W and Z class destroyer

The W and Z class was a class of sixteen destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1943–1944. They were constructed as two flotillas, with names beginning with "W-" and "Z-", respectively, although, like the preceding U and V class, two of the flotilla leaders were named after historical naval figures (as had been Royal Navy practice during the inter-war years). They were known as the 9th and 10th Emergency Flotilla, respectively and served as fleet and convoy escorts in World War II. None were lost during World War II but INS Eilat (originally HMS Zealous) was sunk during the Israel-Egypt conflict in October 1967 by Egyptian missile boats.

Design

Repeats of the preceding U and V class destroyers, with modified director structures. The Z class were armed with 4.5 inch guns.^[1]

Ships

W class

Z class

See also

• The V and W class destroyers.
• Type 15 frigate: postwar full conversion of Wartime Emergency Programme destroyers into first-rate fast anti-submarine frigates

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893-1981, Cocker, Maurice, Ian Allan Publishing, ISBN 0-7110-1075-7
• British destroyers: A history of development 1892-1953, March, Edgar, Billing and Sons Ltd, London 1966 ISBN
• Royal Navy Destroyers since 1945, Leo Marriot, Ian Allan Publishing, ISBN 0-7110-1817-0
• Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946, Ed. Gardiner, Robert, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 0-87021-913-8
• Raven, Alan; Roberts, John (1978). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. ISBN 0-85680-010-4. 
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1. 

External links