Le Fantasque-class destroyer

Fantasque
Class overview
Name: Le Fantasque class
Operators:
Preceded by: Vauquelin class
Succeeded by: Mogador class
Completed: 6
Lost: 2
Retired: 4
General characteristics [1]
Type: Destroyer
Displacement:
  • 2,569 long tons (2,610 t) standard
  • 3,200–3,400 long tons (3,300–3,500 t) full load
Length: 132.40 m (434 ft 5 in)
Beam: 11.98 m (39 ft 4 in)
Draught: 4.30 m (14 ft 1 in)
Propulsion:
  • 4 × Penhoët boilers
  • 2 × Parsons or Rateau engines
  • Geared turbines, 2 shafts
  • 74,000–81,000 shp (55,000–60,000 kW)
Speed:
  • 45 knots (83 km/h; 52 mph) (40 kn (74 km/h; 46 mph) nominal)
  • 37 kn (69 km/h; 43 mph) after refit
Range:
  • 1,200 km (750 mi) at 34 kn (63 km/h; 39 mph)
  • 6,600 nmi (12,200 km; 7,600 mi) at 17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Complement:
  • 10 officers
  • 210 sailors
Armament:
  • 5 × 138 mm (5.4 in) guns (5×1; 2 forward, 3 aft)
  • 4 × 37 mm (1.5 in) AA guns (4×1) (original)
  • 4 × 13 mm (0.51 in) AA machine guns (original)
  • 8 × 40 mm Bofors AA guns (after refit)
  • 10 × 20 mm Oerlikon guns (after refit)
  • 9 × 550 mm (21.7 in) torpedo tubes (3×3)
  • 40 × mines (some sources state 50)

The Le Fantasque class of six large, very fast destroyers (also referred to as the Malin class) was ordered under the French naval programme of 1930. They served in World War II for both Vichy France and the Free French Forces.[2]

The original purpose of these large French destroyers, and the earlier Chacal class, was to operate with battleship and cruiser forces, although they were not restricted to this. The Italian Navy, the Regia Marina, reacted by building the Capitani Romani-class cruisers. The class was assigned to the Force de Raid when war was declared.[3] Those ships that later sailed with the Allies were classed as light cruisers.

Ships in the class

Notes

  1. Conway p268
  2. Conway p268
  3. Rohwer, Jürgen; Hummelchen, Gerhard (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 5. ISBN 1-55750-105-X.

References

External links

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