B class destroyer (1913)
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The B class of 1913 was a heterogeneous group of torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs) built for the Royal Navy in the late 1890s. They were constructed to the individual designs of their builders to meet Admiralty specifications, the uniting feature being a specified top speed of 30 knots and 4 funnels, although the funnel spacings differed between ships. All "30 knotter" vessels with 4 funnels were classified by the Admiralty as the B class in 1913 to provide some system to the naming of HM destroyers. (All "30 knotter" vessels with 3 funnels were classified by the Admiralty as the C class and those with 2 funnels became the D class.) All vessels had a distinctive "turtleback" forecastle that was intended to clear water from the bow, but actually tended to dig the bow into anything of a sea, resulting in a very wet conning position.
They generally displaced around 350 tons, one third more than the preceding A class, giving an increase in speed of 3 knots over the "27 knotters". Length was around 210 feet. All were powered by triple expansion steam engines and had coal-fired water-tube boilers. However, Albacore, Arab, Bonetta and Express were builder's specials, and had steam turbines fitted in addition to, or in lieu of, the reciprocating engines, giving 6,000 to 9,000 shp for 26.75 to 31 knots. Armament was one QF 12 pounder on a bandstand on the forecastle, five QF 6 pounder (two sided abreast the conning tower, two sided between the funnels and one on the quarterdeck) and 2 single tubes for 18 inch torpedoes.
The Palmers special types, built in 1908, were replacements for the River class Gala and the C class Tiger that had collided and sunk that year. They were generally similar to the River (or E class) design, but were grouped with the B class as they possessed only 2 funnels and were similarly armed, and made 27 knots on turbines.
[edit] Ships
ex-Quail class (built by Cammell-Laird, Birkenhead)
- Quail, completed 1895, broken up 1919
- Sparrowhawk, completed 1895, wrecked 1904
- Thrasher, completed 1895
- Virago, completed 1895
ex-Earnest class (built by Cammell-Laird, Birkenhead)
- Earnest, completed 1896, broken up 1920
- Griffon, completed 1896, broken up 1920
- Locust, completed 1896, broken up 1919
- Panther, completed 1897, broken up 1920
- Seal, completed 1897, broken up 1921
- Wolf, completed 1897, broken up 1921
ex-Cammell-Laird Special (steam turbine powered)
- Express, completed 1896
ex-Palmers private builds (built by Palmers, Jarrow, purchased 1899-1901)
- Spiteful, completed 1899, broken up 1920
- Peterel, completed 1899, broken up 1919
- Myrmidon, completed 1900, rammed and sunk by SS Hambourne in English Channel, March 26, 1917
- Kangaroo, completed 1901, broken up 1920
- Syren, completed 1901, broken up 1920
ex-Cammell-Laird private builds (purchased 1901)
ex-Doxford Special (built by Doxford, Sunderland
- Success, completed 1901, wrecked off Fife Ness December 27, 1914, becoming first wartime destroyer loss
ex-Clydebank Shipbuilding Yard Special (steam turbine powered)
- Arab, completed 1901
ex-Palmers Specials (steam turbine powered)
- Albacore, completed 1908
- Bonetta, completed 1908
[edit] Bibliography
- Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893-1981, Maurice Cocker, 1983, Ian Allan ISBN 0-7110-1075-7
