WWII destroyers.... - Aircraft of World War II

Lucky13 · 06-18-2007, 11:54 AM

Which would you consider to be the best destroyer class in WWII? Which had the most firepower in guns/torpedoes, best anti aircraft defence, highest speed and manouvrability, most effective radar etc. etc? Who would come out on top if you put them against each other one vs one?

delcyros · 06-18-2007, 12:14 PM

It should be Shimakaze. The sole ship of this superb class of DD´s was just a bit expensive with almost 3000t. displacement. A speed of 39-40 Kts and a range of 1400nm @ 30(!) Kts is going to be of advantage anytime. The main gunnery was adaequate (The Allan Sunner class had comparable firepower and superior Firecontroll and the french Mogadir had comparable speed). Shimakaze was also one of the first IJN warships to mount radar. But beeing most important: It could fire off 15 x 24" Long Lance torpedoes at once! In a DD ambush, this is a deadly argument of itselfe...

timshatz · 06-18-2007, 12:29 PM

Hey Delcros, good to see you back on the board.

Would've gone with the Allan Sumner or Gearing class until it gets to the Torpedoes. Those long lance our just amazing. Something like 40K yards at low speed setting, any one of them could blow a Gearing in half.

Lucky13 · 06-18-2007, 12:46 PM

What about Italian destroyers, were they any good?

Glider · 06-18-2007, 12:50 PM

For Torpedo's it has to be the Shimakaze
For AA then the Allan Sunner with the 6 x 5in and heavy 40mm
For surface combat I would go for the French Le Fantasque 37kts at Full Load (trial speeds about 42kts for 8 hours) 5 x 5.5in and 9 x TT

Glider · 06-18-2007, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucky13

What about Italian destroyers, were they any good?

Italian Destroyers tended to be smaller than most but their later vessels could be described as good average destroyers that formed the backbone of most fleets.

Their main drawback being the lack of DP guns, radars and modern ADSIC

Lucky13 · 06-18-2007, 01:02 PM

DP guns and ADSIC???

Lucky13 · 06-18-2007, 01:07 PM

Glider · 06-18-2007, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucky13

DP guns and ADSIC???

DP = Anti Surface and AA ability
ADSIC = SONAR

Lucky13 · 06-18-2007, 02:11 PM

Aaah.... Thanks Glider!

JF3D · 06-19-2007, 02:56 PM

Fletchers for best all around. Gearings and Sumners had issues with stability as they were loaded up topside with AAA for the Divine Wind.

k9kiwi · 06-19-2007, 10:50 PM

ASDIC

Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee reffered to as SONAR in America.

For the Brits I am suprised no one has mentioned the Tribal Class.

timshatz · 06-20-2007, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JF3D

Fletchers for best all around. Gearings and Sumners had issues with stability as they were loaded up topside with AAA for the Divine Wind.

Stability wasn't that bad on the Gearings. I was on one in the 80s, in rough weather plenty of times, and it did ok. True, it was short a couple of mounts (mount 53 and 54 were removed when the Fram 2 was done) but the basic ride was ok. Was on a Knox class after it and that ride just flat out sucked. Gearing was better.

Glider · 06-20-2007, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k9kiwi

ASDIC

Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee reffered to as SONAR in America.

For the Brits I am suprised no one has mentioned the Tribal Class.

A better British Destroyer would be the LM class. DP 4.7 gun (more powerful than almost any other 4.7-5.1 in gun), 8 x TT. Personally I would go for the ones armed with 8 x 4in

delcyros · 06-21-2007, 08:58 AM

The british DD´s had the best expertise in ASW of all combatants. Boosted by the german submarine thread they developed excellent ASW equipment and tactics. This should indeed be considered a big plus.
Their torpedoes were ok, too.

German DD´s are a bit crap. Either under gunned with 4.1" SP or overgunned with 5.91" QF twin mounts, they had speed as their main advantage. Beyond this, they had neither range, nor stability. They could be nasty for a single cruiser but against other DD´s they could only run away. Their torpedoes were ok to start with, then became terrible in mid war and again were ok at wars end.

06-18-2007, 11:54 AM	#1
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 17,325	WWII destroyers.... Which would you consider to be the best destroyer class in WWII? Which had the most firepower in guns/torpedoes, best anti aircraft defence, highest speed and manouvrability, most effective radar etc. etc? Who would come out on top if you put them against each other one vs one? __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

06-18-2007, 12:14 PM	#2
delcyros Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Berlin (Kreuzberg) Posts: 1,753	It should be Shimakaze. The sole ship of this superb class of DD´s was just a bit expensive with almost 3000t. displacement. A speed of 39-40 Kts and a range of 1400nm @ 30(!) Kts is going to be of advantage anytime. The main gunnery was adaequate (The Allan Sunner class had comparable firepower and superior Firecontroll and the french Mogadir had comparable speed). Shimakaze was also one of the first IJN warships to mount radar. But beeing most important: It could fire off 15 x 24" Long Lance torpedoes at once! In a DD ambush, this is a deadly argument of itselfe... __________________ ---delcyros---

06-18-2007, 12:46 PM	#4
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 17,325	What about Italian destroyers, were they any good? __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

06-18-2007, 01:02 PM	#7
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 17,325	DP guns and ADSIC??? __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

06-18-2007, 01:07 PM	#8
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 17,325	__________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

06-18-2007, 12:29 PM	#3
timshatz Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Phila, Pa Posts: 3,800	Hey Delcros, good to see you back on the board. Would've gone with the Allan Sumner or Gearing class until it gets to the Torpedoes. Those long lance our just amazing. Something like 40K yards at low speed setting, any one of them could blow a Gearing in half.

06-18-2007, 12:50 PM	#5
Glider Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London Posts: 3,907	For Torpedo's it has to be the Shimakaze For AA then the Allan Sunner with the 6 x 5in and heavy 40mm For surface combat I would go for the French Le Fantasque 37kts at Full Load (trial speeds about 42kts for 8 hours) 5 x 5.5in and 9 x TT

06-18-2007, 02:11 PM	#10
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 17,325	Aaah.... Thanks Glider! __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

06-19-2007, 02:56 PM	#11
JF3D Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 25	Fletchers for best all around. Gearings and Sumners had issues with stability as they were loaded up topside with AAA for the Divine Wind.

06-19-2007, 10:50 PM	#12
k9kiwi Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Kiwi Land Posts: 850	ASDIC Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee reffered to as SONAR in America. For the Brits I am suprised no one has mentioned the Tribal Class. __________________ 4 out of 5 voices in my head say I am normal. Majority rules. You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.

06-21-2007, 08:58 AM	#15
delcyros Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Berlin (Kreuzberg) Posts: 1,753	The british DD´s had the best expertise in ASW of all combatants. Boosted by the german submarine thread they developed excellent ASW equipment and tactics. This should indeed be considered a big plus. Their torpedoes were ok, too. German DD´s are a bit crap. Either under gunned with 4.1" SP or overgunned with 5.91" QF twin mounts, they had speed as their main advantage. Beyond this, they had neither range, nor stability. They could be nasty for a single cruiser but against other DD´s they could only run away. Their torpedoes were ok to start with, then became terrible in mid war and again were ok at wars end. __________________ ---delcyros---

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