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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY (UNITED KINGDOM)

TORPEDO SHIPS

"A" and "B" destroyers (ANTHONY)

Brazen 1940

Skeena 1941

       Achates 1942

   

Displacement standard, t	1337 - 1360 Keith: 1400
Displacement full, t	1747 - 1815 (Keith 1821) (later 1930 - 1990)
Length, m	95.1 pp  98.5 oa Saguenay, Skeena: 94.2 pp 97.5 oa
Breadth, m	9.83 Saguenay, Skeena: 9.91
Draught, m	3.73 (later 3,86 - 3,99) deep load
No of shafts	2
Machinery	Parsons geared steam turbines, 3 Admiralty 3-drum boilers Acasta, Achates, Basilisk, Beagle: Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, 3 Admiralty 3-drum boilers Anthony, Ardent: Parsons geared steam turbines, 3 Yarrow boilers Acheron, Saguenay, Skeena: Parsons geared steam turbines, 3 Thornycroft boilers
Power, h. p.	34000 Saguenay, Skeena: 32000
Max speed, kn	35.25 Saguenay, Skeena: 35
Fuel, t	oil 380
Endurance, nm(kts)	"A", "B": 4800(15) Saguenay, Skeena: 5000(15)
Armament	"A", Saguenay, Skeena: 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 2 x 1 - 40/39 pompom, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 3 DCR (6 DC), sweeps "B", Keith: 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 2 x 1 - 40/39 pompom, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 2 DCT, 1 DCR (20 DC)
Sensors	"B", Keith: type 119 sonar
Complement	138 Keith: 175

Ship project history: They were built under 1927 ("A") and 1928 ("B") programs. The design has been developed on the basis of experimental Amazon. Because of very high requirements on an endurance the initial variant has appeared unduly big (as well as corresponding leader design), total displacement should exceed 2200t, that Admiralty recognised as unacceptable. The task on range of a course have lowered, but simultaneously semi-automatic 120mm guns and quadruple TTs were appeared. In connection with appearing of the minesweeping equipment it was necessary to shrink considerably anti-submarine armaments: ships have not received sonar though it figured in the initial design.

The architecture and hull dimensions differed from prototype (Amazon) a little, the truth, the increased armament weight (135t against 91) has caused hull breadth increase. Besides, for decreasing of wetness, their bridges have moved aft on some metres. Engine was less power and simultaneously more simple: only Acheron had high-pressure boilers. Though machinery with these boilers has shown on a quarter the best endurance, because of complexity in service and low reliability these boilers have refused on serial destroyers.

Ships of 1928 program differed from "A" class only by strengthened anti-submarine armament at the expense of removing minesweeping equipment (though on a design stage it was supposed to keep it, simultaneously having transferred on quintuple TTs at the expense of reduction of figure of main guns from four to three).

Unlike the 1927 program which leader (Codrington) notably exceeded the destroyers in the dimensions, Keith (the leader of the 1928 program) practically did not differ from corresponding to her destroyers. It was necessary  to decrease figure of main guns (3 under the original design, already after ordering this lack had removed, and there was a fourth gun) and with absence of a sufficient place for all headquarters of a flotilia for what it was necessary to arrange one destroyer (Blanche) as the half-flotilla leader.

Besides 16 ships for the Royal Navy two more have built by order of Canada. The design has been developed on the basis of "A" class destroyer, but with a number of the changes dictated by specificity of possible service both in northern latitudes, and in subtropics. The hull has been strengthened for ice navigation and became wider, that allowed to carry on an upper deck and superstructures up to 50-60t of ice without risk of loss of stability. In comparison with standard destroyers of the British fleet, the superstructure has received more covered form.

Modernizations: second half of 1940, Acasta, Achates, Acheron, Active, Antelope, Anthony, Ardent, Arrow, Beagle, Saguenay, Skeena: - 1 x 4 - 533 TT, 2 DCR; + 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I HA, 2 DCT (20 - 40 DC totally)

second half of 1940, Beagle, Boadicea, Boreas, Brilliant, Bulldog: - 1 x 4 - 533 TT; + 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I HA

late 1940 - late 1941, Active, Antelope, Anthoy, Arrow, Beagle, Boadicea, Boreas, Brilliant, Bulldog, Saguenay, Skeena: - 1 x 1 - 120/45; + 2 DCT (70 DC totally)

late 1941, Anthony, Arrow: - 1 x 1 - 76/45; + 1 x 4 - 533 TT

late 1941 - early 1942, all survived: + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon

1942, Achates: - 1 x 1 - 120/45, 2 x 1 - 40/39 pompom; + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT, DC stowage increased up to 125

1942 - 1943, all survived but Achates: - 2 x 1 - 40/39 pompom; + 2 x (1 (Active, Skeena, Saguenay) - 2 (Anthony, Arrow, Beagle, Boreas, Brilliant, Bulldog, Boadicea)) - 20/70 Oerlikon, DC stowage increased up to 125  pcs.

1943, Anthony: - 1 x 4 - 533 TT

1943, Active, Antelope: - 1 x 1 - 76/45; + 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon

1943, Beagle, Bulldog: - 1 x 1 - 120/45, 1 x 1 - 76/45; + 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT

1944, Active, Anthony, Antelope: - 1 x 1 - 120/45; + 2 x 1 - 57/40 Hotchkiss, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT

1944, Skeena: - 1 x 1 - 120/45; + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT

1944, Bulldog: + 1 x 1 - 40/39 pompom

Naval service: Blanche 13/11/1939 was stricken by German mine in a mouth of the river Thames and sunk. Basilisk 1/6/1940 was badly damaged by German Ju 87 bombers at Dunkirk, she was abandoned by crew and sunk by destroyer Whitehall. Keith 1/6/1940 was sunk by German bombers at Dunkirk. Acasta and Ardent 8/6/1940 were sunk by gunfire of German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in 300nm W of Tromso. During battle Ardent achieved torpedo hit to Scharnhorst and badly damaged her. Boadicea 10/6/1940 was badly damaged in La Manche by direct hits of two 500kg bombs, repaired till the end of year; she was sunk 13/6/1944 by two German air torpedoes from Ju 88 bomber in 12nm SW of Portland. Brazen 20/7/1940 was badly damaged by German Ju 87 bombers in strait of Dover and sunk at tow. Acheron 28/8/1940 was badly damaged by air bomb direct hit in harbour of Portsmouth; the stern was destroyed, repair lasted to the middle of December, 1940; she was mined during sea trails after repair 17/12/1940 and sunk in La Manche.

Achates 31/12/1942 was sunk by artillery of German cruiser Admiral Hipper N of Nordkap. Arrow was badly damaged 4/8/1943 at Algeria as a result of explosion of French amunition ship Fort La Montee laying nearby and was not repaired. Boreas 25/7/1940 was badly damaged by an air bomb direct hit in La Manche, one boiler room was destroyed, ship repaired 4 months. Saguenay 1/12/1940 was damaged by torpedo from Italian submarine Argo in Northern Atlantic; she was repeatedly damaged in November, 1942 at collision with s/s Azara at Newfoundland; partially repaired, but used only as TS. Skeena wrecked in a mist in Hval-fiord 25/10/1944.

       Bulldog 1931

 

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