C-class destroyer (1913)
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | C class |
| Builders: | Various |
| Operators: |
 Royal Navy
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| Built: | 1896–1902 |
| In commission: | 1896–1921 |
| Completed: | 40 |
| Lost: | 11 |
| Scrapped: | 29 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Torpedo boat destroyer |
| Displacement: | 344–445 long tons (350–452 t) |
| Length: | 209–215 ft (64–66 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 30–36.5 knots (55.6–67.6 km/h; 34.5–42.0 mph) |
| Complement: | 62–68 |
| Armament: |
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The C class as designated in 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 of the class was a top speed of 30 knots, a "turtleback" forecastle and that they all had three funnels. The funnels were spaced equidistantly and were of equal height, but the central one was thicker.
In 1913 all "30 knotter" vessels with 3 funnels were classified by the Admiralty as the "C" class to provide some system to the naming of HM destroyers (at the same time, the 4-funnelled, "30 knotters" became the "B" class and the 2-funnelled ships the "D" class). All vessels had the distinctive turtleback that was intended to clear water from the bows but actually tended to dig the bow in to anything of a sea, resulting in a very wet conning position and poor seaboats that were unable to reach top speed in anything but perfect conditions.
They generally displaced around 350 tons and had a length of around 200 feet. All were powered by triple expansion steam engines for 5,800 shp and had coal-fired water-tube boilers, except some unique "specials" that used steam turbines in addition to, or in lieu of, the reciprocating engines. 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.
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