Farragut class (1934)

Farragut class
The lead ship USS Farragut
Overview
Type	destroyer
units	8 built, 0 in service
Namesake	Admiral David Glasgow Farragut
1. Period of service
period of service	1934-1947
Technical specifications
Information applies to the class, individual ships show deviations
displacement	Standard: 1,395 ts / 1,417 t Use: 2,335 ts / 2,372 t
length	104 m (over all)
width	10.44 m
Draft	2.69 m (medium)
crew	250 men
drive	four Yarrow boilers, two sets of geared turbines 42,800 WPS on two shafts
speed	36.5 kn
Range	5,800 nautical miles at 15 knots
Bunker quantity	400 ts / 406 t
Armament	upon commissioning 5 × 12.7 cm L / 38 Mk.24 in single towers 4 × Browning M2 machine guns 8 × torpedo tubes ∅53.3-cm in two groups of four 2 × drain racks for depth charges (2 × 7 bombs) after reconstruction 4 × 12.7 cm L / 38 Mk.24 in single towers 4 × 4 cm Bofors automatic cannons in double mounts 5 × 2-cm automatic cannons in single mounts 8 × torpedo tubes ∅53.3-cm in two groups of four 2 × drain racks for depth charges (2 × 7 bombs) 4 × K-Gun depth charges

The Farragut-class was a class of eight destroyers of the United States Navy , which were built in the 1930s and used in World War II .

history

The Farragut class was built in the 1930s when the 1930 restrictions of the London Naval Conference still applied. Therefore, their maximum size was limited to a displacement of 1,500 tn.l. codified. Eight ships of the class were completed in 1934 and 1935. This class of destroyers was the first new construction of destroyers in the US Navy after World War I. The designers recognized attacks by aircraft as a new threat. That is why great attention was paid to improving air defense. The main change was the change from the 4 "guns of the predecessor class Clemson to the then new 5" / 38 guns, which could be used for anti-ship and air-target combat. Later the air defense was further improved. This was a direct result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . The main gun amidships was removed and replaced by up to 4 40 mm Bofor anti-aircraft guns. In addition, the previously used machine guns were replaced by up to 5 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns. The equipment of the anti-aircraft guns was not uniform, but varied for each of the sister ships .

Another point of criticism of the previous model was the insufficient range. Since the displacement was limited by the contract mentioned above, the oil bunkers could not be enlarged. The solution to the problem was to improve the steam boilers and turbines. These were operated at higher pressures and temperatures, which led to more effective use of the fuel and thus reduced consumption. As a result, the range was increased by approx. 20% and the top speed of 35 knots required by the Navy was exceeded by 1.5 kn.

The hull has also been significantly redesigned. The four distinctive chimneys of the American destroyers from the First World War were reduced to two, which led to more space on the upper deck. This was used to mount the two launch systems for the torpedoes directly on the longitudinal axis of the ship so that they could fire on both sides. This was not possible before, as the torpedo tubes in the Clemson class were mounted on the side of the upper deck and could only fire to one side. The upper deck was raised in the forecastle, which improved the seaworthiness in rough seas. The stern was also changed and the keel raised in the stern area, which led to better maneuverability.

The ships were already in the construction of the then new sonar equipped type QC and initially had two drain racks for depth charges at the rear. These were supplemented by four side-mounted K-Guns after the conversion in 1943 .

During the Japanese attack on the US Pacific Fleet on December 7, 1941, all eight ships were in Pearl Harbor , but survived the attack. The Worden was lost after being grounded off Alaska in January 1943, Hull and Monaghan sank during Typhoon Cobra in December 1944. The remaining five were scrapped after the Second World War .

technology

The ships displaced 1,365 ts, were around 102 meters long and 10.4 meters wide. They were armed with five 5-inch (12.7-cm) naval guns and eight torpedo tubes .

List of ships

Surname	shipyard	Keel laying	Launch	Commissioning	Whereabouts
USS Farragut (DD-348)	Fore River Shipyard , Quincy	September 20, 1932	March 15, 1934	June 1934	sold for demolition on August 14, 1947
USS Dewey (DD-349)	Bath Iron Works , Bath	December 16, 1932	July 28, 1934	October 3, 1934	sold for demolition on December 20, 1946
USS Hull (DD-350)	New York Naval Shipyard , New York City	March 7, 1933	January 31, 1934	May 25, 1935	sunk on December 18, 1944 during Typhoon Cobra
USS Macdonough (DD-351)	Charlestown Navy Yard , Boston	May 15, 1933	August 22, 1934	June 28, 1935	sold for demolition on December 20, 1946
USS Worden (DD-352)	Puget Sound Naval Shipyard , Bremerton	December 29, 1932	October 27, 1934	March 1, 1935	sunk on January 12, 1943 after grounding at Amchitka
USS Dale (DD-353)	New York Naval Shipyard, New York City	February 10, 1934	January 23, 1935	July 19, 1935	sold for demolition on December 20, 1946
USS Monaghan (DD-354)	Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston	November 21, 1933	January 9, 1935	August 30, 1935	sunk on December 18, 1944 during Typhoon Cobra
USS Aylwin (DD-355)	Philadelphia Naval Shipyard , Philadelphia	September 23, 1933	July 10, 1934	May 1, 1935	sold for demolition on December 20, 1946

literature

• MJ Whitley: Destroyer in World War II . Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1991, ISBN 3-613-01426-2 .

Web links

Commons : Farragut class  - collection of images, videos, and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ^ Norman Friedman: US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History . Ed .: Naval Institute Press. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis 2003, ISBN 1-55750-442-3 , pp. 44-46, 463 .
2. ^ Destroyer History Foundation: Farragut Class. Destroyer History Foundation, accessed November 15, 2019 . 
3. ^ Norman Friedman: US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History . Ed .: Arms and Armor Press. Arms and Armor Press, Lionel Leventhal Limited, London 1982, ISBN 0-85368-521-5 , pp. 88 .
4. ^ Norman Friedman: US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History . Ed .: Arms and Armor Press. Arms and Armor Press, Lionel Leventhal Limited, London 1982, ISBN 0-85368-521-5 , pp. 403 .
5. ^ Robert Gardiner, Roger Chesneau: Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946 . Ed .: Conway Maritime Press. Conway Maritime Press, London 1980, ISBN 0-8317-0303-2 , pp. 125 .