Bittern-class sloop: Difference between revisions

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==Design==

They were built as light, long-range escort ships with little anti-air capability. Three were built: [[HMS Enchantress (L56)|HMS ''Enchantress'']], [[HMS Bittern (L07)|HMS ''Bittern'']] and [[HMS Stork (L81)|HMS ''Stork'']]. HMS ''Enchantress'', originally built as HMS ''Bittern'' but renamed before being launched in 1934, was the first in the class, and was built as an unarmed [[Admiral]]'s yacht. Armament was restored at the outbreak of war, however the aft turret was originally replaced with accommodation and the armament was never replaced. The under-construction ''Enchantress'' was then renamed ''Bittern''.

They were built as light, long-range escort ships with limited anti-air capability. They were fitted with Denny-Brown fit stabilisers and a HACS fire control system.

==Career==

They were built as light, long-range escortThree ships with little anti-air capability. Three were built: [[HMS Enchantress (L56)|HMS ''Enchantress'']], [[HMS Bittern (L07)|HMS ''Bittern'']] and [[HMS Stork (L81)|HMS ''Stork'']]. HMS ''Enchantress'', originally built as HMS ''Bittern'' but renamed before being launched in 1934, was the first in the class, and was built as an unarmedarmed [[Admiral]]'s yacht. Armament was restored 2 single 4.7 inch guns forward and 4 3 pounder saluting guns. Anti aircraft armament was installed at the outbreak of war, however the aft turret was originally replaced with accommodation and the armament was never replaced. The under-construction ''Enchantress'' was then renamed ''Bittern''.

The design served as the basis for the [[Egret class sloop]] and the [[Black Swan class sloop]]

==Ships Careers==

{| class="wikitable" border="1"

|-

! Ship

! Builder

! Launched

! Fate

|-

| [[HMS Bittern (L07)|HMS ''Bittern'']]

| [[J. Samuel White|J S White & Company]], [[Cowes]]

| 14 July 1937

| Sunk by bombing off Namsos, Norway, 30 April 1940

|-

| [[HMS Enchantress (L56)|HMS ''Enchantress'']]

| [[John Brown and Company|John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Limited]], [[Clydebank]]

| 21 December 1934

|Sold 1946

|-

|[[HMS Stork (L81)|HMS ''Stork'']]

|[[William Denny & Brothers]], [[Dumbarton]],

|21 April 1936

|Broken up 1958

|}

HMS ''Stork'' was completed as an unarmed [[survey vessel]], and was only armed after the outbreak of war. The third ship in the class was launched as HMS ''Bittern'', and completed as designed, but was lost to air attacks in the [[Norwegian campaign]] in 1940. HMS ''Enchantress'' survived the war and was sold into civilian service in 1946, being renamed ''Lady Enchantress''. She was broken up in 1952. HMS ''Stork'' remained in service until being broken up in 1958.

==References==

*{{Colledge}}

* D.K. Brown, Nelson to Vanguard, 2000 Chatham Publishing

* Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946

{{Bittern class sloop}}