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ROYAL NAVY (UNITED KINGDOM)

TORPEDO SHIPS

"S", "T", "U", "V" and "W" destroyers (SCORPION)

       Grenville 1944

       Savage 1944

  

Displacement standard, t	1780 - 1810
Displacement full, t	2505 - 2545
Length, m	103.5 pp 110.6 oa
Breadth, m	10.9
Draught, m	4.32 - 4.37 deep load
No of shafts	2
Machinery	Parsons geared steam turbines, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Power, h. p.	40000
Max speed, kn	36.75
Fuel, t	oil 588
Endurance, nm(kts)	4675(20)
Armament	4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 1 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (70 - 130 DC) Savage: 1 x 2 - 114/45 QF Mk III, 2 x 1 - 114/45 QF Mk IV, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (70 - 130 DC) Ulysses, Volage, Whelp, Wessex: 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 1 x 4 - 40/39 pompom, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (70 - 130 DC) Scorpion: 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 5 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (70 - 130 DC) Terpsichore, Urchin: 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (70 - 130 DC) Troubridge, Tyrian: 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (70 - 130 DC) Tuscan: 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 1 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (70 - 130 DC) Tumult: 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 1 x 4 - 533 TT, 2 x 1 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (70 - 130 DC)
Sensors	presumably type 275, 277, 282, 291 radars, type 123А, 127 sonars
Complement	180 - 225

Ship project history: By designing of 8 ships of "S" class, ordered in 1941, attempt considerably has been made to strengthen antiaircraft armament as at the expense of transition from 40mm quadruple pompom to the newest twin 40mm Bofors-Hazemayer MG with radar aiming, and introductions of 120mm/45 guns in mounts with elevation angle increased to 55°. Shield of this mount had strongly oblique face, that together with stem fulfilled on Tribal class with bigger, than at "J" class, declination (for decrease of splashing on full speed), gave to the new ships very elegant kind. Under the design armament supplemented 4 single Oerlikons, however by the moment of the completion there was a possibility to change them on the twin MG of the same brand. At the same time, because of an availability delay, Hazemayers have not got on Scorpion and Savage on which their absence indemnified by increasing of Oerlikons number. Latter has been chosen for tests of twin 114mm DP turret mount created for "Battle" class: the first in the RN, intended for placing on so small ship as destroyer. Two single mounts of same 114mm calibre were placed aft, in order to avoid problems with supply by shells of two different types. Thus, this destroyer carried at once two new artillery systems (114mm single mounts were planed to introduce on subsequent destroyer classes).

The ships of two following classes, "Т" and "U", were designed on "S" class specification (difference was only in absence of the Arctic equipment). Shortage of Hazemayers has also affected: only three ships of "T" class were entered service with designed armament. Tumult was equipped with two experimental fixed torpedo tubes instead of the TT No1, soon after completion they were removed and replaced by regular TT bank.

The last 16 ships of "V" and "W" classes differed by Arctic equipment ("V" class, it is demounted early 1945) and transition to a new fire control system ("W" class). Only three of them not received Hazemayers.

Modernizations: mid-1943, Tumult: - 2 x 1 - 533 TT; + 1 x 4 - 533 TT

early 1944, Terpsichore: - 2 x 2 - 20/70; + 1 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors

early 1944, Troubridge, Tyrian, Tumult: - 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 1 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors

early 1944, Tuscan: - 1 x 1 - 20/70; + 1 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors

1944, Scorpion: - 1 x 2 - 20/70; + 1 x 4 - 40/39 pompom

1945, Saumarez, Urania, Venus, Vigilant: - 4 x 2 - 20/70; + 4 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors

1945, Termagant, Tumult, Tuscan: - 4 x 2 - 20/70; + 5 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors

1945, Troubridge, Teazer, Tenacious, Terpsichore, Tyrian, Sioux: - 2 x 2 - 20/70; + 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors

1945, Urchin: - 2 x 2 - 20/70; + 1 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors

1945, Volage: - 4 x 2 - 20/70; + 6 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors

1945, Verulam: - 2 x 2 - 20/70; + 4 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors

1945, Kempenfelt, Wager, Wessex, Whelp: + 1 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors

1945, Wakeful: - 2 x 2 - 20/70; + 3 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors

1945, Wizard: - 2 x 2 - 20/70; + 2 x 1 - 40/39 pompom

1952 - 1957, type 15 frigates, as follows. Ships had taken fully new silhouette, forecastle was enlarged and new aluminium alloy superstructure fitted.

nearly sister-ship Relentless 1967

late 1950s, early conversions: - 2 x 1 - 533 TT

1950s, Grenville, Undaunted: + flight deck for helicopter

1952 - 1954, type 16 frigates, as follows:

    Termagant 1953

Naval service: Swift 24/6/1944 was mined and sunk at Normandy coast. Hardy 30/1/1944 was sunk by an acoustic torpedo from German submarine U278. Tuscan 14/5/1943 was stricken by drifting mine and has failed for a long time. Ulster 1/4/1945 was damaged by close kamikaze strike and was under repair till August, 1945. Wizard in May, 1944 was badly damaged by explosion of own depth charges and has failed till April, 1945. Saumarez and Volage in 22/10/1946 were stricken by the mines laid by the Albanian pirates in Corfu straits. Saumarez was too badly damaged and never repaired. Savage and Teazer used in propulsive tests in 1950s.

       Ulster 1960

       Teazer 1957

 

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© Ivan Gogin, 2008-10