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Description
Envisioned as a follow-up to the unsatisfactory Kent-class heavy cruisers, Lanarkshire and her sisters mounted a heavier eight-inch battery in fewer turrets, and on a lighter hull. The addition of a full armored belt (while still only 3") ensured that these ships were not nearly as fragile as their older sisters. Their smaller hulls but heavier armament were highly praised by the Admiralty for their simplicity, but there was heavy criticism from their crews, as the ships were often cramped and crowded. These ships were fairly successful during the war, despite their growing obsolescence. Their light protection proved inadequate on numerous occasions, particularly when HMS Arundel was severely damaged by a single 500kg bomb from a Hs-129F, but overall the ships performed well, even when facing larger opponents; the memorable "Dover Duel" between the DKM Scharnhorst and the HMS Blackburn, photographed by a daring fisherman, is the best example of this. All six ships survived the war. Blackburn is the sole preserved member of this class; she exists as a museum in Dover, not five miles from the site of her vicious scrape with a ship three and a half times her weight.

Description
Envisioned as a follow-up to the unsatisfactory Kent-class heavy cruisers, Lanarkshire and her sisters mounted a heavier eight-inch battery in fewer turrets, and on a lighter hull. The addition of a full armored belt (while still only 3") ensured that these ships were not nearly as fragile as their older sisters. Their smaller hulls but heavier armament were highly praised by the Admiralty for their simplicity, but there was heavy criticism from their crews, as the ships were often cramped and crowded. These ships were fairly successful during the war, despite their growing obsolescence. Their light protection proved inadequate on numerous occasions, particularly when HMS Arundel was severely damaged by a single 500kg bomb from a Hs-129F, but overall the ships performed well, even when facing larger opponents; the memorable "Dover Duel" between the DKM Scharnhorst and the HMS Blackburn, photographed by a daring fisherman, is the best example of this. All six ships survived the war. Blackburn is the sole preserved member of this class; she exists as a museum in Dover, not five miles from the site of her vicious scrape with a ship three and a half times her weight.