WEAPON class

The Weapon class was basically a copy of the “L” class with better fire direction equipment and better accommodations for crew. They arrived too late for WWII and the four units that entered service, (HMS Battleaxe, HMS Broadsword, HMS Crossbow and HMS Scorpion), did so in 1947 and 1948. It had been planned to build 19 ships, but with the end of WWII the project was almost stopped. Their armament consisted of six 102mm guns in three twin turrets, four 40mm Bofors AA guns, another four 20mm Oerlikon guns and two quintuple 533mm torpedo assemblies. The Weapon class was not much advanced compared to previous British destroyers, although they had modern equipment such as 275 type radar and Mk.VI fire directors for the main artillery. On the other hand, they were quite advanced respect to safeness, having two separate rooms for boilers and engines in order to improve damage control. The four ships of this class were decommissioned between 1964 and 1972.

WEAPON class gallery and more info

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Información adicional

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Country of origin

United Kingdom

Builder

A. Yarrow – Thornycroft – S. White

Type

Destroyer

Entered service

1947

Complement

255

Displacement, (full load)

2,865 tonnes

Dimensions (length x beam x draught)

111.20 x 11.60 x 3.80 meters

Machinery

2 x Foster-Wheeler boilers – 2 x Parsons steam geared turbines

Power, (total)

40,000 shp

Shafts - Screws

2 shafts – 2 screws

Speed

36 knots (66 km/h)

Bunkerage

630 tonnes of fuel oil

Range

5,000 n. miles (9,250 km) at 20 knots

Main guns

6 x QF 102/45mm Mk.XVI guns in twin turrets

AA guns

2 x 40/60mm Bofors twin guns + 2 x 20mm Oerlikon twin guns

Torpedoes

2 x quintuple 533mm torpedo tubes

Production

4 ships: Battleaxe – Broadsword – Crossbow – Scorpion