7082 DUTCH LIGHT CRUISER DE RUYTER 1942

HNLMS De Ruyter was a Dutch light cruiser from the interwar period and World War II The keel for this unit was laid in 1933, the launch took place in March 1935, and the entry into service took place in October 1936. The total length of the ship at the time of launching was 171 meters, with a width of 15.7 meters and a draft of 5.1 meters. Standard displacement was around 6,600 tons, and the maximum speed was around 32 knots. The armament at the time of the launch consisted of seven 152 mm guns, ten 40 mm anti-aircraft guns and eight 12.7 mm machine guns. HNLMS De Ryter was commissioned by the Dutch Navy (Hol. Koninklijke Marine), and its main contractor was the shipyard Wilton-Fijenoord based in the city of Schiedam (de facto: part of Rotterdam). The unit was primarily designed to strengthen the defense potential of the Dutch East Indies, roughly the area of today's Indonesia. Of course, the main opponent HNLMS De Ryter was to be Japanese destroyers and light cruisers. While the overall design of the unit was based on Java-class units, it was significantly modernized, and the ship's potential was clearly increased. Finally, a successful ship was created, not inferior to the design of other powers in its class, with a high maximum speed, good armor and a very good fire control system. HNLMS De Ryter from the beginning of World War II in the Far East performed intensively his combat missions, and his career ended tragically on February 27, 1942, when he was sunk by Japanese forces during the Battle of the Java Sea. The cruiser remained on board until the end - its commander, Commander Lacombe and the commander of the ABDA team, Rear Admiral Doorman.