E and F-class destroyer: Difference between revisions

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All of the ships had the same main armament, four [[List of British ordnance terms#QF|quick-firing (QF)]] [[4.7 inch QF Mark IX & XII|{{convert|4.7|in|mm|adj=on}} Mark IX]] guns in single mounts, designated 'A', 'B', 'X', and 'Y' from front to rear. The guns had a maximum elevation of 40° which was achieved by using a lowered section of the deck around the mount, the "well", that allowed the [[Breech-loading weapon|breech]] of the gun to be lowered below deck height.<ref>Whitley, p. 103</ref> They fired a {{convert|50|lb|kg|adj=on|1}} shell at a [[muzzle velocity]] of {{convert|2650|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} to a range of {{convert|16970|yd|m}}.<ref>Campbell, p. 48</ref> For [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] (AA) defence, they had two quadruple mounts for the [[Vickers .50 machine gun|QF 0.5-inch Vickers Mk III]] machine gun on platforms between the [[funnel (ship)|funnel]]s. The E- and F-class ships were fitted with two quadruple mounts for [[British 21-inch torpedo|21-inch (533&nbsp;mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s. The ships, except for the minelayers, were also equipped with two throwers and one rack for 20 [[depth charge]]s. The stern of the minelayers was fitted with a pair of [[sponson]]s that housed part of the mechanical chain-conveyor system and to ensure smooth delivery of her mines.<ref name=l1>Lenton, pp. 156–58</ref> To compensate for the weight of her Mark XIV mines, their rails, two 4.7-inch guns, their ammunition, both sets of torpedo tubes, their whalers and their [[davit]]s had to be removed.<ref>Friedman, p. 218</ref>

The main guns were controlled by an [[Admiralty Fire Control Clock]] Mk I that used data derived from the manually- operated [[List of British ordnance terms#DCT|director-control tower]] and the separate {{convert|9|ft|adj=on}} [[Rangefinding telemeter|rangefinder]] situated above the [[bridge (nautical)|bridge]]. They had no capability for anti-aircraft fire and the anti-aircraft guns were aimed solely by eye.<ref>Campbell, pp. 14–15; Hodges & Friedman, pp. 12, 17</ref>

===Wartime modifications===

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|16 February 1934

|22 October 1934

|Transferred to [[Hellenic Navy|Greece]] as ''Navarinon'' in 1944; returned to RN in 1956 and scrapped

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|-

!scope="row"|{{HMS|Eclipse|H08|2}}

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|30 January 1934

|30 August 1934

|Scrapped 1947

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|-

!scope="row"|{{HMS|Escort|H66|2}}

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|12 June 1934

|24 May 1935

|Scrapped, 1946

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|-

!scope="row"|{{HMS|Fame|H78|2}}

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|28 June 1934

|26 April 1935

|Sold to [[Dominican Navy|Dominican Republic]] as ''Generalisimo'' 1949, scrapped 1968

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!scope="row"|{{HMS|Fearless|H67|2}}

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|28 June 1934

|29 March 1935

|Scrapped, 1946

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!scope="row"|{{HMS|Fortune|H70|2}}

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|10 September 1934

|18 May 1935

|Scrapped after mine and collision damage, 1944

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