queensland)

The first ship in the class was laid down at John Brown & Company's Clydebank yard in August 1909 under the name Queensland, after the Australian state, but was commissioned June 1912 as HMAS Australia, following the naming of her sister ship and her status as the new flagship of a growing Royal Australian Navy.

HMS New Zealand (future- HMNZS New Zealand)

Funded by New Zealand for the Royal Navy, the second ship of the class was laid down in June 1910 at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering's yard on the Clyde and commissioned in November 1912.