Phelps 1944
| No | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comm | Fate |
| DD356 | Porter | New York SB, Camden | 12/1933 | 12/12/1935 | 8/1936 | sunk 26/10/1942 |
| DD357 | Selfridge | New York SB, Camden | 12/1933 | 18/4/1936 | 11/1936 | stricken 11/1945 |
| DD358 | McDougal | New York SB, Camden | 12/1933 | 17/7/1936 | 12/1936 | miscellaneous auxiliary AG126 9/1945 |
| DD359 | Winslow | New York SB, Camden | 12/1933 | 21/9/1936 | 2/1937 | miscellaneous auxiliary AG127 9/1945 |
| DD360 | Phelps | Bethlehem, Quincy | 1/1934 | 18/7/1935 | 2/1936 | stricken 1/1947 |
| DD361 | Clark | Bethlehem, Quincy | 1/1934 | 15/10/1935 | 5/1936 | stricken 11/1945 |
| DD362 | Moffett | Bethlehem, Quincy | 1/1934 | 11/12/1935 | 8/1936 | stricken 1/1947 |
| DD363 | Balch | Bethlehem, Quincy | 5/1934 | 24/3/1936 | 10/1936 | stricken 11/1945 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
1834 |
|
Displacement full, t |
2597 |
|
Length, m |
113.4 wl 116.2 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
11.3 |
|
Draught, m |
3.96 full load |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
geared steam turbines, 4 Babcock & Wilcox boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
50000 |
|
Max speed, kts |
37 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 635 |
| Endurance, nm (kts) | 6500 (12) |
|
Armament |
4 x 2 - 127/38 Mk 12, 2 x 4 - 28/75 Mk 1, 2 x 1 - 12.7/90, 2 x 4 - 533 TT (16), 2 DCR (14) |
| Sensors |
sonar |
| Complement | 194 |
Ship project history: Ships of Porter class became the first destroyer leaders of the American Navy. Necessity in similar ships has been realised by the General Board in 1917 when along with a building of the big number of "flushdeckers" designing of the ship, called to fulfil a role of flotilla leader was begun: larger, than destroyer, and carrying more powerful artillery. FY1921 program even the building of five similar ships (2200t, 35kts, 5 127mm guns, 4 triple TTs) was provided, but Congress has not outlined necessary means, giving so reason that there were a lot of destroyers in US Navy at war end.
Designing of leaders with displacement from 1600 to 2900t was started again only in the late twenties.
In 1930 the London Naval conference has established for leaders a maximal 1850t standard displacement, and the General Board earlier declined in favour of the ship with moderate dimensions, has made a decision to raise displacement of future leaders to the resolved limit. Growth of the dimensions was supposed to expend to seaworthiness raise, placing of additional equipment, necessary for a command ship, and improvement of habitation conditions. For November, 1930 Bureau of Construction has prepared a sketch design of new ship. At 1850t standard displacement armament consisted from 4 single 127/25mm DP guns and 2 quadruple TTs, speed reached 35.5kts. Application of light armour (12.7mm thickness) of machinery and bridge became the important innovation.
Though the project as a whole has satisfied the General Board, works over leader for some reasons were delayed: in particular, not a small role was played by appearance of new 127/38mm DP gun, that has demanded significant processing of the project. Again it has been submitted to considering in January, 1932, and the number of 127/38mm DP guns has increased to five (two months later, at project correction, it was added the sixth). In the middle of the same year when it seemed, that all possible remarks are considered, the Bureau of Construction was able to insist on replacement of DP main guns by SP twin mounts, that allowed to raise barrel number to eight. As compensation installation of 2 quadruple 28mm AA MGs was provided.
Abandoning from DP main guns in early 1930th was presented not too much effort for two additional main guns, and in this variant armament structure have been approved by the General Board. Artillery replacement has allowed to make one more change to armament structure: to place around aft funnel storehouse for eight spare torpedoes that outlined Porter class among remaining American destroyers. Machinery arrangement of new leaders essentially did not differ from Farragut class, only turbines were positioned in separate rooms.
All eight ships of this class were built under the FY1933 program. The detailed project was fulfilled by New York Shipbuilding Co.
Modernizations: mid-1941 - early 1942, all: - 2 x 1 - 12.7/90, spare torpedoes; + 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon
10 - 12/1943, all survived: - 2 x 4 - 28/75; + 3 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors, 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon
3/1943 - 3/1944, McDougal, Winslow, Phelps, Clark, Moffett, Balch: - 1 x 2 - 127/38 (No 3); + 1 x 4 - 40/56 Bofors, 4 DCT (in total 48 DC)
late 1944 - early 1945, Selfridge: - 4 x 2 - 127/38, 1 x 2 - 40/56; + 2 x 2 - 127/38 Mk 12 (DP), 1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12 (DP), 1 x 4 - 40/56 Bofors, 4 DCT (in total 48 DC)
late 1944 - early 1945, McDougal, Winslow, Phelps: - 3 x 2 - 127/38, 1 x 2 - 40/56; + 2 x 2 - 127/38 Mk 12 (DP), 1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12 (DP)
8/1945, Selfridge, Winslow, Phelps: - 6 x 1 - 20/70, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 2 DCT, 1 DCR (22 DC in total); + 2 x 4 - 40/56 Bofors, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, displacement was increased to 2154/2857t.
Naval service: Porter was sunk 26/10/1942 by Japanese submarine I21 during battle at Santa Cruz.
Selfridge at night 6-7/10/1943 in battle at Vella Lavella has received torpedo hit from Japanese destroyer and badly damaged (the fore end was broken off), repair lasted till early 1944.
McDougal and Winslow were converted to early warning destroyers in September 1945 and Winslow was actively used in this role till 1950.
Porter 1938
Selfridge 1944
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-10