Minotaur-class cruiser (1947)

Class overview
Name	Design Z (Minotaur)
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Neptune class (planned)
Succeeded by	Tiger class (actual)
Planned	6
Cancelled	6
General characteristics Design Z, Version D[1]
Type	Light cruiser
Displacement	15,280 long tons (15,525 t) standard 18,415 long tons (18,711 t) deep load
Length	645 ft (197 m) pp
Beam	75 ft (23 m)
Draught	24 ft 0 in (7.32 m)
Installed power	100,000 shp (75 MW)
Propulsion	Four Admiralty-type three drum boilers Four shaft Parsons steam turbines
Speed	33.5 kn (62.0 km/h; 38.6 mph) (light) 31.5 kn (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph) (deep load)
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Complement	1,090
Armament	5 × dual 6 in QF Mk V guns 8 × twin 3 in QF Mk VI AA guns 4× quadruple 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour	Belt 3.5 in (89 mm) Bulkheads 3.5–2 in (89–51 mm) Turrets 4–1.5 in (102–38 mm) Decks 1.5 in (38 mm)
General characteristics Design ZA alternative[2]
Class and type	Light cruiser
Displacement	13,870 long tons (14,093 t) standard 16,760 long tons (17,029 t) deep load
Length	616 ft (188 m) pp
Beam	73 ft (22 m)
Draught	23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
Installed power	110,000 shp (82 MW)
Propulsion	Four Admiralty-type three drum boilers Four shaft Parsons steam turbines
Speed	33.5 kn (62.0 km/h; 38.6 mph) (light) 31.5 kn (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph) (deep load)
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Complement	1,090
Armament	5 × dual 6 in QF Mk V guns 8 × twin 3 in QF Mk VI AA guns 4× quadruple 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour	Belt 3.5 in (89 mm) Bulkheads 3.5–2 in (89–51 mm) Turrets 4–1.5 in (102–38 mm) Decks 1.5 in (38 mm)
Notes	Smaller alternative of main Minotaur design

The Minotaur class, or Design Z, was a proposed class of light cruisers planned for the British Royal Navy shortly after the Second World War. Design Z had several proposed configurations with differing armament and propulsion arrangements.^[3] The designs were large ships that were planned to be armed with ten 6 in (152 mm) dual purpose guns and an extensive array of 3 in (76 mm) secondary guns. Six ships of the class were planned in 1947 but they were ultimately cancelled before construction could begin, owing to the post-war economic difficulties of the United Kingdom and shifting naval priorities.^[3]