NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Express 1939 as minelayer

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate	Modification
Echo	H23		Denny, Dumbarton	3/1933	16.2.1934	10/1934	to Greece 4.1944 (Ναυαρίνον [Navarinon])	"E" group
Eclipse	H08		Denny, Dumbarton	3/1933	12.4.1934	12/1934	sunk 24.10.1943	"E" group
Electra	H27		Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn	3/1933	15.2.1934	9/1934	sunk 27.2.1942	"E" group
Encounter	H10		Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn	3/1933	29.3.1934	11/1934	sunk 1.3.1942	"E" group
Escapade	H17		Scotts, Greenock	3/1933	30.1.1934	9/1934	BU 2.1947	"E" group
Escort	H65		Scotts, Greenock	3/1933	29.3.1934	11/1934	sunk 11.7.1940	"E" group
Esk	H15		Swan Hunter, Wallsend	3/1933	19.3.1934	10/1934	sunk 31.8.1940	"E" group
Express, 6.1943 - Gatineau (RCN 6.1943)	H61		Swan Hunter, Wallsend	3/1933	29.5.1934	11/1934	stricken 1.1946, BU 1956	"E" group
Fame	H78, 1948- D78?		Vickers-Armstrong, Tyne	5.7.1933	28.6.1934	4/1935	to Dominican Republic 2.1949 (Generalissimo)	"F" group
Fearless	H67		Cammell Laird, Birkenhead	7/1933	12.5.1934	12/1934	sunk 23.7.1941	"F" group
Firedrake	H79		Vickers-Armstrong, Tyne	7/1933	28.6.1934	5/1935	sunk 16.12.1942	"F" group
Forester	H74		White, Cowes	5/1933	28.6.1934	3/1935	BU 6.1947	"F" group
Foresight	H68		Cammell Laird, Birkenhead	7/1933	29.6.1934	5/1935	sunk 12.8.1942	"F" group
Fortune, 6.1943 - Saskatchewan (RCN 6.1943)	H70		John Brown, Clydebank	7/1933	29.8.1934	4/1935	BU 1.1946	"F" group
Foxhound, 2.1944 - Qu'Appelle (RCN 2.1944)	H69		John Brown, Clydebank	8/1933	12.10.1934	6/1935	stricken 5.1946, BU 1948	"F" group
Fury	H76		White, Cowes	5/1933	10.9.1934	5/1935	CTL 21.6.1944	"F" group

Technical data

Max speed, kts, kn	36
Displacement standard, t	1350 - 1405
Displacement full, t	1886 - 1940 (later 2025 - 2095)
Length, m	97.0 pp 100.3 oa
Breadth, m	10.1
Draught, m	3.81 (later 3.96 - 4.01)
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 3 Admiralty 3-drum boilers Fortune, Foxhound: 2 sets Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, 3 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Power, h. p.	36000
Fuel, t	oil 471
Endurance, nm(kts)	6350(15)
Armament	4 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 2 DCT, 1 DCR (20 DC), mechanical minesweeping gear Esk, Express: 2 x 1 - 120/45 QF Mk IX, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 60 - 72 mines
Electronic equipment	type 121 sonar
Complement	145

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Since the 1931 Programme destroyers have ceased to be shared on equipped mainly minesweeping or anti-submarine armaments: "Е" class destroyers carried both. Moreover, it was supposed to equip these ships also with the minelaying equipment. It was originally planned to equip in a similar way all destroyers but absence of operating experience of a new minelaying equipment had to be limited to two ships, Esk and Express.

The extended armament structure conducted to growth of displacement and as consequence fall of speed. To avoid it new destroyers had improved hull form that managed to be reached after very many model tests in a ship-research bassin.

The important difference of "Е" class from previous "C" and "D" classes was the sectioning of 2nd boiler room by a watertight bulkhead on two smaller. Thus, boiler rooms became 3 as boilers number that has positively affected damage tolerance.

76mm AA gun figuring in the design at early phases was cancelled in favour of new main gun mounts with an 40° elevation angle. New Mk XVII mounts ensured more elevation angle at the expense of rather original reception. There was a ring in a deck round a mount more than 2m in diameter and 35cm deep. It was covered by special metallic boards at surface fire. These boards were lifted at big elevation angles, that ensured standard gun recoil with natural balancing, removing risk of blow of breech in a deck. This construction called subsequently a number of critical remarks because of the impracticality however used on destroyers of three classes up to "G".

