Neha Patil (Editor)

French destroyer Foudroyant

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Name
  
Foudroyant

Completed
  
10 October 1930

Fate
  
Sunk, 1 June 1940

Length
  
107 m

Ordered
  
21 April 1927

In service
  
24 October 1930

Launched
  
14 April 1929

Class and type
  
L'Adroit-class destroyer

Builder
  
Ateliers et Chantiers Maritimes du Sud-Ouest et de Bacalan Réunis

The French destroyer Foudroyant was one of 14 L'Adroit-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the 1920s.

Contents

Design and description

The L'Adroit class was a slightly enlarged and improved version of the preceding Bourrasque class. The ships had an overall length of 107.2 meters (351 ft 8 in), a beam of 9.9 meters (32 ft 6 in), and a draft of 3.5 meters (11 ft 6 in). The ships displaced 1,380 metric tons (1,360 long tons) at standard load and 2,000 metric tons (2,000 long tons) at deep load. They were powered by two geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three du Temple boilers. The turbines were designed to produce 31,000 metric horsepower (22,800 kW; 30,576 shp), which would propel the ships at 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph). The ships carried 386 metric tons (380 long tons) of fuel oil which gave them a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

The main armament of the L'Adroit-class ships consisted of four Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1924 guns in single mounts, one superfiring pair each fore and aft of the superstructure. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of a pair of Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 guns. The ships carried two above-water triple sets of 550-millimeter (21.7 in) torpedo tubes. A pair of depth charge chutes were built into their stern; these housed a total of sixteen 200-kilogram (440 lb) depth charges. In addition two depth charge throwers were fitted for which six 100-kilogram (220 lb) depth charges were carried.

Construction and career

Foudroyant was laid down on 28 July 1927, launched on 24 April 1929 and commissioned on 10 October 1930. She was sunk on 1 June 1940 off Dunkirk by German aircraft, whilst assisting in the Dunkirk evacuation.

Wreck located at: 51°4.922′N 2°15.511′E.

References

French destroyer Foudroyant Wikipedia