RKS Adulyadej (CA-1948)

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The Crown Prince Adulyadej was the lead ship of its class. They were to be laid down at the end of 1940 with one being built at each major building center. The ships were a return to the large cruiser, armoured cruiser, light battlecruiser type of vessel Khmer had built so many of during and after WW1. The last twin 12" was mounted on the Krait class was of a 1918 model. Something better was to be designed for the Adulyadej class. The three ships were designed as shown below. Four twin 12" on a 674 foot hull was not a big ship. The US Baltimore, German Hipper, French St Louis, were all 8" cruisers of a similar size. Why the 12" Adulyadej was able to have the bigger guns on the smaller hull was the lack of torpedoes and aircraft handling facilities, both of which would have added up to a 100 foot of extra length to the ship and thousands of extra tons to the displacement. The later USS Alaska was over 800 feet with only 9x12". I like what I have drawn, sleek and powerful, a true big gun cruiser.
 

The new 12" weapon was a 55 caliber gun with 1100lb Armour piercing shells and 1000lb High explosive shells. 166 rounds per gun were carried. The new loading mechanisms allowed the guns to fire at 4-5 rounds per minute. Range was out to 35,000 yards. The guns were also quite accurate over the various distances fired and even at long range the shell dispersal of the eight gun broadside was, at 26-28,000 yards, 180-200 yards. At maximum battle range this would give at least two hits per broadside if the range was found to the target. With the increases in radar technology, getting the range to the target got better and better. Increasing the effectiveness of the guns. The three ships had been designed to kill cruisers and smaller vessels. They were armed to carry out their jobs.

The Rammarat had been laid down at Indrapura and was damaged beyond repair, while building, by the Japanese air strikes on the city during January 1942. The other two were not seriously damaged when their ports of building were attacked during the same set of attacks by the Japanese Carrier Fleet of Admiral Nagumo. The two ships did not complete during WW2 and were finished to a slightly new design enhancing the AA value of the ships, post war.



Having fought with the Allied Forces, the Khmer Navy was in line for assistance on things like, latest Radar and AA weaponry. Khmer made proper use of this assistance with US radar systems and UK AA weapons. The UK 3"/L70 twin turret was allowed for and fitted to the ships in 1950. These could have up to 90 rounds per minute firing per gun. In Khmer service this was kept to 60rpm to increase the reliability of the guns. In UK service the original rpm reached was 120, but ammunition feed problems and overheating jammed the mountings. Even at 60rpm the 900 rounds per gun did not take long to run through. With the much better radar control fitted for each mount, the 3" guns were a potent AA and surface weapon. Each twin 3" mounting had its own radar director and also there was a bigger director abaft the aft funnel that was used for barrage firing, in AA mode, or broadside firing for surface work.  Four pairs of mk5 twin 40mm were fitted fore and aft.  That was the armament fitted by completion 1948-50.

1958-60, thought was given to converting the ships to aft end missile cruisers. When the Khmer Navy was given the price for the conversion, the thought was shelved. It would be some years before the Khmer Navy got its first missile ships.
 

Suthammaracha was the Governor of Ayuthaya for 2 months and 26 days, a 'palace' revolt led to his execution, times were tough.



 

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