Design and description
The Bouclier-class was nearly double the size of the preceding 450-metric-ton (443-long-ton) destroyers to match the increase in size of foreign destroyers. The French Navy issued a general specification that required oil-fired boilers, steam turbine propulsion and a uniform armament that allowed individual shipyards the freedom to design their ships as they saw fit. This allowed for some variations in size (from 72.32–78.3 meters (237 ft 3 in – 256 ft 11 in) in length) and machinery (Bouclier and Casque had three shafts, all the others had two, while Casque has three funnels, all the rest had four). [1]
Bouclier was the shortest ship with an overall length of 72.32 meters and her sister ships ranged in length from 74 to 78.3 meters (242 ft 9 in to 256 ft 11 in). All of the ships had beams of 7.6–8 meters (24 ft 11 in – 26 ft 3 in) and drafts of 2.9–3.3 meters (9 ft 6 in – 10 ft 10 in). Bouclier and her sister Francis Garnier had the lightest displacements at 692 metric tons (681 long tons); the others displaced 720–756 metric tons (709–744 long tons ) at normal load. Their crews numbered 80–83 men. [1]
The destroyers were powered by two or three steam turbines of four different models, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by four water-tube boilers of four different types. The turbines were designed to produce 13,000 shaft horsepower (9,700 kW ) which was intended to give the ships a speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). During their sea trials, they reached speeds of 29.3–35.5 knots (54.3–65.7 km/h; 33.7–40.9 mph). The ships carried 120–160 t (118–157 long tons) of fuel oil which gave them a range of 1,200–1,600 nautical miles (2,200–3,000 km; 1,400–1,800 mi) at cruising speeds of 12–14 knots (22–26 km/h; 14–16 mph). [2]
The primary armament of the Bouclier-class ships consisted of two 100-millimeter (3.9 in) Modèle 1893 guns in single mounts, one each fore and aft of the superstructure, and four 65-millimeter (2.6 in) Modèle 1902 guns distributed amidships. They were also fitted with two twin mounts for 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes amidships. [1]
During World War I, a 45-millimeter (1.8 in) or 75-millimeter (3 in) anti-aircraft gun, two 8-millimeter (0.31 in) machine guns, and eight or ten Guiraud-type depth charges were added to the ships. The extra weight severely overloaded the ships and reduced their operational speed to around 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph). [1]
The Framée class consisted of four destroyers built for the French Navy at the beginning of the 20th century. One ship was sunk in a collision shortly after completion, but the others served during the First World War. One ship was sunk in a collision with a British cargo ship in 1916, but the others survived the war to be discarded in 1920–1921.
The Spahi class consisted of seven destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. One ship was lost during the First World War, but the others survived to be scrapped afterwards.
The Chasseur class consisted of four destroyers built for the French Navy during the first decade of the twentieth century. They saw service during the First World War. One ship was sunk during the war and the survivors were scrapped afterwards. A fifth ship was sold to Peru.
The Voltigeur class was a pair of destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Both ships survived the First World War and were scrapped afterwards.
The Bisson class consisted of six destroyers built for the French Navy during the 1910s. One ship was lost during the First World War, but the others survived to be scrapped afterwards.
The French destroyer Opiniâtre was one of four Aventurier-class destroyers that was built for the Argentine Navy in the early 1910s. The ships were taken over by the French Navy after the start of the First World War in August 1914. She was scrapped in 1935.
The French destroyer Enseigne Roux was the name ship of her class of three destroyers built for the French Navy during the First World War.
The French destroyer Mécanicien Principal Lestin was the second of two Enseigne Roux-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the First World War.
Yatagan was one of four Framée-class destroyers built for the French Navy around the beginning of the 20th century. During the First World War, she was sunk after a collision with a British cargo ship in 1916.
Arc was a Arquebuse-class destroyer contre-torpilleur d'escadre built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1904, the ship was assigned to the Northern Squadron.
Boutefeu was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Casque was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She was sold for scrap in 1927.
Cimeterre was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Dehorter was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Bouclier was the name ship of her class of a dozen destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Capitaine Mehl was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Commandant Bory was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Francis Garnier was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Commandant Rivière was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Commandant Lucas was one of six Bisson-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the 1910s.
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