Royal Hellenic Navy Cruiser (1939)

seisen · **seisen**

In 1937 joint delegations from Turkey and Greece (In accordance to the 1930 Treaty of Ankara) approached Royal Navy Construction Yards with proposals to build new warships in the UK. It was at this time that the Turkish Government attempted to purchase the two building Edinburgh Class Cruisers unsuccessfully, but planned for an identical pair through private yards, only to be offered a KGV Class Battleship... oddly.

Greece in addition to looking for new Destroyers and Submarines also wanted a new cruiser. This was something the Royal Hellenic Navy had long planned for as the Destroyer Vasiliefs Georgios design (laid down in 1936) included admiral's quarters... as she was designated a flagship until the cruiser could be completed. This is the point of my question.

Does anyone have concrete info about the RHN Cruiser "Design"? I've recieved conflicting info that a shortened and lighter Edinburgh was considered along with a Crown Colony. Documents from both Swan Hunter Shipyard and Stephens and Son in Govin support this. Still, it is interresting that National Shipbuilders Liquidators Limited who picked up Palmers Shipbuilding after bankruptcy in 1934, offered a "reasonable substitute for Averoff in a modified York Class (an old design by 1937)" in an effort to restore work at the yards which had been closed since 1933. I have found no schematics or "official drawings" regarding Greece's 1939 Cruiser... and there may be none... but Im curious if anyone has any archival info on the matter.

Any help appreciated Very Happy

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dracos42 · **dracos42**

Seisen,

I found this at another forum. I'll post your question over there as well.

Dracos42

From:
Warship Projects Discussion Boards 3.0

Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 6:52 am Post subject: Turkish never-weres

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I misremeber where I got this here quote, better yet, I should say "how" I got it, I'm an awful collector of stuff...Anywhiles, here's the quote,...Which I have to type out hunt and peck because I' computer illiterate....
Armistice Day-2006----
Post subject: Greek and Turkish never-weres from the extremely literate
Ensign-member Susan Cross....
"In my college days I used to go through the library's back issues of Proceedings and Brassey's. There is nothing more ephemeral than planned warships, but here is what I gleaned on Turkey and Greece.

"Reportedly Turkey negotiated with Japan for the construction of two 8000 ton cruisers with six 8". Another set of negotiations was with Germany for four T1 torpedo boats and four F class escorts. Yet another report had Turkey wanting to construct ten Type II coastal u-boats in Turkey from imported components.

"Greece planned a cruiser, eight destroyers and four Type VII and two Type II u-boats before the war started--only the first two destroyers were delivered. Later, after the Italian invasion, there were discussions with the USN on the sale of one or two Omaha class cruisers; there was also a plan mooted for the sale or lease of HMS Ajax. (One wonders where the crews would have been found for them)."

seisen · **seisen**

Thanks Dracos. The Proceedings Journals and the Naval War College Periodicals are a fantastic source of info... Ive been rifling through them for a couple of years now. You should see the concepts for "Zepplin Cruisers". Shocked

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drittal · **drittal**

you may want to ask the guys at the NavWeaps forum for any info.
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dracos42 · **dracos42**