This is a 3D printed sculpt of the Dido Class Light Cruiser by EBard Models.
The Dido class consisted of sixteen light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. They were designed as fleet escorts to protect heavier units from both light surface forces and aircraft. The first group of three ships was commissioned in 1940, the second group (six ships) and third group (two ships) were commissioned in 1941–1942. The Bellona-class ships commissioned between 1943 to 1944. Most members of the class were named after figures of Greek mythology.
The new light cruisers were considered a significant advance, however some damage was experienced initially in extreme North Atlantic conditions, and modified handling avoided the problem.
The Bellona class were mainly intended as picket ships for amphibious warfare operations, in support of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy and United States Navy in the Pacific.
The Dido class saw considerable action in WW2, including the Battle of Cape Matapan, the Second Battle of Sirte, Operation Torch, Operation Overlord and the Battle of Okinawa. In action in the Mediterranean Sea, they were surprisingly effective in protecting crucial convoys to Malta and managed to fend off far larger ships of the Italian Royal Navy.
Post war modernisation kept the class in service until the mid 1950's.
Ships of Class:
Dido - Survived the war. Broken up, 1957
Argonaut - Survived the war. Broken up, 1955
Charybdis - Sunk at Battle of Sept-Îles, October 1943
Phoebe - Survived the war. Broken up, 1956
Hermione - Torpedoed by the German submarine U-205, June 1942
Bonaventure - Torpedoed by the Italian submarine Ambra, March 1941
Scylla - Badly damaged by a naval mine and declared a total loss
Naiad - Torpedoed by the German submarine U-565, March 1942
Cleopatra - Survived the war. Broken up, 1958
Sirius - Survived the war. Broken up, 1956
Euryalus - Survived the war. Broken up, 1959
Bellona - Survived the war. Broken up, 1959
Royalist - Survived the war. Loaned to the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and served until 1966.
Diadem - Survived the war. Transferred to Pakistan, 1956. Renamed Babur. Deleted 1985.
Black Prince - Survived the war. Broken up, 1962
Spartan - Sunk by German Fritz X while supporting the Anzio landing, 1944
Insignia can be added to each deck decal to make it easier to identify ship nationality. Select from your choice of images.
National Roundel
Flag Roundel
FEC Roundel
SEAC Roundel
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