- O and P class destroyer
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OribiClass overview Operators: Royal Navy
Turkish Navy
Preceded by: L and M class Succeeded by: Q and R class Subclasses: 4 inch O, 4.7 inch O, P Completed: 16 Lost: 4 Retired: 12 General characteristics P class[1] Type: O and P destroyer Displacement: 1,690 tons (1,717 tonnes) standard
1,640 tons (1,666 tonnes)
2,250 tons (2,286 tonnes) full loadLength: 345 ft (105 m) o/a Beam: 35 ft (11 m) Draught: 9 ft (2.7 m) Propulsion: 2 x Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boilers, Parsons geared steam turbines, 40,000 shp on 2 shafts Speed: 36.75 kt Range: 3,850 nmi at 20 kt Armament: - 5 x QF 4 in Mk.V (102 mm L/45), single mounts HA Mk.III
- 4 x QF 2 pdr Mk.VIII (40 mm L/39), quad mount Mk.VII
- Up to 6 x QF 20 mm Oerlikon, single mount P Mk.III
- 4 (1x4) tubes for 21 inch torpedoes Mk.IX
- 4 x throwers and 2 x racks for 70 depth charges
General characteristics (4.7 inch O class) Displacement: 1,610 tons (1,636 tonnes)
2,270 tons (2,306 tonnes) full loadComplement: 176 (217 in leader) Armament: - 4 x QF 4.7-inch (120-mm) Mk IX guns, single mounts CP Mk.XVIII
- 1 x QF 4 in Mk.V (102 mm L/45), mount HA Mk.III
- 4 x QF 2 pdr Mk.VIII (40 mm L/39), quad mount Mk.VII
- Up to 6 x QF 20 mm Oerlikon, single mount P Mk.III
- 8 (2x4) tubes for 21 in torpedoes Mk.IX
Notes: Other characteristics as per P class General characteristics (4 inch O class) Displacement: 1,540 tons (1,564 tonnes)
2,220 tons (2,255 tonnes) full loadArmament: - 5 x QF 4 in Mk.V (102 mm L/45), single mount HA Mk.III
- 4 x QF 2 pdr Mk.VIII (40 mm L/39), quad mount Mk.VII
- Up to 6 x QF 20 mm Oerlikon, single mount P Mk.III
- 4 (1x4) tubes for 21 in torpedoes Mk.IX
- Up to 60 mines (where fitted for)
Notes: Other characteristics as per P class The O and P class was a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy. Ordered in 1939, they were the first ships in the War Emergency Programme, also known as the 1st and 2nd Emergency Flotilla, respectively. They served as convoy escorts in World War II, and some were later converted to fast second-rate anti-submarine frigates in the 1950s.
Contents
Design
The O and P class were based on the hull and machinery of the preceding J class, but with more sheer forward to counter the poor riding qualities of the Js. These ships used the Fuze Keeping Clock HA Fire Control Computer[2].
O class
The O-class ships were built in two groups of four. The first group had 4.7 in guns. They were in low-angle mounts which could elevate to only 40 degrees, and were additionally fitted with a 4 in anti-aircraft gun in place of one set of torpedo tubes. The second group had 4-inch (100 mm) guns in high-angle mounts and were fitted to act as minelayers; they could be recognised by the flat "beaver tail" stern over which the mines were dropped. When carrying mines they had to land Y gun, their torpedo tubes and depth charges. The designed anti-aircraft armament was one quadruple QF 2-pounder "pom pom" and a pair of quadruple 0.5-inch Vickers A/A machine guns. The latter proved to be outdated, and were replaced by 20 mm Oerlikon guns as they became available, with a total of six single mounts eventually being carried.
P class
The P class were repeats of the O class, armed entirely with 4 in guns, in high-angle mounts fitted with a new tall design of shield which did not require the ships to lose a set of torpedo tubes to take on further AA guns.
Ships
O class
All ships survived the war. Five of the ships were involved in the Battle of the Barents Sea, Onslow being heavily damaged. After the Battle of the Barents Sea the ships were refitted with tall lattice masts instead of the normal mast.
- 4.7 inch-armed ships
- Onslow * (ex-Pakenham), built by John Brown & Company, Clydebank, to Pakistan 1949 as Tippu Sultan, sold out
- Offa, built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Govan, to Pakistan 1949 as Tariq, sold for scrapping 1959
- William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton, sold for scrapping 1964 at J Cashmore's, Newport, Monmouthshire
- John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston, sold for scrapping 1955
- Orwell †, built by Thornycroft, converted to Type 16 frigate 1952, sold for scrapping 1965
* = flotilla leader
† = fitted for minelayingP class
They served mainly in the Mediterranean, where four ships were lost.
- Hawthorn Leslie & Company, Hebburn, damaged by gunfire from Italian Navy torpedo boats Cassiopea and Cigno off Marsala 1943-04-16, abandoned and sunk by sister ship HMS Paladin (see Battle of the Cigno Convoy)
- Paladin, built by John Brown, converted to Type 16 frigate 1954, sold for scrapping 1962
- Panther, built by Fairfield, bombed and sunk by German aircraft in Scarpanto Strait 1943-10-09
- Oran, 1942-12-18
- Pathfinder (ex-Onslaught), built by Hawthorn Leslie, bombed and damaged by Japanese aircraft off Ramtree Island 1945-02-11, never repaired and used as aircraft target, sold for scrapping 1948
- Penn, built by Vickers Armstrongs, Walker, sold for scrapping 1949
- Petard (ex-Persistent), built by Vickers Armstrongs, converted to Type 16 frigate, sold for scrapping 1967
- edit] See also
- Type 16 frigate: postwar conversion of some O and P class vessels into second-rate fast anti-submarine frigates
Notes
- ^ British and Empire Warships of the Second World War, H. T. Lenton, Greenhill Books, ISBN 1-85367-277-7
- ^ Destroyer Weapons of WW2, Hodges/Friedman, ISBN 0851771378
References
- Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893-1981, Maurice Cocker, Ian Allan, ISBN 0-7110-1075-7
- Royal Navy Destroyers since 1945, Leo Marriot, Ian Allan, ISBN 0-7110-1817-0
- Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946, Ed. Robert Gardiner, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 0-87021-913-8
- Raven, Alan; Roberts, John (1978). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. ISBN 0-85680-010-4.
- Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.
External links
O- and P-class destroyerRoyal Navy
O classPreceded by: L and M classes · Followed by: Q and R classes
List of destroyers of the Royal NavyList of destroyers of the Royal Navy
Categories:- Destroyer classes
- O and P class destroyers
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