Best War Era Destroyer.

Yossarian

Yossarian

Forum Resistance Leader
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.
 
Last edited:
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!
 
George said:
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!
Click to expand...


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.
 
LeEnfield said:
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.
Click to expand...


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.
 
LeEnfield said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
Last edited:
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?
 
Yossarian said:
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?
Click to expand...

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.
 
MontyB said:
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.
Click to expand...


Yes , I learned that with some of the Italian designs, they had problems traversing open seas, as their deck designers faced the same issues as the smaller U.S. Mahan class in terms of seakeeping.
 
h27_electra2.jpg


Odd, I failed to find mention of the Electra. A remarkable service record and story of her and especially her crew during the War.

May those lost on her never be forgotten.
 
Yossarian said:
h27_electra2.jpg


Odd, I failed to find mention of the Electra. A remarkable service record and story of her and especially her crew during the War.

May those lost on her never be forgotten.
Click to expand...

Compare that to the latest off the production line HMS Dauntless:

HMSDauntless.jpg


As you can see the Royal Navy has taken to building lighthouses on their latest ships.

:)
 
MontyB said:
Compare that to the latest off the production line HMS Dauntless:

HMSDauntless.jpg


As you can see the Royal Navy has taken to building lighthouses on their latest ships.

:)
Click to expand...

Humorous as this is, no doubt as is some U.S. Navy building techniques.

The HMS Electra's story can be seen as a true example of the combined allied effort during the war, as is her remarkable around the world journey, serving in the foreground and rescueing survivor's of the tragic demise of the Hood.

To her actions in the Pacific months later, her own crew ironically finding themselves in the same circumstances as the three survivors of Hood.

Adrift at sea, until her survivors were rescued by an U.S. Submarine.

It's tales of these "tin cans" that illustrate the war's global reach, as where ever shipping or major naval action was to take place.

These small warships were sure to follow, their crews at the ready.

If you want to learn about the wars at sea during either of the World Wars, you gotta learn about the Destroyers.:smile:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top