TCG Caka Bey (CL-1939)
The two Caka Bey class cruisers were the only modern large ships added to the Turkish Fleet pre-war. Built in Italy these two ships were to be multi-role combat craft. The Turks had to make the most of these ships as they had to fill the roles of Escort Cruisers to the battlecruisers, Anti-aircraft cruisers, Minelayers and Destroyer Leaders. To achieve these aims something had to give and as with most Italian designs this was armour protection. A box of 40mm (1.57") armour was created around the magazines and engineering spaces, that was it. On full power trials at ultra light condition the ships made over 43 knots at 75.000shp. At standard displacement this speed reduced to 37 knots and at war displacement the speed reduced to 34 knots at 70,000shp.
The armament reflected its multi-role condition with triple dual purpose 5.3" turrets being fitted one forward and two aft. A very heavy set of twin 37mm AA guns were fitted and these began being replaced by single 40mm Bofors weapons from 1942. The original Breda 13.2mm mg's were replaced with single 20mm in 1940. The one thing not fitted to the ships that would have improved the design would have been the addition of a set of twin or triple torpedo tubes on each beam at the break of the main deck replacing one or two of the twin 37mm mountings. The two ships made a good comparison to the Dido class cruisers of the Commonwealth Navies.
| Displacement | 4,700 tons std 6,150 tons full load |
| Length | 505 ft |
| Breadth | 50 ft |
| Draught | 20 ft |
| Machinery | 2 shaft steam turbines, 70,000shp |
| Speed | 34 knots |
| Range | 4000 miles at 15 knots (1500 at 34 knots) |
| Armour | 40mm box over machinery and magazines |
| Armament | 9 x 5.3" (3x3) 22 x 37mm (11x2) 8 x 20mm (8x1) |
| Mines | 110 |
| Complement | 400 |
| Notes | TCG Caka Bey TCG Medilli |
