French destroyer Escopette

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Torpilleur 'Escopette' qui accompagna Bleriot, Agence Rol, Gallica.jpg
Escopette in 1909
History
Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svgFrance
NameEscopette
NamesakeEarly carbine used by French cavalry
Ordered8 June 1899
Builder Arsenal de Rochefort
Laid downJanuary 1900
Launched20 December 1900
Stricken4 April 1921
General characteristics
Class and type Pertuisane-class destroyer
Displacement301 long tons (306  t)
Length57.64 m (189 ft 1 in) (o/a)
Beam6.3 m (20 ft 8 in)
Draft3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
Installed power
Propulsion2 shafts; 2 Triple-expansion steam engines
Speed26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range2,300  nmi (4,300 km; 2,600 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement52
Armament

Escopette was a Pertuisane-class destroyer built for the French Navy around the beginning of the 20th century.

Contents

Construction and career

Escopette was ordered from Arsenal de Rochefort on 8 June 1899 and was laid down on 9 April 1900. The ship was launched on 20 December 1900 and conducted her sea trials from June 1902 to January 1903. She was commissioned on 26 January and assigned to the Northern Squadron. [1]

Escopette made the headlines in July 1909 as the ship was chosen to escort Louis Blériot cross channel pioneering flight (with Mrs Alice Blériot on board). Sailing under maximum power Escopette was soon outrun by Blériot's monoplane. Contrary to Hubert Latham's unsuccessful flight where the non-swimmer pilot was rescued by another French destroyer harpon, when his Antoinette aircraft crashed into the channel after engine trouble, Escopette made a fast but uneventful passage to Dover where Mr and Mrs Blériot where reunited. [2]

Louis Blériot chose to name his seaside villa "Villa Escopette" in Hardelot as a tribute to his escorting ship. Though the villa was destroyed during WW1 a memorial still exists on site. [3]

When the First World War began in August 1914, Escopette was one of the leaders (divisionnaire) in the 2nd Submarine Flotilla (2e escadrille sous-marins) of the 2nd Light Squadron (2e escadre légère) based at Calais. [4]

References

  1. Roberts, p. 377
  2. "Les contre-torpilleurs escopette et rapiere a dunkerque". francois.delboca.free.fr. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  3. "Louis Blériot Villa L'Escopette - Neufchâtel-Hardelot | Aérostèles". www.aerosteles.net (in French). Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  4. Prévoteaux, Tome I, p. 35

Bibliography