R class destroyer (1916)
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R class |
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| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 975 tons - standard 1,035 tons - for those built by Thornicroft 930 tons - for those built by Yarrow |
| Length: | 276 ft (84.12 m) |
| Beam: | 27 ft 8 in (8.15 m) |
| Draught: | 9 ft 10 in (2.99 m) |
| Propulsion: | 3 boilers 2 geared Brown Curtis steam turbines, 27,000 shp |
| Speed: | 36 kts |
| Range: | 3,440 nm at 15 kts |
| Complement: | 82 |
| Armament: |
3 x 4 in L/40 QF Mark IV, mounting P Mk. IX |
- For the R class of destroyers built in 1942, see Q and R class destroyer
The first R class were a class of 62 destroyers built between 1916 and 1917 for the Royal Navy. They were an improvement, specifically in the area of fuel economy, of the earlier M class destroyers. The Admiralty ordered this class of ships in July 1915. They were the last 3 stack destroyers ordered by the Royal Navy (although HMS Bristol commissioned in 1973 her 3 funnels were not all on the centreline). All of these ships saw extensive service in World War I. Some saw service as minelayers. Eight R class ships were sunk during the war and all but two of the surviving ships were scrapped in the 1920s and 1930s. One Admiralty R class vessel, HMS Skate survived to see service in World War II as a convoy escort, making her the oldest destroyer to see wartime service with the RN. A second was transferred to the Royal Siamese Navy as Phra Ruang and survives to this day as a hulk.
Like the M class, two individual shipbuilders, Yarrow Shipbuilders and J I Thornycroft build seven and five, respectively, modified R class destroyers.
[edit] See also
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