Ilavaraci-class cruiser
 RK Matta Ilavaraci
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Ilavaraci-class |
| Operators: | Royal Tennaiite Navy |
| Built: | 1930-1936 |
| In commission: | 1932-1963 |
| Planned: | 8 |
| Completed: | 8 |
| Retired: | 8 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Heavy cruiser |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | |
| Beam: | 70 ft 10 in (21.59 m) |
| Height: | 112 ft 10 in (34.39 m) (mast) |
| Draft: | 26 ft 10 in (8.18 m) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: | 4 screws; 4 steam turbinesets |
| Speed: | 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph) |
| Range: | 10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Boats & landing craft carried: | 2 × lifeboats |
| Complement: | 61 officers and 1,085 sailors |
| Armament: |
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| Armor: |
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| Aviation facilities: |
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The Ilavaraci-class cruisers were large heavy cruisers in the Royal Tennaiite Navy commisioned shortly before and during the Siduri War. Eight Ilavaraci's were completed, more than any other Tennaiite class of Tennaiite heavy cruisers of the war. Fast and heavily armed, the Ilavaraci cruisers were mainly used in the Siduri War to protect the fast aircraft carriers in battle groups from air attack. Additionally, their 203 mm (8 inch) guns and secondary 127 mm (5 inch) guns were regularly used to bombard land targets. After the war, all eight Ilavaracis remained in service with the Royal Tennaiite Navy until 1963. In the 1950s the older four vessels where decomissioned and the later four were rebuilt as guided missile cruisers.
Engineering and equipment
Hull
Ilavaraci-class cruisers were 673 feet 7 inches (205.31 m) long and 70 feet 10 inches (21.59 m) wide. Fully loaded, original Ilavaracis displaced 17,031 long tons (17,304 t) of water. Their draft was 23 feet 11 inches (7.29 m). At the bow, the top level of the hull lay 33 feet (10 m) above the water; at the stern, 25 feet (7.6 m). The funnels were 86 feet (26 m) high, and the highest point on the masts was at 112 feet (34 m). The superstructure occupied about a third of the ship's length and was divided into two deckhouses. The gap between these housed the two thin funnels. Two masts, one a bit forward and the other a bit aft of the funnels, accommodated the positioning electronics.
The vertical belt armor was 6 inches (152 mm) thick and the horizontal deck armor was up to 3 inches (76.2 mm) thick. The turrets were also heavily armored, between 1.5–8 in (38–203 mm) thick, while the conning tower had up to 6.5 inches (165 mm).
Propulsion
The Ilavaraci cruisers were propelled with steam power. Each ship had four shafts, each with a propeller. The shafts were turned by four steam turbines, the steam produced by six boilers, which at full speed reached pressures of up to 615 pounds per square inch (4,240 kPa). The Ilavaracis each had two engine rooms and two funnels, though this was changed in the post-war refits, which only had one funnel for all four turbines, as noted above. The high speed was around 33 knots (61 km/h) and the performance of the engine was around 120,000 horsepower (89 MW)
Armamament
The main armament of the Ilavaraci-class consisted of three turrets, each with three 8"/55 caliber guns. Two of these were located forward and one aft. They fired a 335-pound (152 kg) shell out to a maximum range of 30,050 yards (27,480 m). The armor-piercing shell could penetrate six inches of armor plating at 20,800 yards (19,000 m). The secondary armament consisted of twelve 5"/38 caliber guns in six twin mounts. Two mounts were located on each side of the superstructure and two were behind the main batteries fore and aft. These guns could be used against aircraft, and for surface targets. Their maximum range for surface targets was 17,575 yards (16,071 m) and they could reach aircraft at altitudes of up to 12,400 yards (11,300 m). In addition, the ships had numerous light anti-aircraft weapons: 12 quadruple mounts of 40 mm guns as well as twenty 25 mm guns. After the Siduri War the 25 mm anti-aircraft guns were removed without replacement because it was expected they would be completely ineffective against postwar aircraft. The 40 mm guns were replaced with 3"/50 caliber guns in the 1950s.
Aircraft
The onboard flight systems of the Ilavaraci-class cruisers during the Siduri War consisted of two aircraft catapults on the side edges of the aft deck. Between the catapults was a sliding hatchway which was the roof of an onboard hangar. Directly under the hatch was an aircraft elevator. The hangar had room to accommodate up to four aircraft at one time, one to port forward of the elevator, one to port abeam the elevator, one starboard abeam, and one on the elevator itself. The first four ships of the class had two cranes each, while the later models had only one.
Service
All ships in the class saw combat during the course of the Siduri War. RK Ilavaraci Matta, RK Ilavaraci Supta, RK Ilavaraci Koldari, and RK Ilavaraci Hampi were part of the Royal Tennaiite Navy's fleet that engaged the Syaran fleet at the Battle of the Sabri Sea. They were assigned as escorts for the Tipparavai-class aircraft carriers RK Tipparavai and RK Karutan and during the course of the chaotic engagement, proved crucial in protecting the carriers from Syaran ships. The Hampi was struck by a torpedo during the course of the battle, which killed 26 women in the engine room and left the ship immobilized. The ship was hit amidships and both boiler rooms were flooded with 3,000 tons of seawater. Following the withdrawal of the Syaran fleet, Hampi was towed away by her sister ship, Supta. Eight months later, repairs were completed and Hampi returned to service and fought in several other battles. Hampi was the only Ilavaraci-class vessel damaged by enemy fire during the course of the Siduri War.
Ships
Of the eight ships, four were in service at the start of the start of the Siduri War while the other four entered service during the war in 1936.
| Ship | Laid down | Launched | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|
| RK Ilavaraci Matta | 1930 | 1932 | 1934 |
| RK Ilavaraci Supta | 1930 | 1932 | 1934 |
| RK Ilavaraci Koldari | 1930 | 1932 | 1934 |
| RK Ilavaraci Hampi | 1930 | 1932 | 1934 |
| RK Ilavaraci Ponneri | 1932 | 1934 | 1936 |
| RK Ilavaraci Aminjikarai | 1932 | 1934 | 1936 |
| RK Ilavaraci Almagir | 1932 | 1934 | 1936 |
| RK Ilavaraci Vanasthalipuram | 1932 | 1934 | 1936 |