Description[]
These ships are the first true destroyers or contre-torpilleurs of the French navy and were put into service in 1899 and 1900. Despite being only slightly larger than the torpedo vessels of the jeune école, they have a much stronger artillery armament. All of them were built at the Norman shipyards in Le Havre and bear the names of ancient weapons, a tradition which continued in the following classes. A special feature, retained in the following classes of destroyers, is a torpedo tube able to fire right astern.
Ship data
[]
Relative combat value: 35
Basic damage control capacity: 93%
Dimensions
Displacement: 296 tons
Length: 58 m
Width: 6 m
Draught: 2 m
Standard crew: 52
Performance
Maximum speed (undamaged): 26 knots
Endurance: 2038 km
Coal capacity: 79 tons
Armour protection
Conning tower armour: 0
Hull armour: 0
Main belt armour: 0
Deck armour: 0
Best armour type: None
Armament
1 x 65mm M1902, centrally controlled. Ammo: 150 rounds
6 x 47mm Hotchkiss, locally controlled. Ammo: 1200 rounds
2 x 38cm Torpedos, centrally controlled. Ammo: 4 torpedoes
Ships in class
[]
- Durandal
- Hallebarde (away in the Mediterranean)
- Fauconneau (away in the Mediterranean)
- Espignole (†, sunk February 4th 1903)