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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY (UNITED KINGDOM)

TORPEDO SHIPS

"C" and "D" destroyers (1931 - 1933)

Ottawa 1940

Assiniboine 1941

St. Laurent 1942

Displacement standard, t	1375 - 1400
Displacement full, t	1865 - 1942 (later 2040 - 2100)
Length, m	96.9 pp 100.3 oa
Breadth, m	10.1
Draught, m	3.78 (later 3.96 - 4.06)
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 3 Admiralty 3-drum boilers Kempenfelt: 2 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 3 Yarrow boilers
Power, h. p.	36000
Max speed, kn	36
Fuel, t	oil 461 - 473
Endurance, nm(kts)	5500(15)
Armament	"C": 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I/II/III/IV, 2 x 1 - 40 2pdr QF Mk II, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 3 DCR (6 DC), mechanical minesweeping gear Kempenfelt: 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I/II/III/IV, 2 x 1 - 40 2pdr QF Mk II, 2 x 4 - 533 TT Duncan, Daring, Defender, Diamond, Diana: 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I/II/III/IV, 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk II, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 2 DCT, 1 DCR (20 DC) Dainty, Decoy, Delight, Duchess: 4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I/II/III/IV, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 2 DCT, 1 DCR (20 DC)
Sensors	"C": type 119 sonar "D": type 121 sonar
Complement	145 (Kempenfelt, Duncan 175)

Project history: These destroyers were built under 1929 ("C" class) and 1930 ("D" class) Programmes. Development of "A" class, with some bigger dimensions and fuel stowage increased by 20%, new fire control system installed and the strengthened AA armament. In order to avoid loss of speed because of the increased displacement machinery power was increased to 36 000hp. Occurrence of new fire control system led to a enlarging of the superstructure, differing by original splitting (chart room, forming director base, was placed on some distance from a bridge. The antiaircraft 76mm gun as originally appeared should replace 40mm pompoms, but in an ultimate variant they remained, however removed from a habitual position between funnels (where now 76mm gun was placed) to a forecastle deck. In remaining "C" class differed few from the predecessors. By analogy to "A" class they received minesweeping equipment to the detriment of anti-submarine abilities, but a little bigger dimensions allowed to have sonar.

Leader Kempenfelt continued originated in 1928 on "B" class tendency to standardization of the leader and destroyers and had a little bit increased aft superstructure with additional accommodations for a headquarters of the flotilla commander. The anti-submarine and minesweeping equipment were not installed for the purpose of weight decrease.

Only 5 of planned 9 ships of "C" class were built, in connection with the economic crisis which has burst in 1929, building of four had cancelled.

The ships of the 1930 Programme ("D" class) were  built on the same design as "C", difference consisted in strengthening of anti-submarine armament at the expense of removing of the minesweeping equipment and 12.7mm quadruple machine guns instead of 40mm pompoms on some ships. Pompoms on "C" class were on a forecastle deck, on "D" class their place had chosen on the increased bridge wings leaning against massive steel pipes. The superstructure without exotic "splitting" became last feature.

Modernizations: 1936 - 1938, all: - 1 x 1 - 76/45

late 1939 - early 1940, Assiniboine, Restigouche, Fraser, Ottawa, St. Laurent: - 2 DCR; + 2 DCT (50 DC for all)

mid-1940 - early 1941, Assiniboine, Restigouche, Ottawa, St. Laurent, Dainty, Decoy, Defender, Diamond, Duncan and, probably, Delight and Margaree: - 1 x 4 - 533 TT; + 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I/II/III/IV

mid-1940 - early 1941, Assiniboine, Restigouche, Ottawa, St. Laurent: - 2 x 1 - 40/39; + 2 x 4 - 12.7/62

1941, Decoy, Duncan and, probably, Defender: - 1 x 1 - 120/45; + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, DC stowage increased up to 50

1941 - 1942, almost all survived: + type 271, type 286 radar

1942 - 1943, Duncan, Decoy: - 1 x 1 - 120/45, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, type 121 sonar; + 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL, type 144 sonar

1942 - 1943, Restigouche, St. Laurent: - 2 x 1 - 120/45, 1 x 1 - 76/45, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, type 119 sonar; + 2 x 1 - 57/40 6pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL, 2 DCT, DC stowage increased up to 50, type 144 sonar

1943, Assiniboine: - 1 x 1 - 120/45, 1 x 1 - 76/45, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 12 - 178 Split Hedgehog Mk II ASWRL, 2 DCT, DC stowage increased up to 50, type 144 sonar

1943 - 1944, many survived: - type 286 radar; + type 291 radar

1944, all: + 4 DCT, 1 DCR (125 DC)

1944, Duncan, Kootenay: - 1 x 1 - 76/45, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL; + 1 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 2 x 12 - 178 Split Hedgehog Mk II ASWRL

Naval service: Fraser was lost in a mouth of Gironde in collision with cruiser Calcutta 28.6.1940. Ottawa was sunk by German submarine U91 off coast of Canada 14.9.1942. Dainty 24.2.1941 was sunk by German Ju 88 bombers in harbour of Tobruk. Daring 18.2.1940 was sunk by German submarine U23 off Northern Scotland. Defender 11.7.1941 was damaged by German aircraft at Tobruk and sunk under tow in Sidi-Barani area. Delight 29.7.1940 was badly damaged by German Ju 87 bombers at Portland, she was towed off to a port where she sunk at night 29-30.7.1940. Diamond 27.4.1941 was sunk by German Ju 88 bombers at Cape Malea (Greece). Margaree was lost in collision with s/s Port Fairy in Northern Atlantic 22.10.1940. Duchess 12.12.1939 sunk as a result of collision with battleship Barham off coast of Scotland. Duncan 17.1.1940 was damaged as a result of collision with a merchant vessel and repaired about one year. Assiniboine wrecked at Prince William Island 10.11.1945.

Kempenfelt 1933

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-10