Forbin 1939
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| L`Adroit | 48 | A C de France, Dunkerque | 5.1925 | 1.4.1927 | 7.1929 | sunk 21.5.1940 | |
| L`Alcyon | 49 | F C de la Gironde, Bordeaux | 2.1925 | 26.6.1926 | 7.1929 | FNFL late 1942, sold 6.1952 | |
| Le Mars | 50 | 35 | CNF, Caen | 7.1925 | 28.8.1926 | 1.1928 | scuttled 27.11.1942 |
| Le Fortune | 51 | 36 | CNF, Caen | 9.1925 | 15.11.1926 | 7.1928 | FNFL late 1942, sold 8.1950 |
| La Palme | 52 | A C Dubigeon, Nantes | 5.1925 | 30.6.1926 | 2.1928 | scuttled 27.11.1942 | |
| La Railleuse | 53 | A C Dubigeon, Nantes | 7.1925 | 9.9.1926 | 2.1928 | explosion 24.3.1940 | |
| Brestois | 64 | Dyle et Baccalan, Bordeaux | 5.1926 | 18.5.1927 | 6.1928 | sunk 8.11.1942 | |
| Boulonnais | 65 | CNF, Caen | 5.1926 | 1.6.1927 | 6.1928 | sunk 8.11.1942 | |
| Basque | 66 | 50 | A C de la Seine-Maritime, Le Trait | 9.1926 | 25.5.1929 | 3.1931 | FNFL late 1942, sold 12.1952 |
| Le Bordelais | 67 | F C de la Gironde, Bordeaux | 11.1926 | 23.5.1928 | 4.1930 | scuttled 27.11.1942 | |
| Forbin | 81 | F C de la Méditerranée, Le Havre | 6.1927 | 17.7.1928 | 5.1930 | FNFL late 1942, sold 11.1952 | |
| Frondeur | 82 | 78 | CNF, Caen | 11.1927 | 20.6.1929 | 10.1931 | sunk 8.11.1942 |
| Fougueux | 83 | A C de Bretagne, Nantes | 9.1927 | 4.8.1928 | 6.1930 | sunk 8.11.1942 | |
| Le Foudroyant | 84 | Dyle et Baccalan, Bordeaux | 7.1927 | 24.4.1929 | 10.1930 | sunk 1.6.1940 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
1378 |
|
Displacement full, t |
2000 |
|
Length, m |
100.9 pp 107.2 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
9.84 |
|
Draught, m |
4.30 |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
L`Adroit, L`Alcyon, Frondeur: 2 sets Zoelly geared steam turbines, 3 Du Temple boilers Fougeux: 2 sets Rateau-Bretagne geared steam turbines, 3 Du Temple boilers others: 2 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 3 Du Temple boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
34000 |
|
Max speed, kts |
33 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 340 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 2150(14) |
|
Armament |
4 x 1 - 130/40 M1924, 1 x 1 - 75/50 M1924, 2 x 1 - 8.80, 2 x 3 - 550 TT, 2 DCT, 2 DCR (32) |
| Complement | 142 |
Project history: Built under 1924 (6 ships), 1925 (4 ships) and 1926 (4 ships) programs. Main guns were differed by complexity in maintenance and insufficient firing rate. To a beginning of war ships reached no more than 28-29kts. In 1940 for raise of stability they lost main gun No3 or (less often) No4.
Modernizations: late 1930s, all: - 1 x 1 - 75/50, 2 x 1 - 8.80; + 2 x 1 - 37/50 M1925, 2 x 2 - 13.2/76
1940, all survived: - 1 x 1 - 130/40
1943, L`Alcyon, Le Fortune, Basque, Forbin: - 1 x 3 - 550 TT; + 1 x 1 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, (4 - 6) x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, radars, sonar
Naval service: La Railleuse was lost at Casablanca 24.3.1940 after spontaneous explosion of torpedoes in fwd TT. L`Adroit and Le Foudroyant were sunk by German aircraft off Dunkirk 21.5.1940 and 1.6.1940 respectively. Boulonnais, Fougueux, Brestois and Frondeur were sunk at Allied landing to Casablanca 8.11.1942 by gunfire of Allied ships and carrier aircraft. Three ships, Le Mars, La Palme and Le Bordelais, were scuttled at Toulon 27.11.1942, later salvaged by Germans and scrapped.
Le Fortune, Basque and Forbin since June, 1940 till July, 1943 as a part of Force "X" stood disarmed at Alexandria.
La Railleuse prewar
Le Fortune 1945
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-15