French destroyer Cimeterre
Cimeterre was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Sister ship Bouclier underway | |
History | |
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France | |
Name: | Cimeterre |
Namesake: | Scimitar |
Builder: | Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde, Bordeaux |
Laid down: | 1909 |
Launched: | 13 April 1911 |
Completed: | 1912 |
Stricken: | 10 July 1926 |
General characteristics (as built) | |
Class and type: | Bouclier-class destroyer |
Displacement: | 720–756 t (709–744 long tons) |
Length: | 72.3–78.3 m (237 ft 2 in–256 ft 11 in) (o/a) |
Beam: | 7.6–8 m (24 ft 11 in–26 ft 3 in) |
Draft: | 2.9–3.3 m (9 ft 6 in–10 ft 10 in) |
Installed power: |
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Propulsion: | 2 shafts; 2 steam turbines |
Speed: | 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
Range: | 1,200–1,600 nmi (2,200–3,000 km; 1,400–1,800 mi) at 12–14 knots (22–26 km/h; 14–16 mph) |
Complement: | 80–83 |
Armament: |
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Design and description
The Bouclier class were designed to a general specification and varied significantly from each other in various ways.[1] The ships had an overall length of 74–78.3 meters (242 ft 9 in–256 ft 11 in), a beam of 7.6–8 meters (24 ft 11 in–26 ft 3 in), and a draft of 2.9–3.1 meters (9 ft 6 in–10 ft 2 in). Designed to displace 800 metric tons (787 long tons), they displaced 720–756 t (709–744 long tons) at normal load. Their crew numbered 80–83 men.[1]
Cimeterre was powered by a pair of Breguet steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by four water-tube boilers. The engines were designed to produce 13,000 shaft horsepower (9,700 kW) which was intended to give the ships a speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). Cimeterre handily exceed that speed, reaching 31.2 knots (57.8 km/h; 35.9 mph) during her sea trials. The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 1,200–1,600 nautical miles (2,200–3,000 km; 1,400–1,800 mi) at cruising speeds of 12–14 knots (22–26 km/h; 14–16 mph).[2]
The primary armament of the Bouclier-class ships consisted of two 100-millimeter (3.9 in) Modèle 1893 guns in single mounts, one each fore and aft of the superstructure, and four 65-millimeter (2.6 in) Modèle 1902 guns distributed amidships. They were also fitted with two twin mounts for 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes amidships.[1]
During World War I, a 45-millimeter (1.8 in) or 75-millimeter (3 in) anti-aircraft gun, two 8-millimeter (0.31 in) machine guns, and eight or ten Guiraud-type depth charges were added to the ships. The extra weight severely overloaded the ships and reduced their operational speed to around 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph).[1]
Construction and career
Cimeterre was ordered from Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde and was launched from its Bordeaux shipyard on 13 April 1911. The ship was completed in 1912.[3]
References
- Gardiner & Gray, p. 203
- Couhat, pp. 101, 104
- Couhat, p. 104