French destroyer Harpon

Last updated
Harpon98.jpg
A postcard of Harpon underway in harbor
History
Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svgFrance
NameHarpon
Namesake Harpoon
Ordered1900
Builder Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde, Bordeaux
Laid downNovember 1900
Launched20 October 1902
Stricken5 March 1921
General characteristics
Class and type Arquebuse-class destroyer
Displacement357  t (351 long tons) (deep load)
Length56.58 m (185 ft 8 in) (o/a)
Beam6.38 m (20 ft 11 in)
Draft3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) (deep load)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range2,300  nmi (4,300 km; 2,600 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement4 officers and 58 enlisted men
Armament

Harpon was a Arquebuse-class destroyer contre-torpilleur d'escadre built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1903, the ship was initially assigned to the Northern Squadron (Escadre du Nord).

Contents

Design and description

The Arquebuse class was designed as a faster version of the preceding Durandal class. The ships had an overall length of 56.58 meters (185 ft 8 in), [1] a beam of 6.3 meters (20 ft 8 in), and a maximum draft of 3.2 meters (10 ft 6 in). [2] They normally displaced 307 metric tons (302 long tons ) and 357 t (351 long tons) at deep load. The two vertical triple-expansion steam engines each drove one propeller shaft using steam provided by two du Temple Guyot or Normand boilers. The engines were designed to produce a total of 6,300 indicated horsepower (4,700  kW ) [1] for a designed speed of 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph), [3] all the ships exceeded their contracted speed during their sea trials [1] with Harpon reaching a speed of 30.7 knots (56.9 km/h; 35.3 mph). They carried enough coal to give them a range of 2,300 nautical miles (4,300 km; 2,600 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). [4] Their crew consisted of four officers and fifty-eight enlisted men. [1]

The main armament of the Arquebuse-class ships consisted of a single 65-millimeter (2.6 in) gun forward of the bridge and six 47-millimeter (1.9 in) Hotchkiss guns in single mounts, three on each broadside. They were fitted with two single rotating mounts for 381-millimeter (15 in) torpedo tubes on the centerline, one between the funnels and the other on the stern. [1]

Construction and career

Harpon (Harpoon) was ordered from Ateliers et Chantiers de la Gironde on 14 November 1900 and the ship was laid down later that month at its shipyard in Bordeaux-Lormont. She was launched on 20 October 1902 and conducted her sea trials from November 1902 to March 1903. The ship was commissioned (armée definitif) after their completion and was assigned to the Northern Squadron. [5]

When the First World War began in August 1914, Harpon was in the reserve of the 2nd Light Squadron (2e escadre légère) [6] based at Cherbourg. The ship was not mobilized until later in the year and was assigned to the Dunkirk Flotilla. [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Claymore</i>-class destroyer

The Claymore class was a group of thirteen contre-torpilleurs (destroyers) built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. All of the ships survived the First World War and were scrapped after the war.

<i>Arquebuse</i>-class destroyer

The Arquebuse class was a group of 20 destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Two ships were sunk during the First World War and the others were scrapped after the war.

French destroyer <i>Épée</i> (1900) Destroyer of the French Navy

Épée was one of four Framée-class destroyers built for the French Navy around the beginning of the 20th century. During the First World War, the ship saw service in the Mediterranean Sea and survived the war to be stricken from the naval register on 1 October 1920.

French destroyer <i>Carabine</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Carabine was a Arquebuse-class destroyer contre-torpilleur d'escadre built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1903, the ship was assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Sarbacane</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Sarbacane was a Arquebuse-class destroyer contre-torpilleur d'escadre built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1903, the ship was initially assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Arquebuse</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Arquebuse was the name ship of her class of 20 contre-torpilleur d'escadre built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1903, the ship was assigned to the Northern Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Arbalète</i> French Navy Arquebuse-class destroyers

Arbalète was a Arquebuse-class destroyer contre-torpilleur d'escadre built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1903, the ship was initially assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Javeline</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Javeline was a Arquebuse-class destroyer contre-torpilleur d'escadre built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1903, the ship was assigned to the Northern Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Sagaie</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Sagaïe was a Arquebuse-class destroyer contre-torpilleur d'escadre built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1903, the ship was assigned to the Northern Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Épieu</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Épieu was a Arquebuse-class destroyer contre-torpilleur d'escadre built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1903, the ship was initially assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Francisque</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Francisque 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 initially assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Sabre</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Sabre 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 initially assigned to the Far Eastern Division. She returned to France in 1907 and was assigned to the Northern Squadron. Sabre became part of a local defense unit in Brittany four years later.

French destroyer <i>Dard</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Dard 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 Mediterranean Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Baliste</i> Arquebuse-class destroyer built for the French Navy

Baliste 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 initially assigned to the Northern Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Mousqueton</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Mousqueton 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 initially assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Arc</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

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.

French destroyer <i>Bélier</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Bélier 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.

French destroyer <i>Catapulte</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Catapulte was a Arquebuse-class destroyer contre-torpilleur d'escadre built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1903, the ship was assigned to the Northern Squadron.

Bombarde was a Arquebuse-class destroyer contre-torpilleur d'escadre built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1903, the ship was assigned to the Northern Squadron.

French destroyer <i>Glaive</i> Destroyer of the French Navy

Glaive was one of 10 Branlebas-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Roberts, p. 377
  2. ↑ Couhat, p. 86
  3. ↑ Stanglini & Cosentino, p. 227
  4. ↑ Couhat, pp. 86–87
  5. 1 2 Roberts, p. 378
  6. ↑ Prévoteaux, Tome I, p. 34

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.