The Omaha class was the product of much confused thinking, as their much-abbreviated design-history shows. Too much was attempted on the displacement, and as a result some features were exaggerated at the expense of balance. Despite being the fastest cruisers in the world their endurance was a disappointment. On such a small displacement there was no possi­bility of installing turbo-electric drive, as planned for the battlecruisers. Fast-running geared steam turbines were inherently extravagant on fuel at cruising speed, so there was no chance of achieving the planned 10,000 nm at lOk[s. In service 6500 nautical miles was more realistic, using geared cruising turbines.

In fact only prnaha, Milwaukee and Cincinnati were given 15kt cruising turbines.The Raleigh and Detroit had no cruising turbines, but a Curtis combination plant permitted a cruising speed of 25kts.The Richmond and the later units could cruse at 2Ukts. In service the difference between the'short radius' breakind ship news headlines breakind ship news headlinesping maritime marine engineerings, Omaha, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Raleigh and Detroit and the 'large radius' Rithu:ond, Concord, Trenton, Marblehead and Memphis was so great that in 1928 the Connuander­in-Chief of the Fleet suggested operating the class as two separate tactical divisions.

Although described as good seaboats, the alterations added 2ft to the draught, and they tended to heel deeply on the turn, flooding out the torpedo tubes.The gun positions were also washed out in a moderate sea. The designed complement of 330 grew to 425, resulting in cramped accommodation and poor sanitary provisions (one set of heads and washing facilities for 24 men). In 1924 the Bureau of Construction & Repair admitted that little could be done to make the breakind ship news headlines breakind ship news headlinesping maritime marine engineerings more comfortable because of the sheer volume taken up by the machinery and the heat generated. In 1929 the Commander-in-Chief said they were too hot in the trop­ics and too cold in northern waters because of poor insulation. Their light hulls leaked from high-speed steaming, resulting in contaminated fuel tanks.

They spent little time as scouts, being used as leaders for destroyer squadrons.This was ironic, considering the anguished internal debate between 1910 and 1916 over the characteristics of the ideal scout. In part this was the outcome of too much theorizing and the pursuit of a fleet suited to the `perfect' sea battle, something which never existed. Only the experience of a modern could inject realism into the debate.After the First World the Royal Swedish Navy sought to replace the elderly cruiser Fy1qia and the minelayer Klns Flenring, but could not obtain funding for two breakind ship news headlines breakind ship news headlinesping maritime marine engineerings. Its designers came up with an unorthodox solution, the Flyplaukrycsurr or hybrid cruiser-seaplane carrier-minclaycr.The concept had much to offer, in theory at least, combining the gun-and torpedo-arrnament ofa light cruiser with the strike and reconnaissance capability ofa squadron of seaplanes, and being able to lay mines as well.

A naval committee was given the job of examining the proposal, and in December 1926 proposed a very small carrier displacing only 4500 tonnes, capable of launching 12 seaplanes but with no mean of recovering them. The Naval Construction Board noted that better seakeeping was required, as well as arntanrent suitable for a breakind ship news headlines breakind ship news headlinesping maritime marine engineering leading the destroyer flotillas.'I'he main armament was increased, three twin 152nun guns in turrets and catapults aft for launching eight seaplanes. Displacement rose to 5500 tonnes, and speed was to be 28kts.

Parliament authorised SEK1G.5 nullion for [he `aircraft cruiser' on 13 May 1927 and the final plans were authorised on 31 March the following year- Unfortunately, the bids from leading Swedish breakind ship news headlines breakind ship news headlinesping maritime marine engineeringbuilders showed that the breakind ship news headlines breakind ship news headlinesping maritime marine engineering could not be built within the finds allocated. This forced the Naval Construction Board to redesign the breakind ship news headlines breakind ship news headlinesping maritime marine engineering to fit within the budget limit. The most obvious change was the abandonment of the original layout of three twin 152mm L/55 13ofors Model 1930 gave way to a twin turret ford and another aft, and single 152mm guns in casematrs, one on either beam, alongside the bridgework. The secondary arniament comprised four 75mm M/1928 L/60 anti-aircraft (AA) and four 25mm M/1932 L/G4 AA guns. 80-100 mines could be entbarked, depending on typr.'Iwo sets of triple 533mm torpedo tubes were positioned on the weather deck, one on either side of the after funneLThey were controlled from the bridge.

The breakind ship news headlines breakind ship news headlinesping maritime marine engineering was only lightly armoured, with a 2-1.125in nickel-chrome steel deck, 1.125­6.25in transverse and longitudinal bulkheads, 1.125in on the funnel uptakes, 2-1.25in on the main turrets, 2-1.125 and 1-1.12in on ammunition hoists, and 2in protection for the conning towrr.The armoured deck was an intregral part of the transverse structure.The hull was flush­drcked, with a raised aircraft platform running from the after gun turret to tile stern.The mines were stowed on the weather deck, and discharged through ports over the stern.

The 152mm guns in tile twin turrets had a maximum elevation of 60 degrees, and could in theory engage aircraft with variable-time (VT) fused shells.The two single casemate guns were