Sunfish-class destroyer
The Sunfish-class destroyers, also referred to as Opossum-class destroyers,[1] was a group of three torpedo boat destroyers which served with the Royal Navy from the 1890s to the 1920s. They were all built by the Hebburn-on-Tyne shipyard of Hawthorn Leslie.
 Ranger | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sunfish class |
| Builders | Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn |
| Operators |  Royal Navy |
| Preceded by | Handy class |
| Succeeded by | Rocket class |
| Built | 1894–1896 |
| In commission | 1896–1920 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Scrapped | 3 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Torpedo boat destroyer |
| Propulsion | 8× Yarrow boilers, 4,000 hp (2,983 kW) |
| Speed | 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) |
| Complement | 53 |
| Armament |
|
Design
Under the 1893–1894 Naval Estimates, the British Admiralty placed orders for 36 torpedo-boat destroyers, all to be capable of 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph), the "27-knotters", as a follow-on to the six prototype "26-knotters" ordered in the previous 1892–1893 Estimates. As was typical for torpedo craft at the time, the Admiralty left detailed design to the builders, laying down only broad requirements.[2][3]
Powered by 8 Yarrow boilers,[4] this was the same 8 boiler configuration originally used on HMS Hornet.[5] The ships produced 4,000 hp (3,000 kW) and could make 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph). They were armed with one twelve pounder gun and two torpedo tubes and carried a complement of 53 officers and men.
History
Ordered under the 1893-94 Programme, the contract was placed on 7 February 1894. All three "turtle-back" destroyers were laid down in 1894, launched in 1895 and completed in 1896.
In September 1913 all three, like the other surviving 27-knotter destroyers, were re-classed as A Class destroyers.
They served in Home waters throughout the First World War, and all three were sold for breaking up in 1920.
Ships in class
See also
References
Notes
- "Opossum Class British Destroyers". worldnavalships.com. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- Chesneau and Kolesnik 1979, p. 87.
- Manning 1961, p. 39.
- Lyon, p. 92
- Lyon, p. 54
Bibliography
- Chesneau, Roger & Kolesnik, Eugene M., eds. (1979). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.
- Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Lyon, David (2001) [1996]. The First Destroyers. London: Caxton Editions. ISBN 1-84067-364-8.
- Manning, T. D. (1961). The British Destroyer. Putnam & Co. OCLC 6470051.
- March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.