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French World War II Destroyers
At the start of hostilities in World War II, the French Navy had 71 destroyers in operation with 27 more under construction. The destroyers were built in two types, large destroyers and small destroyers. The large destroyers were the largest and fastest in the world at that time. Starting with the ''Chacal'' class in the 1920s, France produced a series of six classes of large destroyers, known in French as ''contre-torpilleurs'', that were designed to sink opposing cruisers by catching them with superior speed and then with their torpedoes. They were intended to drive off opposing destroyers with superior firepower. Many considered the ''Fantasque'' class to be the epitome of this super destroyer concept. The last class, the ''Mogador'' class, was less successful due to the higher penalties in building cost, running cost, and reliability. The smaller destroyers built in the 1920s were found to be lacking in speed and seakeeping. The first two classes had top speeds of 28 to 29 knots ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chacal-class Destroyer
The ''Chacal''-class destroyer, sometimes known as the ''Jaguar'' class, were a group of six large destroyers (''contre-torpilleurs'') built for the French Navy during the 1920s. Their primary role was scouting for the battleline. All were named for predators: ''Chacal'' means jackal, and the other five were named for big cats. The ships were initially split between the Mediterranean Squadron and the Second Squadron (''2ème Escadre''), based at Brest. One ship served as a flagship during the 1930s, but her sister ships were assigned as training ships beginning in 1932. The ''Chacal'' class was assigned convoy escort duties after the start of World War II in September 1939 until three of them were committed to the English Channel after the Battle of France began on 10 May 1940. Two of these were sunk shortly afterwards by German forces. When France surrendered on 22 June, two ships were in French Algeria, one was refitting in Toulon and the last ship was in England. During ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guépard-class Destroyer
The ''Guépard''-class destroyers (''contre-torpilleurs'') were six ships of the French Navy, laid down in 1927 and commissioned in 1930. They were similar to the previous ''Chacal'' class, with a larger hull and with a slightly improved speed and gun armament with 138 mm guns of a new design. The first three ships bore 'animal' names like the ''Chacal''s, while the remaining three were given names starting with V, for two battles and a field-marshal. The class saw action in World War II. Ships * :Built by Arsenal de Lorient. :Completed 10 October 1930. :She was sunk by German Junkers Ju 87 ''Stuka''s while taking part in the evacuation of Namsos, on 3 May 1940, off Trondheim. Out of 229 members on the crew, 136 were lost. Survivors from ''Bison'' were picked up by , which was then also sunk by the ''Stuka''s. * ("Cheetah") :Built by Arsenal de Lorient. :Completed 13 August 1929, :Scuttled 27 November 1942. :Refloated 4 September 1943. :Bombed and sunk March 1944. :Refloate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aigle-class Destroyer
The ''Aigle''-class destroyers (''contre-torpilleurs'') were built for the French navy during the 1920s. They were very similar to the previous ''Guepard'' class, the only difference being improved machinery with higher pressure boilers, offering an additional of speed and a new model 138 mm gun with a sliding breech block giving a higher rate of fire. The ships were named after birds. Ships * ''Aigle'' (Eagle; pennant numbers 5, 6 and X13) :Built by Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkirk :Launched 19 February 1931 :Completed 10 October 1932 :Scuttled 27 November 1942 :Refloated 10 July 1943. :Bombed and sunk 24 November 1943 :Broken up in situ 1952. * ''Vautour'' (Vulture; pennant numbers 6, 5, 73, X71) :Built by Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne :Launched 26 August 1930 :Completed 2 May 1932 :Scuttled 27 November 1942 :Refloated 17 January 1943 :Bombed and sunk 4 February 1944 :Broken up in situ 1951 * ''Albatros'' (3, 2, 5, 72, X73, X77, F762, D614) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vauquelin-class Destroyer
The ''Vauquelin'' class was a group of six large destroyers () built for the French Navy () in the early 1930s. Entering service in 1933–1934, the sister ships spent most of their careers in the Mediterranean. During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939, they helped to enforce the non-intervention agreement. When France declared war on Germany in September 1939, all of the ''Vauquelin''s were assigned to the High Sea Forces ( (FHM)) which was tasked to escort French convoys and support the other commands as needed. Three of the sisters briefly deployed to Scotland in early 1940 to support the Allied forces in the Norwegian Campaign and was lost to an accidental explosion. The others returned to the Mediterranean in time to participate in Operation Vado, a bombardment of Italian coastal facilities after Italy entered the war in June. The Vichy French reformed the FHM after the French surrender in late June. After the Allies invaded French Lebanon and Syria in June 1941, wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fantasque-class Destroyer
