Le Fantasque-class destroyer
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Class overview | |
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Name | Le Fantasque class |
Operators | |
Preceded by | Vauquelin class |
Succeeded by | Mogador class |
Completed | 6 |
Lost | 2 |
Retired | 4 |
General characteristics (as built) | |
Type | Destroyer |
Displacement | |
Length | 132.4 m (434 ft 5 in) |
Beam | 12 m (39 ft 4 in) |
Draft | 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines |
Speed | 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph) (designed) |
Range | 2,900 nmi (5,400 km; 3,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
Complement | 11 officers, 254 sailors (wartime) |
Armament |
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The Le Fantasque class of six large, very fast destroyers was ordered under the French naval programme of 1930. They served in
Design and description
The Le Fantasque-class ships were designed to counter the fast Italian
The ships were powered by two geared
Armament and fire control
The main armament of the Le Fantasques consisted of five 50-
Their
The ships carried three above-water triple sets of 550-millimeter (21.7 in)
Fire control for the main guns was provided by a Mle 1929 electro-mechanical
Modifications
In late 1936 the Mle 1929 computers were upgraded and the high-angle rangefinders amidships were replaced by 1.5-meter (4 ft 11 in) OPL J4.1935 models during 1937. In December 1938 and April 1939, the Hotchkiss machine guns were transferred to newly built platforms on each side of the bridge and the OPL Mle J.1930 rangefinders formerly positioned amidships were installed on the bridge to control them. Development of the originally intended twin-gun mounts for the automatic 70-caliber Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1935 AA guns was completed three years late and they replaced the single-gun mounts between January and May 1940. Beginning in September the ships still in French hands were equipped with one or two Browning 13.2-millimeter anti-aircraft machine guns mounted on the quarterdeck. In 1941–1942 the quarterdeck guns were transferred to positions forward of the bridge and the Hotchkiss machine guns were repositioned on new platforms on the center superstructure. The ships had the aft superstructure remodeled at the same time to create a platform atop the aft ammunition hoists and platforms on each side for 37 mm guns. The twin-gun mounts was repositioned on the upper platform and one of the lower platforms while the other one was occupied by a single mount as there was a shortage of twin-gun mounts.[12]
After the war began in September 1939, the depth-charge stowage aboard the Le Fantasques increased to 48. In addition the mine rails were replaced by a pair of rails for 35-kilogram (77 lb) depth charges. Each rail could accommodate 3 depth charges and 15 more were stored in the magazine. In 1942 the four undamaged ships still under Vichy French control were given Alpha-2 sonar systems in cases. Based on the British Type 128 Asdic system, they could not be installed until the hull was modified to accommodate the required flexible underwater dome which was scheduled for the following year.[13]
In Free French service
While Le Triomphant was en route to the United States in 1944 for a comprehensive refit, its British Mk V AA gun was replaced by a 138.6 mm gun from
In early 1943 Le Terrible and Le Fantasque were similarly refitted in the United States although their anti-aircraft armament consisted of eight Bofors guns in one quadruple and two twin-gun mounts and eight Oerlikon guns in single mounts. After repairing damage suffered during the Naval Battle of Casablanca in November 1942 Le Malin followed her sisters to the United States and was similarly refitted. In 1944–1945, the supplies of the French 200 kg depth charges began to run out so the depth charge chutes were sealed off and rails for Mk VIIIH depth charges were added to those ships that lacked them. In December 1944, Le Malin had her worn-out Mle 1929 guns replaced by salvaged Mle 1927 guns.[16]
Ships
Ship | Builder [17] | Laid down[17]
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Launched[18]
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Completed [18] | Fate [19] |
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Le Fantasque | Arsenal de Lorient
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16 November 1931 | 15 March 1934 | 10 March 1936 | Scrapped, 1958 |
L'Audacieux | 27 November 1935 | Sunk, 7 May 1943 | |||
Le Malin | La Seyne
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17 August 1933 | 1 May 1936 | Scrapped, 1957 | |
Le Terrible | Chantiers Navals Français, Caen |
8 December 1931 | 30 November 1933 | 1 October 1935 | Scrapped, 1963 |
Le Triomphant | Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkirk | 28 August 1931 | 16 April 1934 | 25 May 1936 | Sold for scrap, 1957 |
L'Indomptable | Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne | 25 January 1932 | 7 December 1933 | 10 February 1936 | Scuttled in Toulon, 27 November 1942[20]
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Notes
- ^ Jordan & Moulin 2015, pp. 137, 139–140
- ^ Roberts, p. 268
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, p. 140
- ^ Jordan & Moulin 2015, pp. 139–140, 143–145
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, p. 141
- ^ Campbell, p. 296
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, pp. 145–146
- ^ Campbell, p. 308; Jordan & Moulin, pp. 65, 148–149
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, pp. 88, 149
- ^ Jordan & Moulin 2015, pp. 120, 149, 151
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, pp. 146–148
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, pp. 156–159
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, pp. 157–158
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, pp. 253–256
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, pp. 268–275
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, pp. 268–273
- ^ a b Whitley, p. 42
- ^ a b Jordan & Moulin, p. 138
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, p. 282
- ^ Jordan & Moulin, p. 247
References
- Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
- Cernuschi, Enrico & O'Hara, Vincent P. (2013). "Toulon: The Self-Destruction and Salvage of the French Fleet". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2013. London: Conway. pp. 134–148. ISBN 978-1-84486-205-4.
- Jordan, John & Moulin, Jean (2015). French Destroyers: Torpilleurs d'Escadre & Contre-Torpilleurs 1922–1956. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-198-4.
- Roberts, John (1980). "France". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. New York: Mayflower Books. pp. 255–279. ISBN 0-8317-0303-2.
- ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
- ISBN 0-87021-326-1.