T 47-class destroyer | |
---|---|
Model of Chevalier Paul (D626) in her original configuration. | |
Class overview | |
Name: | T 47 or Surcouf class |
Builders: |
Arsenal de Brest Arsenal de Lorient Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde Ateliers et Chantiers de Bretagne |
Operators: | French Navy |
Preceded by: | Fantasque class, Hardi class |
Succeeded by: | T 53 class |
Subclasses: | Anti-submarine and anti-air variants after refit |
In commission: | 1955-1991 |
Completed: | 12 |
Preserved: | Maillé-Brézé |
General characteristics | |
Type: | Destroyer |
Displacement: |
2,750 long tons (2,794 t) standard 3,740 long tons (3,800 t) full load |
Length: | 128.6 m (422 ft) |
Beam: | 12.7 m (41 ft 8 in) |
Draught: | 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in) |
Installed power: | 63,000 shp (47 MW) |
Propulsion: |
4 diesel boilers Parsons geared steam turbines 2 shafts |
Speed: | 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) |
Range: | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Complement: | 347 |
Armament: |
|
The T 47 class (or Surcouf class) were the first destroyers built for the French Navy after the Second World War. Twelve ships were built between 1955 and 1957. The ships were modernised in the 1960s and decommissioned in the 1980s, when they were replaced by the Georges Leygues-class frigates.
These ships were larger than other contemporary European destroyers and were based on the wartime Hardi class, but were enlarged and had a dual purpose armament. The ships were designed as Squadron escorts (Escorteur d'escadre) rather than for independent operations, therefore they had a slower speed than their predecessors. The main guns were the French designed Model 1948 127-millimetre (5 in)/54 gun, which enabled them to use the same 5-inch shells as the U.S. Mark 18 gun.[1] The secondary armament was composed of 57mm/60 modèle 1951 guns.
Modifications[]
During the 1960s the entire class were modernised and modified as either flotilla flagships, anti-aircraft guided missile or anti-submarine destroyers.
Flagships[]
Three ships — Surcouf, Cassard, and Chevalier Paul — were converted into flotilla flagships (conducteurs de flottilles) between 1960 and 1962. One 57 mm gun turret, two triple torpedo launchers and two 20 mm guns were removed in order to enlarge the superstructure to accommodate an admiral, his staff, and additional communications equipment.[2]
AAW modernisation[]
Four ships — Bouvet, Kersaint, Dupetit-Touhars and Du Chayla — were modernised as anti-aircraft guided missile destroyers in 1962–1965.
- Armament
- 1 × Tartar missile launcher
- 6 × 57 mm guns (3 twin turrets)
- 1 × Model 1972 sextuple 375 mm anti-submarine mortar[3]
- Crew: reduced to 277
ASW modernisation[]
Five ships — D'Estrées, Maillé-Brézé, Vauquelin, Casabianca and Guépratte — were modernised as anti-submarine destroyers in 1968–1970.
- Armament
- 2 × 100 mm guns
- 1 × anti-submarine mortar
- 1 × Malafon anti-submarine missile launcher
- 2 × 20 mm guns
Ships[]
Pennant | Name | Named after | Builder | Commissioned | Modernisation | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D621 | Surcouf[4] | Robert Surcouf | Arsenal de Lorient | 1 November 1955 | Flagship | Accidentally rammed in 1971 Surviving aft part sunk as target in 1972 |
D622 | Kersaint[5] | Armand de Kersaint | Arsenal de Lorient | 20 March 1956 | Anti-air | Decommissioned 3 March 1984 Sunk as a target in the Atlantic, May 1986 |
D623 | Cassard[6] | Jacques Cassard | AC Bretagne | 14 April 1956 | Flagship | Decommissioned 1 October 1974 Scrapped in Spain, 1989 |
D624 | Bouvet[7] | Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier | Arsenal de Lorient | 13 May 1956 | Anti-air | Decommissioned 1 January 1982 Served as breakwater at Lorient Towed to Ghent, Belgium, for scrapping, September 2012[8] |
D625 | Dupetit-Thouars[9] | Aristide Aubert Du Petit Thouars | Arsenal de Brest | 15 September 1956 | Anti-air | Decommissioned April 1988 Breakwater at Lanvéoc |
D626 | Chevalier Paul[10] | Chevalier Paul | FC de la Gironde | 22 December 1956 | Flagship | Decommissioned June 1971 Sunk off Toulon by Super Étendard aircraft from the carrier Clemenceau, May 1987 |
D627 | Maillé-Brézé[11] | Jean Armand de Maillé-Brézé | Arsenal de Lorient | 4 May 1957 | Anti-submarine | Decommissioned 1 April 1988 Museum ship at Nantes |
D628 | Vauquelin[12] | Moise Vauquelin | Arsenal de Lorient | 3 November 1956 | Anti-submarine | Decommissioned 6 November 1986 Used as a target for testing the Crotale NG missile system, 1988-2001 Sunk by Super Étendard aircraft from the carrier Charles de Gaulle, 13 February 2004, then destroyed with explosives by clearance divers |
D629 | D'Estrées[13] | Jean II and Victor-Marie d'Estrées | Arsenal de Brest | 19 March 1957 | Anti-submarine | Decommissioned 3 July 1985 Sunk off Toulon by a F17 Mod2 torpedo from the submarine Saphir, 12 September 2001 |
D630 | Du Chayla[14] | Armand Blanquet du Chayla | Arsenal de Brest | 4 June 1957 | Anti-air | Decommissioned 15 November 1991 Sunk off the coast of Brittany with explosives, September 2001 |
D631 | Casabianca[15] | Luc-Julien-Joseph Casabianca | AC Bretagne | 4 May 1957 | Anti-submarine | Decommissioned 7 September 1984 Sold for scrapping at Brest, 1987 |
D632 | Guépratte[16] | Émile Paul Amable Guépratte | FC de la Gironde | 6 June 1957 | Anti-submarine | Decommissioned 5 August 1985 Sunk in the Mediterranean by two Exocet AM39 missiles fired by a Super Étendard aircraft, 9 November 1994 |
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- T 47-class destroyer
References[]
- Notes
- ↑ "France 127 mm/54 (5') Model 1948". navweaps.com. 2007. http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNFR_5-54_m1948.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Surcouf: La refonte en conducteur de flottille". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/surcouf/caracter.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Dubey, Franck (2012). "Lance-Roquette de 375mm". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/f/armes/lr375/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Surcouf". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/surcouf/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Kersaint". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/kersaint/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Cassard". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/cassard/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Bouvet". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/bouvet/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ "Transfert de la coque Q 635, ex-Bouvet". Marine Nationale. 18 September 2012. http://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/au-fil-de-l-eau/transfert-de-la-coque-q-635-ex-bouvet. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Dupetit-Thouars". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/dupetit/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Chevalier Paul". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/chevalie/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Maillé Brézé". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/maillebr/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Vauquelin". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/vauqueli/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "D'Estrées". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/destree/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Du Chayla". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/duchayla/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Casabianca". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/casabian/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- ↑ Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Guépratte". netmarine.net. http://www.netmarine.net/bat/ee/guepratte/index.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2013. (French)
- Bibliography
- Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995
External links[]
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