The ''Le Fantasque'' class of six large, very fast destroyers was ordered under the French naval programme of 1930. They served in World War II for both Vichy France and the Free French Forces. Design and description The ''Le Fantasque''-class ships were designed to counter the fast Italian light cruisers, and one member of the class, , exceeded during trials to set a world record for a conventionally-hulled ship. They had an overall length of , a beam of , and a draft of . The ships displaced at standard and at deep load. The crew of the ''Le Fantasque'' class consisted of 11 officers and 221 crewmen in peacetime and the number of the latter increasing to 254 in wartime. The ships were powered by two geared Rateau-Breguet or Parsons steam turbines, each driving one three-bladed propeller, using steam provided by four water-tube boilers with superheaters that operated at a pressure of and a temperature of . The turbines were designed to produce which was intended give the s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mogador-class Destroyer
The ''Mogador''-class large destroyers (''contre-torpilleurs'') of the French Navy were laid down in 1935 and commissioned in 1939. They were extremely fast, very large destroyers intended to act as scouts for the two fast s. The design evolved from the extremely fast , being 300 tons heavier and carrying eight guns in semi-enclosed twin turrets rather than five guns in single open mounts. With their eight guns they approached a light cruiser in firepower. Both and her sister were present during the British attack on Mers-el-Kébir on 3 July 1940, but only ''Volta'' managed to escape to Toulon. ''Mogador'' was struck by a shell in the rear hull that detonated her ready depth charges despite not actually detonating itself. This destroyed most of her stern above water, but she remained afloat and was repaired enough to be sent to Toulon on 1 November 1940 for reconstruction. Both ships were scuttled in Toulon Harbour when the Germans tried to seize them on 27 November 1942. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bourrasque-class Destroyer
The ''Bourrasque'' classalso known as ''Simoun'' class from the first ship completed was a group of twelve French Navy destroyers (''torpilleur'') laid down in 1923 and in service from 1926 to 1950. Along with the heavier , they were part of a plan to modernise the French fleet after the First World War. The ''Bourrasque''s were smaller and slower than the ''Chacal''s, but were nonetheless comparable with the British W class. The class saw varied service in the Second World War, in five different navies, on both sides. These ships were named after types of wind. The design was used as the basis for the two s built for the Polish Navy during the late 1920s. Design and description The ''Bourrasque'' class had an overall length of , a beam of , and a draft of . The ships displaced at (standard) load and at deep load. They were powered by two geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three du Temple boilers. The turbines were designed to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adroit-class Destroyer
The ''L'Adroit''-class destroyer was a group of fourteen French Navy destroyers (''torpilleur'') laid down in 1925–26 and commissioned from 1928 to 1931. They were the successors to the , with the same armament, but being slightly heavier overall. Service history The class saw varied service in the Second World War. ''La Railleuse'' was the first French destroyer casualty of the war, being blown up in Casablanca harbour by an accidental torpedo explosion on 23 March 1940. ''L'Adroit'' was sunk by a bomb from a German He 111 bomber on 21 May 1940 near Dunkirk, but her entire crew were able to escape and served in shore batteries until the French capitulation. ''Foudroyant'' was sunk in similar circumstances, but with more loss of life, on 1 June 1940. ''Basque'', ''Forbin'' and ''Le Fortuné'' were part of the French Alexandria squadron, which were disarmed by the British on 22 June 1940 following French capitulation. They were rearmed under Free French auspices in December 194 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hardi-class Destroyer
The ''Le Hardi'' class consisted of twelve destroyers (french: torpilleurs d'escadre, lit=squadron destroyers, links=no) built for the (French Navy) during the late 1930s. Only seven ships were ultimately completed while construction of the remaining five ships was interrupted by the French defeat in the Battle of France in May–June 1940 and were never finished. The seven ships that were seaworthy sailed for French North Africa to prevent their capture by the advancing Germans. Several ships later sailed for French West Africa where played a minor role in the Battle of Dakar in September. The Germans captured two ships that were still under construction and attempted to finish them both before abandoning the effort in 1943. The Vichy French reformed the High Sea Forces ( (FHM)) after the French surrender in late June. After most of the sister ships returned to France in November, three of them were assigned to the FHM and the others were placed in reserve. The seven complet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
La Melpomène-class Torpedo Boat
The ''La Melpomène'' class was a group of 12 French torpedo boats built from 1933 to 1935. Ships in class After serving with Marine Nationale, the ships of the ''La Melpomène'' class saw service in World War II with the '' Kriegsmarine'', ''Marine Nationale de l´Armistice'' (Vichy French Navy), ''Regia Marina'', Free French Navy, Royal Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy. Service histories *''La Melpomène'' was in a British port in June 1940. After brief service with the Royal Navy, she was transferred into FNFL (Free French) service. In 1950 was sold for scrap. *''La Pomone'' was in Vichy service after June 1940. Seized by the Italians at Bizerte, in November 1942, she became the Italian ''FR42'', and the German ''TA10'' in May 1943. In action against HMS ''Eclipse'' near Rhodes, she was badly damaged, and scuttled on 27 September 1943. *''La Flore'' on the night of 21 May 1940 at the invitation of Admiral Abrial, carried General Weygand, the recently-installed supreme c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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