Duquesne class cruiser

Duquesne in her 1939 configuration
Class overview
Name:	Duquesne
Preceded by:	Duguay-Trouin class
Succeeded by:	Suffren class
Completed:	2
General characteristics
Type:	heavy cruiser
Displacement:	10,000 tonnes (standard) 12,200 tons (full load)
Length:	191 metres (627 feet) overall
Beam:	19 metres (62 feet)
Draught:	6.32 metres (20.75 feet)
Propulsion:	4-shaft Rateau-Bretagne single-reduction geared turbines, 9 Guyot boilers, 120,000 shp
Speed:	33¾ knots
Range:	4,500 @ 15 knots (8,300 km @ 28 km/h)
Armament:	8 203mm/50 Modèle 1924 guns (4 × 2) 8 75 mm anti-aircraft guns (8 × 1) 8 37 mm anti-aircraft guns (4 × 2) 12 13.2 mm AA (4 × 3) 12 550 mm (21.7 inch) torpedo tubes (4 × 3);
Armour:	magazine boxes 30 millimetres; deck 30 millimetres; turrets and tower, 30 millimetres.
Aircraft carried:	2 GL-812 (superseded by GL-832 then Loire-Nieuport 130, 1 catapult
Notes:	Ships in class include: Duquesne, Tourville

The Duquesne Class were the first class of post Washington Treaty heavy cruisers built for the French Navy. They have been criticised by naval architects for having very little armour and being lightly built. Both ships survived World War II having seen little combat.

Ships

• Duquesne - named after French Admiral Abraham Duquesne - built by Arsenal de Brest, laid down 30 October 1924, launched 17 December 1925, completed 25 January 1925. Paid off 1950. Scrapped 1955.
• Tourville - named after French admiral Anne Hilarion de Tourville - built by Arsenal de Lorient, laid down 4 April 1925, launched 24 August 1926, completed 12 March 1929. Paid off 1950. Scrapped 1963.

• 

  Duquesne in original anti-surface layout

• 

  Tourville after refit: reinforced anti-air armament, removal of sea plane, torpedo launchers and aft mast

See also

Media related to Duquesne class cruisers at Wikimedia Commons

References

• Anthony Preston - The World's Worst Warships. Conway Maritime Press (2002) ISBN 0-85177-754-6
• John Jordan, Duquesne and Tourville: The first French treaty cruisers in Warship 2005. Conway Maritime Press 2005. ISBN 1-84486-003-5
• M J Whitley (1995). Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Arms & Armour. pp. 29–31. ISBN 1-85409-225-1.