User:Saberwyn/Daring class

Design and construction

• The Daring class was originally conceived as a modified Battle-class destroyer.
• An initial attempt to build a three-turret Battle variant was proposed under the Admiralty's 1943 construction programme, but the two ships ordered were cancelled.
• Sixteen ships of the class were planned for under the Admiralty's 1944 Programme.
• Requests for tenders were sent to four shipbuilding companies in January 1945; Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, John Brown and Co, J.S. White & Co, and Vickers Armstrong.

• The end of World War II meant major cuts in military shipbuilding, with the Darings reduced to eight ships in December 1945.

• As designed, the destroyers were 366 feet (112 m) in length between perpendiculars and 390 feet (120 m) in length overall, with a beam of 43 feet (13 m) and a maximum draught of 17 feet (5.2 m).
• Displacement at standard load was 2,950 tons, while full load displacement was 3,580 tons.

• The ships were built around three twin 4.5 inches (110 mm) turrets.
• The heavy armament and large size of the vessels meant that they were capable of operating on tasks previously restricted to light cruisers.
• Due to the size and firepower of the ships, the 'destroyer' classification was initially considered inappropriate. For the first part of the ships' careers, they were referred to as 'Daring-class warships'.

Propulsion

• Two oil-fuelled boilers provided steam at 850 °F (454 °C) and 650 psi to the turbines; Daring, Decoy, Delight, and Diana were fitted with Babcock & Wilcox boilers, while the other four ships used Foster Wheeler boilers.
• Each boiler supplied a set of Parsons double reduction geared steam turbines, which were each connected to one of the two propeller shafts.
• The propulsion system provided up to 54,000 shaft horsepower (40,000 kW). Maximum designed speed was 34.75 knots (64.36 km/h; 39.99 mph), but the ships were described as having a sea speed of 30.5 knots (56.5 km/h; 35.1 mph).
• Range was 1,700 nautical miles (3,100 km; 2,000 mi) at top speed, or 4,400 nautical miles (8,100 km; 5,100 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).

• The forward exhaust funnel was built into the lattice mast (a 'mack').
• The aft funnel was small and narrow, although some individual ships were fitted with larger funnels at various points of their careers.

Armament

• The ships' primary armament consisted of six Mark VI 4.5-inch guns in three twin turrets, two forward ('A' and 'B') and one aft ('X').
• The guns could be fired at 24 rounds per minute with the automatic loading system, or 12 to 14 rounds per minute with manual loading.
• Range was 20,750 yards (18,970 m) at 45 degrees elevation, or 41,000 feet (12,000 m) at 80 degrees elevation.
• The guns were tied into a Type 275 radar director.

• Other armament
  • As originally designed, the Darings were to be fitted with eight 40 mm radar-directed Bofors anti-aircraft guns: two twin STAAG Mark II mountings on the bridge wings, a third STAAG mounting behind the aft funnel, and two single mountings on the aft shelter deck.
    • Before construction, the aft STAAG was updated to a Mark V mounting, and the two single Bofors were deleted in favour of a dedicated MRS Mark I Director for 'X' turret.
  • 10 21-inch torpedo tubes, in two quintuple mountings,
    • Between 1959 and 1969, the torpedo mountings were gradually removed from the ships, with additional deckhouses constructed in their place to increase available accommodation.

• • 1 Squid anti-submarine mortar was fitted aft, instead of the four depth charge throwers originally planned.

Facilities

• Accommodation was described as being of a high standard, but as the number of personnel aboard some vessels (particularly the leaders Daring and Diamond) could be as high as 308, these spaces were often cramped.

• Instead of the direct current electrical system fitted to RN ships of the era, Decoy, Diamond, Diana, and Duchess were fitted with a 440-volt 3-phase alternating current electrical plant.
• The other four ships carried the conventional 220-volt DC system.
• The Darings were among the first British naval ships to be fitted with an all-electrical galley, fluorescent internal lighting, and dedicated laundry facilities.

Australian design modifications and construction

• Like the British Darings, the Australians did away with the depth charge throwers of the original design, but fitted a Limbo anti-sumarine mortar instead of the older Squid. The weapon's enclosed depth charge loading and handling room meant that 'X' turret had to be sited further forward.
• Voyager had a similar anti-air layout to the British destroyers; six Bofors, with a twin STAAG mounting on each bridge wing, and a twin Mark 5 mounting behind the aft funnel. Vampire and Vendetta had a different arrangement: a single Mark 7 mounting on each side of the bridge, and two Mark 5 mountings near the aft funnel.
• The aft torpedo launcher was also removed from the Australian design, allowing for the extension of the aft superstructure all the way up to the aft funnel.

Operational history

United Kingdom

• With their large ships' companies, finding personnel to man the Darings was always a challenge, particularly after National Service ended in 1960. Over the next decade, several ships of the class spent periods in Reserve.

• Decoy was used for trials of the Sea Cat missile, the first step in plans to fit the launcher to at least four of the Daring-class ships. The aft torpedo tube mounting was removed in 1959, and a deckhouse built between the existing superstructure: the launcher was mounted on the roof, with missile loading and storage spaces inside. The launcher was removed in 1963, and in 1964 it was decided that only new-build warships would be equipped with Sea Cat.

• Following the loss of HMAS Voyager in a collision with the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne in 1964, Duchess was offered to the RAN on loan until two two modified River-class frigates could be built to replace the lost capability. Duchess remained with the RAN after the loan period ended in 1968, and was sold outright to Australia in 1972.

Australia

• Plans were made to replace 'X' turret on the Australian Darings with Ikara anti-submarine missile launchers were proposed in 1965, but were abandoned two years later with no modifications made.

• From 1971 to 1973, Vampire and Vendetta underwent modernisation at Williamstown Naval Dockyard.
• Included
  • Removal of the torpedo launcher.
  • Bridge enclosed
  • New funnels, funnel casings, and masts

• In 1973, after being purchased from the British, the RAN converted Duchess into a training vessel. The two-year conversion saw 'X' turret, its associated fire director, and the Squid launcher were removed, to allow the addition of a deckhouse for use as a classroom.

Peru

• Two ships were sold to Peru in October 1969: Ferré (the former Decoy) and Palacios (ex-Diana). The ships spent three years undergoing modernisation at Cammell Laird's Birkenhead shipyard. Eight Exocet missile launchers were fitted, four on each side between the aft funnel and 'X' turret.

• Between 1977 and 1978, the Squid launcher, two of the Exocet launchers, and the aft 4.5-inch turret were removed from Palacios. A helicopter landing platform was built in their place.

Decommissioning and fate

• Four of the five Darings still in British service at the end of their careers were all broken up during the early 1970s. Diamond was instead used as a training and accommodation ship attached to HMS Sultan (shore establishment) from 1970 to 1980, then was also sold for breaking. Prior to demolition, Defender was used by the Naval Constructional Research Establishment for testing the effects of underwater explosions.

• Palacios was decommissioned in 1993 and scrapped a year later. Ferré, however, remained in Peruvian service until 2005.

References

• Cassells, Vic (2000). The Destroyers: their battles and their badges. East Roseville, NSW: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-7318-0893-2. OCLC 46829686.

• Frame, Tom (2005). The Cruel Legacy: the HMAS Voyager tragedy. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-74115-254-2. OCLC 61213421.

• McCart, Neil. Daring Class Destroyers. Cornwall: Maritime Books.