Ever hear the phrase "they don't build em like they used to"?

Time's have changed drastically but pretty much the topic is the best World War Era destroyer used in this time.

No restrictions on country, but era must be from 1914-1945.

And state why you feel your destroyer choice is superior.

In the area of robustness & taking damage the US DDs seem to be a lot tougher than the British & Germans ones. Guess the Allen M. Sumner class, where they had a lot of expierience in the design, & standing up to the Kamakazes. Shoot away!

Originally Posted by George

In the area of robustness & taking damage the US DDs seem to be a lot tougher than the British & Germans ones. Guess the Allen M. Sumner class, where they had a lot of expierience in the design, & standing up to the Kamakazes. Shoot away!

I visited the U.S.S. Laffey a few years back, what amazing feat that small warship went through.

And there is no doubt about the classes endurance, and utility, very versetile design.

I remeber walking across the fantail of the ship and asking myself "how is this ship even still afloat?"

Of course there is always the famous Destroyer Charge of the Sumner class predecessor, of three Fletcher class destroyers charging into the fray against a Japenese heavy battlegroup.

George..... as the Kamikazes did not start until 1944 then they must have been very clever to incorporate this problem in the designs for WW2 already for when they started.

Originally Posted by LeEnfield

George..... as the Kamikazes did not start until 1944 then they must have been very clever to incorporate this problem in the designs for WW2 already for when they started.

I agree , the Kamikazes were not a notion U.S. ship designers had in mind or really accounted for when designing the Fletcher Class, the platfrom the Allen Sumner class was heavily based on.

The Fletcher being designed long before the Kamikazes being organized.

However in terms of Gunnery Japan's Fubuki class was the world's first I believe to have enlcosed turrents mounted on a destroyer, and for a brief stint the world's most powerful in the 30s.

Originally Posted by LeEnfield

George..... as the Kamikazes did not start until 1944 then they must have been very clever to incorporate this problem in the designs for WW2 already for when they started.

Didn't say expierience with Kamakazes, but in other areas. Things like the
Porter/Somers class that were unstable with 4 twin 5" turrets, eventually had to be reduced to 4 single turrets along with other changes to improve stability vs the Sumners that were sucsessfull with 3 twin turrets.

Riding into the fray on a ship hulled with steel no thicker than 3/8 inches thick.

Much respect for all destroyer sailors for their readiness to take that torpedo or bomb to protect their escorted formations, on all sides.

These guys were often also the first responders to dowse fires or pull sinking survivors out of the water, many of times even if they weren't wearing the same uniform.

That's what I find so remarkable about these ships, especially during these dark times in our history.

I liked the Tribal Class destroyers primarily because they were much larger than standard destroyers (they were very nearly reclassified as corvettes) as they were based on a rejected light cruiser design.

I guess this is partially influenced by the fact that HMS Cossack was my favourite Allied ship of WW2.

Such as the Akizuki Class of the IJN, the trade off often times for making a larger displacing destroyer was that one of the key strengths of these ships, their superb manueverability was often effected in the larger designes.

I guess if you build her like a light cruiser she will handle like a light cruiser?

Originally Posted by Yossarian

Such as the Akizuki Class of the IJN, the trade off often times for making a larger displacing destroyer was that one of the key strengths of these ships, their superb manueverability was often effected in the larger designes.

I guess if you build her like a light cruiser she will handle like a light cruiser?

They were built to compete with the German Z Class Destroyers at 3,100 tons, Italian Maestrale class at 2,250 tons and the Japanese Akizuki Class at 3,800 tons displacement so at 2,600 tons the Tribal Class was not exactly out of place in the pack.