Difference between revisions of "H.M.S. Swift (1907)"

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===4-in and 6-in Guns===
 
===4-in and 6-in Guns===
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As completed, four 4-in BL Mark VIII on P III mounting, two in tandem on the forecastle, and two on centreline aft.  They recoiled 38 inches and had 100 rounds per gun: 50 steel, 50 lyddite, and 14 practice.<ref>March.  ''British Destroyers'', p. 96.</ref><ref>''Technical History and Index'' Vol. 4, Part 34, p. 17.</ref>
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As completed, four 4-in B.L. Mark VIII on P III mounting, two in tandem on the forecastle, and two on centreline aft.  They recoiled 38 inches and had 100 rounds per gun: 50 steel, 50 lyddite, and 14 practice.<ref>March.  ''British Destroyers'', p. 96.</ref><ref>''Technical History and Index'' Vol. 4, Part 34, p. 17.</ref>
  
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In 1916, the 4-in guns on the forecastle were replaced by a 6-in BL Mark VII on a P III mounting to ensure she could outrange the German 4.1-in destroyer guns.  This mounting recoiled 16 inches and was supplied with 102 H.E. shells, 26 common, and 20 practice rounds.<ref>''Technical History and Index'' Vol. 4, Part 34, pp. 10, 17.</ref><ref>March.  ''British Destroyers'', pp. 96, 100.</ref>   
+
In 1916, the 4-in guns on the forecastle were replaced by a 6-in B.L. Mark VII on a P III mounting to ensure she could outrange the German 4.1-in destroyer guns.  This mounting recoiled 16 inches and was supplied with 102 H.E. shells, 26 common, and 20 practice rounds.<ref>''Technical History and Index'' Vol. 4, Part 34, pp. 10, 17.</ref><ref>March.  ''British Destroyers'', pp. 96, 100.</ref>   
  
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In May 1917, the 6-in was removed in favour of a return to two 4-in BL Mark V guns, sided on the foredeck.  At some point, a 6-pdr QF gun on HA mounting was added near the aft torpedo tube (which was reversed to make room), as well as a 1.5-pdr HA gun near the aft steering position.<ref>March.  ''British Destroyers'', pp. 96-100.</ref>
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In May 1917, the 6-in was removed in favour of a return to two 4-in B.L. Mark V guns, sided on the foredeck.  At some point, a 6-pdr Q.F. gun on H.A. mounting was added near the aft torpedo tube (which was reversed to make room), as well as a 1.5-pdr H.A. gun near the aft steering position.<ref>March.  ''British Destroyers'', pp. 96-100.</ref>
  
 
===Torpedoes===
 
===Torpedoes===

Revision as of 18:37, 16 September 2012

An exceptionally large flotilla leader, H.M.S. Swift was the only example of her class. She was completed in 1910 and was criticised for her light construction, huge size her great expense.

She served in the War out of Dover.[1]

Captains

Dates of appointment given.

Performance

March offers the following appraisal of the ship's performance.[2]

Though the ship is rumoured to have once achieved 39 knots, her best time on a measured mile was less than 35.5 knots with a water loss of 10 tons. At 33.25 knots, she advanced 680 yards on a tactical diameter of 766 yards to starboard and 660 yards on a tactical diameter of 677 yards to port. Her turbines could go from full ahead to full astern in 30 seconds, her helm could be put hard over in 7 seconds and hand steering required 8 men at the wheels.

Captain Dumaresq said, "If all (12) boilers are alight can jump from cruising at 10 to 12 knots to twenty-five in 7 or 8 minutes, to thirty in 12 minutes, 34 in 20 minutes, invaluable for scouting."

Armament

4-in and 6-in Guns

As completed, four 4-in B.L. Mark VIII on P III mounting, two in tandem on the forecastle, and two on centreline aft. They recoiled 38 inches and had 100 rounds per gun: 50 steel, 50 lyddite, and 14 practice.[3][4]

In 1916, the 4-in guns on the forecastle were replaced by a 6-in B.L. Mark VII on a P III mounting to ensure she could outrange the German 4.1-in destroyer guns. This mounting recoiled 16 inches and was supplied with 102 H.E. shells, 26 common, and 20 practice rounds.[5][6]

In May 1917, the 6-in was removed in favour of a return to two 4-in B.L. Mark V guns, sided on the foredeck. At some point, a 6-pdr Q.F. gun on H.A. mounting was added near the aft torpedo tube (which was reversed to make room), as well as a 1.5-pdr H.A. gun near the aft steering position.[7]

Torpedoes

Originally she was provided two 18-in torpedo tubes with Mark VI* torpedoes.

In 1914 it was decided that she should have 21-in dual revolving Mark I tubes as replacements.[8]

Fire Control

Range and Order Instruments[9]

By the end of 1915, at least, she had or was to be provided a range and order data system like that being given to the "M" class destroyers and to the Faulknor class leaders.[10]

The scheme placed the combined transmitter on the forebridge, and a combined receiver near the sightsetter position of each gun. Ranges from 0 to 9900 yards in increments of 100 yards, and orders were "Independent", "Control" and "Fire" with illuminated indicators and a red indicator on the receivers to signal loss of power from the battery pack located below decks.

The ship did not receive a director.[11]

Rangefinders

Torpedo Control

Likely in 1915-1916, she had Line of Sight Indicators added port and starboard on her bridge.[12]

In 1907, like Boadicea and River class destroyers, she was to be equipped with Fore Bridge Firing Gear.[13]

Radio

In 1907 it was decided that she along with 42 destroyers (primarily Tribals and Rivers) should receive radio equipment fixed to the "D" tune of 700 feet wavelength for transmission and with a Mark II receiver tunable to 8,300 feet, installed between mast and fore funnel to minimise smoke issues on the aerials and feeders. Her size permitted the installation of a Service Mark I set[14], which may have later been updated to a Mark I* W/T set.[15]

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Technical History and Index Vol. 4, Part 34, p. 10.
  2. ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 98.
  3. ↑ March. British Destroyers, p. 96.
  4. ↑ Technical History and Index Vol. 4, Part 34, p. 17.
  5. ↑ Technical History and Index Vol. 4, Part 34, pp. 10, 17.
  6. ↑ March. British Destroyers, pp. 96, 100.
  7. ↑ March. British Destroyers, pp. 96-100.
  8. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1914. p. 45. (A.L. 17.1.14, G. 8326/13).
  9. ↑ Admiralty.  Handbook of Fire Control in Torpedo Boat Destroyers of "M" Class and Later and Flotilla Leaders, 1915, Plate XV.
  10. ↑ Admiralty. Handbook of Fire Control in Torpedo Boat Destroyers of "M" Class and Later, and Flotilla Leaders, 1915, p. 3, Plate XV.
  11. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 4, Part 34. p. 17.
  12. ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 100.
  13. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1907. p. 31. Its design was detailed in ARTS 1906, p. 28.
  14. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1907, Wireless Appendix pp. 32-33.
  15. ↑ March. British Destroyers, p. 99.

Bibliography


Flotilla Leader H.M.S. Swift
  Destroyer Leaders (UK) Faulknor Class –>



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