HMNS Caledon (1950)
 Caledon, November 1950
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Vionna-Frankenlisch
| |
| Name: | Caledon |
| Namesake: | Admiral the Earl of Caledon |
| Ordered: | March 1948 |
| Builder: | J.M Loughton and Sons, Brumley |
| Laid down: | November 1948 |
| Launched: | 1st December 1949 |
| Commissioned: | 20th June 1950 |
| Fate: | Decomissioned in May 1989, preserved as museum ship at Port Walshingham |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class and type: | Admiral-class gun-cruiser |
| Displacement: | 10,800 long tons (11,000 t) (standard) |
| Length: | 605 ft 1.5 in (184.4 m) |
| Beam: | 65 ft (19.8 m) |
| Draught: | 19 ft 3 in (5.9 m) (deep load) |
| Installed power: | Eight Admiralty Standard boilers |
| Propulsion: | Four shaft steam turbines |
| Speed: | 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
| Range: | 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement: | 564 (612 as flagship) |
| Armament: |
|
| Armour: |
|
HMNS Caledon was an Admiral-class cruiser built for the Vionna-Frankenlischian Imperial Navy at the end of the 1940s. She served through the Red Decade, remaining on the royalist side of the various conflicts during that period - seeing action in the Imperial Civil War, the Gallandian Civil War, and the War of Restoration. Caledon was decomissioned in 1989 and remains preserved as a museum ship in Port Walshingham, Owaya, under the patronage of its former captain - Owayan businessman, Sir Kuray Tete.
The Caledon is well-known today due to its continued existence as a popular tourist attraction, and for its connection to the Owayan beer brand Royal Caledon.
Design and description
The Admiral-class cruisers were designed during the ministry of Clarence Addlington as the first of the modern Vionna-Frankenlischian gun-cruisers. At the time, government budgeting meant that the Imperial Navy needed solid multi-purpose ships which could be built cheaply. In the case of the Admiral-class, priority was placed on designing a ship which could keep up with most surface combatants, provide close-range anti-air cover, and carry a significant enough gun armament to carry out shore bombardment and engage other cruisers and destroyers. Long range was also a desired feature for hunting down enemy commerce raiders.
Caledon had an overall length of 605 feet 1.5 inches (184.4 m), a beam of 65 feet (19.8 m), and a draught of 19 feet 3 inches (5.9 m). She displaced 10,800 long tons (11,000 t). Her crew consisted of 564 officers and ratings, this increased to 612 when deployed as a flagship - with the additional numbers coming from the admiral's staff and a strengthened complement of marines. Caledon was powered by eight Admiralty Standard boilers driving four steam turbines with a propellor shaft each. The power provided by these gave her a maximum speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph), and she had a range of 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).