O and P class destroyer
Encyclopedia : O : OA : OAN : O and P class destroyer
| General Characteristics | |
| "O and P" class |
|
|---|---|
| Displacement: | 1,540 tons (standard), 2,400 tons (design full), 2,625 tons (wartime full) |
| Length: | 345 feet o/a |
| Beam: | 35 feet |
| Draught: | 13.5 feet |
| Propulsion: | 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, Parsons geared steam turbines, 40,000 shp, 2 shafts |
| Speed: | 37 knots |
| Range: | 472 tons oil, 3,850 nm at 20 kt |
| Complement: | 176+ |
| Armament (4.7 in armed "O" class): | |
| 4 x single 4.7 in guns QF Mark XII on mounting CP Mk.XVIII 1 x single 4 in gun QF Mk.V on mounting HA Mk.III 1 x quad tubes for 21 in torpedoes Mk.IX 1 x quad 2 pdr "pom-pom" mount Mk.VII Up to 6 x single 20 mm Oerlikon guns 4 x throwers and 2 x racks for 70 depth charges | |
| Armament (4 in armed "O" class): | |
| 4-5 x single QF Mark V on mounting HA Mk.III** 2 x quad tube for 21 in torpedo Mk.IX Up to 60 mines (where fitted for) 1 x quad 2 pdr "pom-pom" mount Mk.VII Up to 6 x single 20 mm Oerlikon guns 4 x throwers and 2 x racks for 70 depth charges | |
| Armament ("P" class): | |
| 4-5 x single QF Mark V on mounting HA Mk.III** 2 x quad tube for 21 in torpedo Mk.IX 1 x quad 2-pdr "pom-pom" mount Mk.VII Up to 6 x single 20 mm Oerlikon guns 4 x throwers and 2 x racks for 70 depth charges | |
O class
The O-class ships were built in two groups of four. The first group had 4.7 in guns in low angle mounts which could only elevate to 40 degrees, therefore they were fitted with a 4 in anti-aircraft gun in place of one set of torpedo tubes. The second group had 4 inch guns in high angle mounts and were fitted to act as minelayers and could be recognised by the flat "beaver tail" stern over which the mines were dropped. When carrying mines they had to land Y gun, their torpedo tubes and depth charges. The designed anti-aircraft armament was a single quadruple "pom pom" and a pair of quadruple 0.5 in Vickers AA machine guns. The latter proved to be practically useless, and were replaced with the 20 mm Oerlikon gun as it became available, with a total of six single mounts eventually being carried. All ships survived the war.4.7 in armed ships:
- Onslow - fitted out as flotilla leader
- Offa
- Onslaught
- Oribi
- Obdurate
- Obedient
- Opportune
- Orwell
P class
The P class were repeats of the O class, armed entirely with 4 in guns, in high angle mounts fitted with a new tall design of shield, as such they did not require to lose a set of torpedo tubes to take on further AA guns. They served mainly in the Mediterranean, where four ships were lost.- Pakenham (lost on 16 April 1943)
- Paladin
- Panther (lost on 9 October 1943)
- Partridge (lost on 18 December 1942)
- Pathfinder
- Penn
- Petard (ex-Persistent)
- Porcupine (lost on 9 December 1942)
See also
- Type 16 frigate: postwar conversion of some O and P class vessels into second-rate fast anti-submarine frigates
Bibliography
- Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893-1981, Maurice Cocker, Ian Allan, ISBN 0711010757
- Royal Navy Destroyers since 1945, Leo Marriot, Ian Allan, ISBN 0711018170
- Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946, Ed. Robert Gardiner, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 0870219138
- Destroyers of World War II, An International Encyclopedia, M. J. Whiteley, Arms and Armour Press, 1988, ISBN 1845095218
| War Emergency Programme destroyers |
| O and P class | Q and R class | S and T class | U and V class | W and Z class | C classes |
| List of destroyers of the Royal Navy |
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.