"F" class (1932 Programme) became repetition of "Е" without any changes in the design. The order for their building has been given out simultaneously with destroyers of 1931 Programme.

Modernizations

1940, all but Escort: - 1 x 4 - 533 TT; + 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I/II/III/IV

1941-1942, almost all survived: + type 271, type 286/M/P radars

1941, Fame, Fearless, Firedrake: - 1 x 1 - 120/45; + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 DCT (70 DC)

1941, Echo, Eclipse, Electra, Encounter, Escapade, Express: - 2 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

1941, Forester, Foresight, Fortune, Foxhound, Fury: + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

1942, Forester, Foresight, Fortune, Foxhound, Fury, Firedrake: - 2 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

1943, Forester, Fortune, Foxhound: - 1 x 1 - 120/45; + 2 DCT (70 DC)

1943, Escapade: - 2 x 1 - 120/45, 1 x 1 - 76/45, type 121 sonar; + 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL, 2 DCT (70 DC), type 144 sonar

1943, Express: - 1 x 4 - 533 TT, type 121 sonar; + 2 x 1 - 57/40 6pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL, 2 DCT (70 DC), type 144 sonar

1943, Fame: - 1 x 1 - 76/45, type 121 sonar; + 2 x 12 - 178 Split Hedgehog Mk II ASWRL, type 144 sonar

1943 - 1944, Echo, Escapade, Gatineau, Fame, Fury: - 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

1943 - 1944, almost all: - type 286/M/P radar; + type 291 radar

1944, Forester: - 1 x 1 - 76/45, 2 x 1 - 20/70, type 121 sonar; + 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 12 - 178 Split Hedgehog MkII ASWRL, type 144 sonar

1944, Saskatchewan, Qu'Appelle: - 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon; + 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 12 - 178 Split Hedgehog Mk II ASWRL, type 144 sonar

1945, Escapade: - 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL; + 2 x 3 - 305 Squid Mk IV ASWRL, type 147 sonar

1/1946, Escapade: 2 x 1 - 120/45 CP Mk XVII, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 1 x 4 - 533 TT, 2 x 3 - 305 Squid Mk IV ASWRL, 4 DCT, 1 DCR (70), type 277, type 291 radars, type 144, type 147 sonars

1/1946, Fame: 3 x 1 - 120/45 CP Mk XVII, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, 1 x 4 - 533 TT, 2 x 12 - 178 Split Hedgehog Mk II ASWRL, 4 DCT, 1 DCR (70), type 271, type 291 radars, type 144 sonar

1/1946, Forester: 3 x 1 - 120/45 CP Mk XVII, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 1 x 4 - 533 TT, 2 x 12 - 178 Split Hedgehog Mk II ASWRL, 4 DCT, 1 DCR (70), type 271, type 291 radars, type 144 sonar

Naval service

Eclipse 11.4.1940 was badly damaged by German aircraft off South Norwegian coast, ran aground and abandoned by crew, 16.4.1940 she was towed off to Britain and repaired till August, 1940. 24.10.1943 she was mined E of Kalimnos Island and sunk. Electra 27.2.1942 was sunk by gunfire of Japanese destroyer Asagumo in Java Sea. Encounter 1.3.1942 was sunk by gunfire of Japanese cruisers Ashigara and Myoko in Java Sea. Escort 11.7.1940 was torpedoed by Italian submarine Marconi N of Algiers and foundered under tow. Esk 31.8.1940 was mined off Dutch coast and sunk next morning. Express 31.8.1940 was badly damaged by a mine (the fore end was broken off), repaired till November, 1941. Fame was thrown out by a storm on rocks at Sunderland coast 17.10.1940, repaired to the mid-1941.

Fearless 23.7.1941 was badly damaged by Italian air torpedo from S.79 torpedo bomber in 50nm NW of Cape Bon, abandoned by crew and torpedoed by destroyer Forester. Firedrake 16.12.1942 was sunk by German submarine U211 in Northern Atlantic in 600nm S of Iceland. Foresight 12.8.1942 was badly damaged by Italian air torpedo from S.79 torpedo bomber, abandoned by crew and 13.8.1942 torpedoed by destroyer Tartar N of Bizerte. Fury 21.6.1944 was badly damaged by a mine at coast of Normandy and never repaired.