Guépard-class destroyer | |
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![]() Guépard class destroyer | |
Class overview | |
Name: | Guépard class |
Operators: |
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Preceded by: | Chacal class |
Succeeded by: | Aigle class |
Built: | 1927–1931 |
In commission: | 1929–1945 |
Completed: | 6 |
Lost: | 6 |
General characteristics [1] | |
Type: | Destroyer |
Displacement: |
2,436 long tons (2,475 t) standard 3,200 long tons (3,251 t) full load |
Length: | 130.2 m (427 ft 2 in) |
Beam: | 11.76 m (38 ft 7 in) |
Draught: | 4.03 m (13 ft 3 in) |
Propulsion: |
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Speed: | 35.5 knots (65.7 km/h; 40.9 mph) |
Range: | 3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 14.5 kn (26.9 km/h; 16.7 mph) |
Complement: | 209 officers and men |
Armament: |
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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.
Ships[]
- Bison[2]
- Built by Arsenal de Lorient.
- Completed 10 October 1930.
- She was sunk by German Junkers Ju 87 Stukas while taking part in the evacuation of Namsos, on 3 May 1940, off Trondheim. Out of 229 members on the crew, 136 were lost.[3] Survivors from the Bison were picked up by HMS Afridi, which was then sunk by the Stukas.
- Guépard ("Cheetah")[4]
- Built by Arsenal de Lorient.
- Completed 13 August 1929,
- Scuttled 27 November 1942.
- Refloated 4 September 1943.
- Bombed and sunk March 1944.
- Refloated 1947 and broken up.
- Lion[5]
- Built by Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkirk.
- Completed 21 January 1931.
- Seized by Germans 27 November 1942.
- Given to Italy and entered service as FR 21.
- Scuttled La Spezia 9 September 1943.
- Valmy (named after the battle of Valmy)[6]
- Built by Ateliers et Chantiers de St Nazaire-Penhoët, St. Nazaire
- Completed 1 January 1930.
- Seized by Germans 27 November 1942.
- Refloated 15 March 1943 and began refit as Italian Navy FR 24
- Captured by Germans at Savona September 1943
- Wreck found at Genoa 1945 and broken up.
- Verdun (named after the battle of Verdun)[7]
- Built by Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire, St Nazaire.
- Completed 1 April 1930.
- Scuttled 27 November 1942.
- Refloated 29 September 1943.
- Bombed and sunk 1944
- Refloated 1948 and broken up in Italy.
- Vauban (named after Marshall Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban)[8]
- Built by Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkirk.
- Completed 9 January 1931.
- Scuttled 27 November 1942.
- Refloated 12 May 1947 and broken up.
Notes[]
- ↑ Gogin, Ivan (2013). "Guépard destroyers (1929-1931)". navypedia.org. http://www.navypedia.org/ships/france/fr_dd_guepard.htm. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur (2013). "Bison". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/6027.html. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ↑ Charles Hocking (1990). Dictionary of Disasters at Sea During The Age of Steam. The London Stamp Exchange, London. p. 87. ISBN 0-948130-68-7.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur (2013). "Guepard". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/6028.html. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur (2013). "Lion". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/6029.html. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur (2013). "Valmy". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/6030.html. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur (2013). "Verdun". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/6031.html. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur (2013). "Vauban". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/6032.html. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
References[]
- Saibène, Marc (n.d.). Toulon et la Marine 1942-1944. Bourg en Bresse: Marines Editions at Realisations.
- Whitley, M.J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. London, England: Cassell Publishing. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.
- Guepard-class at uboat.net
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The original article can be found at Guépard-class destroyer and the edit history here.