Gallery
Chacal class
Guépard class
Aigle class
Vauquelin class
Fantasque class
Mogador class
Bourrasque class
L'Adroit class
Le Hardi class
At the start of hostilities in World War II, the French Navy had 71 destroyers in operation with 27 more under construction. [1] 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.[ citation needed ] 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. [2]
The smaller destroyers built in the 1920s were found to be lacking in speed and seakeeping. [3] The first two classes had top speeds of 28 to 29 knots that were insufficient to keep up with the Dunkerque- and Richelieu-class capital ships that were being built in the late 1920s. The Hardi class of 1932 was designed to have a 37-knot top end.
The emphasis on the large destroyers and the long time of construction led to a deficit of numbers in destroyer strength in the French Navy. To balance the Italian threat, the 600-ton La Melpoméne [4] class was a group of 13 French torpedo boats built in 1933. It was designed along the lines of the Italian torpedo boats of that time, but due to its size and speed of 34.5 knots, the class is considered a light destroyer, or destroyer escort.
The Capitani Romani class was a class of light cruisers acting as flotilla leaders for the Regia Marina. They were built to outrun and outgun the large new French destroyers of the Le Fantasque and Mogador classes. Twelve hulls were ordered in late 1939, but only four were completed, just three of these before the Italian armistice in 1943. The ships were named after prominent ancient Romans.
Antony Preston was an English naval historian and editor, specialising in the area of 19th and 20th-century naval history and warship design.
HMS Swift was a unique destroyer leader designed and built for the Royal Navy prior to World War I, another product of Admiral "Jackie" Fisher's relentless quest for speed. The class was envisioned as a large ocean-going destroyer, capable of both the usual destroyer requirements and of high-speed scouting duties for a major fleet.
The Navigatori class were a group of Italian destroyers built in 1928–1929 for the Regia Marina, named after Italian explorers. They fought in World War II. Just one vessel, Nicoloso Da Recco, survived the conflict.
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 Chacals, 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.
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 Dunkerque-class battleships. The design evolved from the extremely fast Le Fantasque class, being 300 tons heavier and carrying eight guns in semi-enclosed twin turrets rather than five guns in single open mounts. With their eight 138.6 mm (5.46 in) guns they approached a light cruiser in firepower.
The Bourrasque class was a group of twelve French Navy destroyers (torpilleur) laid down in 1923 and in service from 1926 to 1950. Along with the heavier Chacal class, they were part of a plan to modernise the French fleet after the First World War. The Bourrasques were smaller and slower than the Chacals, 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 Le Hardi class consisted of twelve destroyers built for the Marine Nationale 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 Le Hardi 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.
Le Hardi was the lead ship of her class of destroyers built for the Marine Nationale during the late 1930s. The ship was completed during the Battle of France in mid-1940 and her first mission was to help escort an incomplete battleship to French Morocco only days before the French signed an armistice with the Germans. She played a minor role in the Battle of Dakar in September, mostly laying smoke screens. Le Hardi helped to escort one of the battleships damaged by the British during their July attack on Mers-el-Kébir, French Algeria, back to France in November. She was reduced to reserve in mid-1942.
Kersaint was one of six Vauquelin-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the 1930s. The ship entered service in 1934 and spent most of her career in the Mediterranean. During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939, she was one of the ships that helped to enforce the non-intervention agreement. When France declared war on Germany in September 1939, all of the Vauquelins were assigned to the High Sea Forces which was tasked to escort French convoys and support the other commands as needed. Kersaint helped to protect a group of freighters in the Atlantic once, but otherwise remained in the Mediterranean for the duration of the war.
Chevalier Paul was one of six Vauquelin-class large destroyers built for the French Navy during the 1930s. The ship entered service in 1934 and spent most of her career in the Mediterranean. During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939, she was one of the ships that helped to enforce the non-intervention agreement. When France declared war on Germany in September 1939, all of the Vauquelins were assigned to the High Sea Forces which was tasked to escort French convoys and support the other commands as needed. Le Chevalier Paul was briefly deployed to Scotland in early 1940 to support the Allied forces in the Norwegian Campaign, but 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 French destroyer Épée was one of a dozen Le Hardi-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the late 1930s. The ship was completed during the Battle of France in mid-1940 and her first mission was to help escort an incomplete battleship to French Morocco only days before the French signed an armistice with the Germans. After the British attack on Dakar in September, she was one of four destroyers ordered to attack British shipping, although there was only an inconclusive duel with a British destroyer. Épée helped to escort one of the battleships damaged by the British during their July Attack on Mers-el-Kébir, French Algeria, back to France in November. She was transferred back to French Morocco in May 1941 for convoy-escort duties that lasted until October.
The French destroyer Le Flibustier was one of a dozen Le Hardi-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the late 1930s. Still incomplete when the French signed an armistice to end the Battle of France, material shortages prevented her completion and she was placed in reserve. The ship was renamed Bison in early 1941. When the Germans occupied Vichy France after the Allies landed in French North Africa in November 1942 and tried to seize the French fleet intact, the destroyer was one of the few ships not scuttled to prevent their capture. She was turned over to the Regia Marina in 1943, but was seized by the Germans after the Italian armistice in September. The ship was salvaged in 1945 and later scrapped.
The Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 was a widely used family of French anti-aircraft guns used by the French Navy during World War II.
Luca Tarigo was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1929, she served in World War II.
Emanuele Pessagno was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1930, she served in World War II.
Giovanni da Verazzano was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1930, she served in World War II.