Marksman-class flotilla leader (1915)

British Royal Navy Flotilla Leaders (1914-16): HMS Marksman, Lightfoote, Nimrod, Kempenfelt, Abdiel, Gabriel and Ithuriel 1915-1936 The Marksman class (or Lightfoote class) were seven flotilla leaders of the Royal Navy ordered by pairs for 1913–14, 1914–15 and 1914 Emergency War Programme. They all served extensively in World War I but most were BU postwar. Significantly … Read more

Faulknor class destroyer (1914)

United Kingdom (1914-1920): HMS Faulknor, Broke, Botha, Tiperrary. The Faulknor class destroyer were requitioned ex-Chilean ships (Almirante Lynch class) which saw action as destroyer leaders at Jutland and in other momentous action of the first world war. When launched they were among the largest of their kind ever built. Faulknor, the class namesake, was also … Read more

Cricket Class (1906)

United Kingdom (1905-1910): Cricket, Dragonfly, Firefly, Sandfly, Spider | Gadfly, Glowworm, Gnat, Grasshopper, Greenfly | Mayfly, Moth | TB-13 to TB-36. The Cricket class were thirty-six coastal destroyers imagined by First sea Lord John “Jackie” Fisher as a complement to the Tribal class destroyer. They were small flush deck vessels with steam turbines and oil-fired … Read more

Laforey (L) class destroyers (1913)

UK Royal Navy (1913-1921) 1912 program, L-class 1913, 22 ships: The Laforey class (L class from October 1913) were 22 torpedo boat destroyers of the Royal Navy: 20 ordered under the Naval Programme of 1912–13 and 2 under the second War Emergency Programme in August 1914. They were the penultimate pre-war British destroyer design, followed … Read more

Acasta class Destroyer (1912)

UK Royal Navy (1912-1921) 1911-12 program, K-class 1913, 24 ships: HMS Acasta, Achates, Ambuscade, Christopher, Cockatrice, Contest, Lynx, Midge, Owl, Shark, Sparrowhawk, Spitfire. K-class Builders’ specials HMS Ardent, Fortune, Garland, Hardy, Paragon, Porpoise, Unity, Victor The Acasta class (K class from 1913) were the subject of the 1911-12 Programme, followed the path of the Acheron … Read more

Admiralty type (Scott class) flotilla leaders (1917)

UK Royal Navy (1916-1945) 1916 program: HMS Scott, Bruce, Douglas, Campbell, MackKay, Malcolm, Montrose, Stuart (Built 1916-1920). Second part on the late British WWI flotilla Leaders. The Admiralty type (Scott class) were the second flotilla leaders built almost alongside the Shakespare class or “Thornycroft type” proposed by the latter company. They were the fastest and … Read more

Thornycroft Type (Shakespeare class) Destroyer Leaders (1917)

UK Royal Navy (1916-1945) 1916 program: HMS Shakespeare, Spenser, Wallace, Keppel, Rooke, Saunders*, Stragge* (Built 1916-1920). The Shakespeare or “Thornycroft Type” were Flotilla leaders which type was developed already in 1913, after acknowledging the failure of HMS Swift as an in-between cruisers and destroyers. Thus by October 1913 the admiralty worked on a new design, … Read more

Acheron class destroyers (1911)

UK Royal Navy (1909-1922) 1909 program, I-class 1913: Builder class: HMS Acheron, Archer, Ariel, Attack, Badger, Beaver * Admiralty I class: Defender, Druid, Ferret, Forester, Goshawk, Hind, Hornet, Hydra, Jackal, Lapwing, Lizard, Phoenix, Sandfly, Tigress. * Yarrow Specials: HMS Firedrake, Lurcher, Oak. * Aussie Rivers: HMAS Parramatta, Yarra, Warrego, Huon, Swan, Torrens The Acheron class … Read more

Acorn class destroyers (1910)

UK Royal Navy (1909-1922) 1909 program, H-class 1913: HMS Acorn, Alarm, Brisk, Cameleon, Comet, Fury, Goldfinch, Hope, Larne, Lyra, Martin, Minstrel, Nemesis, Nereide, Nymphe, Redpole, Rifleman, Ruby, Sheldrake, Staunch In short, the Acorn class (H class from 1913) were born frm the 1909-10 Programme as a reversion from coal (on the Beagle class) to oil … Read more

Beagle class destroyers (1909)

UK Royal Navy (1902-1921) 1908-09 program, G-class 1913: HMS Beagle, Bulldog, Grasshopper, Harpy, Renard, Foxhound, Wolverine, Mosquito, Basilisk, Scourge, Racoon, Scorpion, Savage, Rattlesnake, Pincher, Nautilus/Grampus The “Beagles” or “G class” from 1913 were sixteen destroyers designed in 1908 in reaction to the costly and fragile Tribal class. The admiralty overall wanted smaller, stronger vessels running … Read more