A class destroyer (1913)

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The A class of 1913 was a heterogeneous group of torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs) built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1890s. They were constructed to the individual designs of their builders to meet Admiralty specifications, the only uniting feature being a specified top speed of 27 knots; all "27 knotter" vessels being classified by the Admiralty as the A class in 1913 to provide some system to the naming of HM destroyers. The number of funnels varied from one to four. All vessels had a distinctive "turtleback" forecastle that was intended to clear water from the bow, but actually tended to dig the bow in to anything of a sea, resulting in a very wet conning position.

They generally displaced around 260 tons and had a length of around 200 feet. All were powered by triple expansion steam engines and had coal-fired water-tube boilers (although initially, some had "locomotive type" fire-tube boilers in lieu). Armament was generally one QF 12 pounder on a bandstand on the forecastle, up to five QF 6 pounder and 2 single tubes for 14 inch torpedoes. The Daring and Havock class ships initially had a third tube in the bow, fixed to fire straight ahead, but this was found to weigh down the bows and it was possible for the ship to run over its own torpedo when moving at high speed, as such they were later removed and this feature was not repeated in later vessels.

[edit] Ships

ex-Ariel class;

Ariel, completed 1896, built by J I Thornycroft, Chiswick
Boxer, completed 1894, built by J I Thornycroft, Chiswick
Bruiser, completed 1894, built by J I Thornycroft, Chiswick

ex-Banshee class;

Banshee, completed 1894, built by Cammel-Laird, Birkenhead
Contest, completed 1894, built by Cammel-Laird, Birkenhead
Dragon, completed 1894, built by Cammel-Laird, Birkenhead
Ferret, completed 1893, built by Cammel-Laird, Birkenhead
Lynx, completed 1894, built by Cammel-Laird, Birkenhead

ex-Charger class;

Charger, completed 1894, built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Scotstoun
Dasher, completed 1895, built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Scotstoun
Hasty, completed 1894, built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Scotstoun

ex-Conflict class;

Conflict, completed 1894, built by J S White, Cowes
Teazer, completed 1895, built by J S White, Cowes
Wizard, completed 1895, built by J S White, Cowes

ex-Daring class;

Daring, completed 1893, built by J I Thornycroft, Chiswick
Decoy, completed 1894, built by J I Thornycroft, Chiswick

ex-Fervent class;

Fervent, completed 1895, built by Hanna, Donald & Wilson, Paisley
Zephyr, completed 1895, built by Hanna, Donald & Wilson]], Paisley

ex-Havock class;

Havock, completed 1893, built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Scotstoun
Hornet, completed 1893, built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Scotstoun

ex-Handy class;

Handy, completed 1894, built by Fairfield, Govan
Hart, completed 1894, built by Fairfield, Govan
Hunter, completed 1895, built by Fairfield, Govan

ex-Haughty class;

Hardy, completed 1894, built by Doxford, Sunderland
Haughty, completed 1895, built by Doxford, Sunderland

ex-Janus class;

Janus, completed 1895, built by Palmers, Jarrow
Lightning, completed 1895, built by Palmers, Jarrow
Porcupine, completed 1895, built by Palmers, Jarrow

ex-Opposum class;

Opposum, completed 1895, built by Hawthorn, Newcastle upon Tyne
Ranger, completed 1895, built by Hawthorn, Newcastle upon Tyne
Sunfish, completed 1895, built by Hawthorn, Newcastle upon Tyne

ex-Rocket class;

Rocket, completed 1894, built by Clydebank Shipbuilding Yard, Clydebank Rocket
Shark, completed 1894, built by Clydebank Shipbuilding Yard, Clydebank
Surly, completed 1894, built by Clydebank Shipbuilding Yard, Clydebank

ex-Snapper class;