HSMS Stockholm (CLA-1942)
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The Stockholm class were improved Smaland class cruisers. The first two Stockholms should have been units 5 & 6 of the Smaland class but the release by Bofors of the new fully automatic 100mm and 50mm weapon systems allowed for an upgrade. A rearrangement of the layout required by the new weapons added some extra length to the hull but the breadth was retained. A larger magazine was required as the new guns fired at over 20 rounds per minute compared to the earlier 12-14 rpm of the 4.7". The new 50mm AA guns also required a shell handling room beneath the guns where the 'endless' belts of amunition could be attached to the feed mechanism.
One of the major differences between the classes was the replacement of the steam turbine machinery of the Smaland class with six of the 11,000 horsepower diesel engines as fitted to the Visby class destroyers. That is where the extra 80 foot of length and a few extra feet of breadth made the difference. The reduction of horsepower from 90,000 to 66,000 also reduced the speed of the ships quite markedly. A drop of four knots lowered the speed to what was commonplace than what had been exceptional with the Smalands.
The guns were made for radar control and early systems were fitted to control both the 100mm and 50mm guns. The 100mm had two radar gun directors which could control two turrets at a time or all four together. The 50mm guns had individual short range radar predictors and also a longer range tracking radar. As the radars were improved, the accuracy of the guns improved also and made the ships even deadlier adversaries. One of the improvements was that the ships could carry double of the number of mines of the Smaland class. The eight ships were laid down in pairs and completed, four in 1942, two in 1943 and the final pair in 1944. The first four completed were used exclusively as AA escorts to the new Gota Lejon class aircraft carrier. The ships completed in 1944 replaced the quintuple sets of torpedo tubes with two quadruple Snab rocket assisted torpedo launchers. (see HSMS Valhalla)
| Displacement | 4,200 tons standard, 5,300 tons full load |
| Length | 494 ft |
| Breadth | 47 ft |
| Draught | 15 ft |
| Machinery | 2 shaft diesel engines, 66,000bhp |
| Speed | 35 knots |
| Range | 7000 miles at 15 knots (1800 at 34 knots) |
| Armour | 1.5" splinter protection over magazines & propulsion, 1.5 turrets |
| Armament | 8 x 3.9" (4x2) 18 x 50mm (9x2) |
| Torpedoes | 10 x 21" (2x5) |
| Mines | 50 when fitted |
| Complement | 240 |
| Notes | HSMS Stockholm |
Twin 50mm fully automatic AA guns.