French destroyer Foudroyant (1929)

History
France
Name	Foudroyant
Ordered	21 April 1927
Builder	Dyle et Bacalan, Bordeaux
Launched	14 April 1929
Completed	10 October 1930
In service	24 October 1930
Fate	Sunk, 1 June 1940
General characteristics
Class and type	L'Adroit-class destroyer
Displacement	1,380 t (1,360 long tons) (standard) 2,000 t (2,000 long tons) (full load)
Length	107.2 m (351 ft 8.5 in)
Beam	9.9 m (32 ft 5.8 in)
Draft	3.5 m (11 ft 5.8 in)
Installed power	31,000 PS (22,800 kW; 30,576 shp) 3 du Temple boilers
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 geared steam turbines
Speed	33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Range	3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Crew	9 officers, 153 crewmen (wartime)
Armament	4 × single 130 mm (5.1 in) guns 2 × single 37 mm (1.5 in) AA guns 2 × triple 550 mm (21.7 in) torpedo tubes 2 chutes and 2 throwers for 22 depth charges

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

Design and description[edit]

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).^[1]

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.^[2]

Construction and career[edit]

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 / 51.082033°N 2.258517°E / 51.082033; 2.258517.^[3]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Jordan, John & Moulin, Jean (2015). French Destroyers: Torpilleurs d'Escadre & Contre-Torpilleurs 1922–1956. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-198-4.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.
• "The Foudroyant Wreck". Wannasurf.com ltd. Retrieved 11 August 2016.

External links[edit]

• http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/6026.html
• http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?14

51°4′55″N 2°15′31″E / 51.08194°N 2.25861°E / 51.08194; 2.25861