View source for Engineering:Challenger-class cruiser

{{Short description|Early 20th-century British naval ship class}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Challenger AllanGreen.jpg
|Ship caption=HMS ''Challenger''
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Challenger''
|Builders=
|Operators=*{{Navy|United Kingdom}}
*{{Navy|Australia|1913}} 
|Class before={{sclass|Highflyer|cruiser|4}}
|Class after={{sclass|Topaze|cruiser|4}}
|Cost=
|Built range=1900–1905
|In service range=   
|In commission range=1904–1929
|Total ships completed=2
|Total ships scrapped=2
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= (as built)
|Ship type=[[Engineering:Protected cruiser|Protected cruiser]]
|Ship displacement={{convert|5880|LT|t}}
|Ship length={{convert|355|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} ([[Engineering:Length between perpendiculars|p/p]])
|Ship beam={{convert|56|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} 
|Ship draught={{convert|21|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on|1}} 
|Ship power=*{{convert|12500|ihp|lk=in|abbr=on}}
*18 [[Engineering:Water-tube boiler|water-tube boiler]]s
|Ship propulsion=2 shafts, 2 [[Engineering:Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|Triple-expansion steam engines]] 
|Ship speed={{convert|21|kn|lk=in|1}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=490
|Ship armament=
*11 × BL {{convert|6|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=3}} guns
*9 × QF 12-pounder 12 cwt (3-inch) guns<ref group=Note>"Cwt" is the abbreviation for [[Hundredweight|hundredweight]], 20 cwt referring to the weight of the gun.</ref>
*6 × QF 3-pounder (47 mm) guns
*2 × 18-inch (450&nbsp;mm) torpedo tubes
|Ship armour=*[[Engineering:Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|1.5|-|3|in|mm|1|abbr=on}}
*[[Engineering:Gun shield|Gun shield]]s: {{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}
*[[Engineering:Conning tower|Conning tower]]: {{convert|6|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
The '''''Challenger''-class cruisers''' were a pair of second-class [[Engineering:Protected cruiser|protected cruiser]]s built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. One ship, {{HMS|Encounter|1902|6}}, was later transferred to the Royal Australian Navy.

==Design and description==
The ''Challenger''-class cruisers were essentially repeats of the previous [[Engineering:Highflyer-class cruiser|''Highflyer'' class]], albeit with more powerful propulsion machinery. They were designed to [[Engineering:Displacement (ship)|displace]] {{convert|5880|LT|t}}. The ships had a [[Engineering:Length between perpendiculars|length between perpendiculars]] of {{convert|355|ft|m|1}}, a [[Engineering:Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|56|ft|m|1}} and a draught of {{convert|21|ft|3|in|m|1}}. Their crew consisted of 490 officers and other ranks.<ref name=f6>Friedman 2012, p. 336</ref>

The ships were powered by two 4-cylinder [[Engineering:Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion steam engines]], each driving one shaft, using steam provided by 18 Babcock & Wilcox ({{HMS|Challenger|1902|2}}) or [[Engineering:Dürr boiler|Dürr]] (''Encounter'') [[Engineering:Water-tube boiler|water-tube boiler]]s. These boilers were heavier and bulkier, but more powerful than the Belleville boilers used in the ''Highflyer'' class. Sir William White, Director of Naval Construction, was uncertain if the extra power would offset the weight sufficiently to reach {{convert|21|kn|lk=in}} and rated the ships at {{convert|20.75|kn}}. The boilers were designed to produce enough steam to allow the engines to reach {{convert|12500|ihp|lk=in}}.<ref>Friedman, pp. 170–71, 334</ref> The ships easily exceeded their designed power and speeds during their sea trials.<ref name=ck8>Chesneau & Kolesnik, p. 79</ref> They carried a maximum of {{convert|1150|LT|t}} of coal.<ref name=f6/>

The main armament of the ''Challenger'' class consisted of 11 quick-firing (QF) {{convert|6|in|mm|adj=on|0}} Mk I guns.<ref>Friedman 2011, p. 87</ref> One gun was mounted on the [[Engineering:Forecastle|forecastle]] and two others were positioned on the [[Engineering:Quarterdeck|quarterdeck]]. The remaining eight guns were placed [[Port and starboard|port and starboard]] amidships.<ref>Friedman 2012, p. 171</ref> They had a maximum range of approximately {{convert|10000|yd}} with their {{convert|100|lb|adj=on}} shells.<ref>Friedman 2011, pp. 87–88</ref> Eight QF 12-pounder 12 cwt guns were fitted for defence against [[Engineering:Torpedo boat|torpedo boat]]s. One additional 12-pounder 8 cwt gun could be dismounted for service ashore.<ref name=f6/> They also carried six 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns and two submerged 18-inch (450&nbsp;mm) torpedo tubes.<ref name=ck8/>

The ships' protective [[Engineering:Deck (ship)|deck]] armour ranged in thickness from {{convert|1.5|to|3|in|mm|0}}. The engine hatches were protected by {{convert|5|in|adj=on|0}} of armour. The main guns were fitted with 3-inch [[Engineering:Gun shield|gun shield]]s and the [[Engineering:Conning tower|conning tower]] had armour 6 inches thick.<ref name=ck8/>

==Ships==
*{{HMS|Challenger|1902|6}} - Sold 1920
*{{HMS|Encounter|1902|6}} - To Australia in 1912 as HMAS ''Encounter'', renamed ''Penguin'' 1923, scuttled 1932.

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|2}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|editor2-last=Kolesnik|editor2-first=Eugene M.|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich|year=1979|isbn=0-8317-0302-4|name-list-style=amp|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_l2e2}}
* {{cite book|last=Corbett|first=Julian|title=Naval Operations to the Battle of the Falklands|edition=2nd, reprint of the 1938|series=History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents|volume=I|publisher=Imperial War Museum and Battery Press|location=London and Nashville, Tennessee|isbn=0-89839-256-X}}
*{{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Cruisers of the Victorian Era|year=2012|publisher=Seaforth|location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK|isbn=978-1-59114-068-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=Naval Weapons of World War One|publisher=Seaforth|location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK|year=2011|isbn=978-1-84832-100-7}}
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Gardiner|editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Gray|editor2-first=Randal|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921|year=1985|location=Annapolis, Maryland|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=0-85177-245-5|name-list-style=amp}}

==External links==


[[Category:Cruiser classes]]

{{Sourceattribution|Challenger-class cruiser}}