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Type 61 Cathedral Class
Also known as the Salisbury Class, the Type 61 was similar to the Type 41, the same hull and general layout was used, four of each were ordered in June 1951. The Type 61 was laid down first but delays in completion meant the the Type 41 entered service first. In the Type 61 the aft turret was deleted in favour of a 3D 982 Aircraft Direction radar and an extended Operations Room.
Original displacement was designed at 1,738 tons standard and 2,185 full load, but when completed they were 1,950 tons standard and 2,450 full load. Original specification was for 16,000 SHP but in the event no suitable steam plant was available and diesel option was restricted to 12,400 SHP. The first all welded and fully pre-fabricated ships in the RN, designed to be mass produced.
Ships like the Type 61 could operate with a convoy and summon and direct air support from Carriers operating either as escorts or more likely in hunter killer groups.
The 982 aircraft direction radar and later 985 derivitive was only ever fitted to some aircraft carriers beside the Type 61, I know next to nothing about them except the antenna was known as the "Hayrake" and on the carriers they were replaced by the massive 984 radar which looks like a giant searchlight.
The more conventional 960 air warning as used on the Type 41 was also replaced with the 965 as on the Type 41, but the "Double Bedstead" was used, the great AKE(2) which weighed in at 4 tons.
The STAAG was removed and replaced with a twin Mk V Bofors 40mm, and on Lincoln, Salisbury, Chichester & Llandaff this was replaced with the early GWS-20 Seacat system. Squid was fitted to all the class but removed when it became obsolete, neither class ever carried anti-submarine measures in later life.
As with the Type 41 their long range and fuel economy made them ideal for the South America and South Atlantic Patrols. A fifth ship, HMS Exeter, was ordered but then postponned and finaly cancelled.
Ultimatly though their peace time roles were too restricted once Labour cancelled the carrier program and ran down the Fleet Airarm and they were retired to reserve in Chatham and scrapped when Chatham was closed, only Llandaff surviving to be sold to Bangladesh where she still serves as a training ship.
HMS Salisbury was the first diesel powered ship built by the Royal Navy and ended up the last in service.
HMS Chichester, the value of radar pickets had been well established during
WWII, the Type 61 aimed to provide fighter direction over a convoy without
actualy having to place a carrier in radar range.
HMS Lincoln, the hull design of the Type 61/41 proved to be a great success
with excellent sea keeping capabilities, this would be improved even further
with the longer Type 12.
HMS Llandaff with twin 40mm Mk V Bofors on her stern.
Llandaff was the only ship of the class to be fitted with a 500KW gas
turbine generator in place of one of her electrical generators.
