The Daring class was originally conceived as a modified Battle-class destroyer.[1]
An initial attempt to build a three-turret Battle variant was proposed under the Admiralty's 1943 construction programme, but the two ships ordered were cancelled.[2]
Sixteen ships of the class were planned for under the Admiralty's 1944 Programme.[1]
Requests for tenders were sent to four shipbuilding companies in January 1945; Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, John Brown and Co, J.S. White & Co, and Vickers Armstrong.[1]
The end of World War II meant major cuts in military shipbuilding, with the Darings reduced to eight ships in December 1945.[1][2]
As designed, the destroyers were 366 feet (112 m) in length between perpendiculars and 390 feet (120 m) in length overall, with a beam of 43 feet (13 m) and a maximum draught of 17 feet (5.2 m).[3]
Displacement at standard load was 2,950 tons, while full load displacement was 3,580 tons.[3]
The ships were built around three twin 4.5 inches (110 mm) turrets.[4]
The heavy armament and large size of the vessels meant that they were capable of operating on tasks previously restricted to light cruisers.[4]
Due to the size and firepower of the ships, the 'destroyer' classification was initially considered inappropriate.[4] For the first part of the ships' careers, they were referred to as 'Daring-class warships'.[4]
Propulsion
Two oil-fuelled boilers provided steam at 850 °F (454 °C) and 650 psi to the turbines; Daring, Decoy, Delight, and Diana were fitted with Babcock & Wilcox boilers, while the other four ships used Foster Wheeler boilers.[4]
Each boiler supplied a set of Parsons double reduction geared steam turbines, which were each connected to one of the two propeller shafts.[5]
The propulsion system provided up to 54,000 shaft horsepower (40,000 kW).[4] Maximum designed speed was 34.75 knots (64.36 km/h; 39.99 mph), but the ships were described as having a sea speed of 30.5 knots (56.5 km/h; 35.1 mph).[3]
Range was 1,700 nautical miles (3,100 km; 2,000 mi) at top speed, or 4,400 nautical miles (8,100 km; 5,100 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).[3]
The forward exhaust funnel was built into the lattice mast (a 'mack').[4]
The aft funnel was small and narrow,[4] although some individual ships were fitted with larger funnels at various points of their careers.[citation needed]
Armament
The ships' primary armament consisted of six Mark VI 4.5-inch guns in three twin turrets, two forward ('A' and 'B') and one aft ('X').[1]
The guns could be fired at 24 rounds per minute with the automatic loading system, or 12 to 14 rounds per minute with manual loading.[1]
Range was 20,750 yards (18,970 m) at 45 degrees elevation, or 41,000 feet (12,000 m) at 80 degrees elevation.[1]
The guns were tied into a Type 275 radar director.[1]
Other armament
As originally designed, the Darings were to be fitted with eight 40 mm radar-directed Bofors anti-aircraft guns: two twin STAAG Mark II mountings on the bridge wings, a third STAAG mounting behind the aft funnel, and two single mountings on the aft shelter deck.[1][2]
Before construction, the aft STAAG was updated to a Mark V mounting, and the two single Bofors were deleted in favour of a dedicated MRS Mark I Director for 'X' turret.[2]
10 21-inch torpedo tubes, in two quintuple mountings,[1]
Between 1959 and 1969, the torpedo mountings were gradually removed from the ships, with additional deckhouses constructed in their place to increase available accommodation.[6]
Accommodation was described as being of a high standard, but as the number of personnel aboard some vessels (particularly the leadersDaring and Diamond) could be as high as 308, these spaces were often cramped.[4][3]
Instead of the direct current electrical system fitted to RN ships of the era, Decoy, Diamond, Diana, and Duchess were fitted with a 440-volt 3-phase alternating current electrical plant.[4]
The other four ships carried the conventional 220-volt DC system.[4]
The Darings were among the first British naval ships to be fitted with an all-electrical galley, fluorescent internal lighting, and dedicated laundry facilities.[4]
Australian design modifications and construction
Like the British Darings, the Australians did away with the depth charge throwers of the original design, but fitted a Limbo anti-sumarine mortar instead of the older Squid.[7] The weapon's enclosed depth charge loading and handling room meant that 'X' turret had to be sited further forward.[7]
Voyager had a similar anti-air layout to the British destroyers; six Bofors, with a twin STAAG mounting on each bridge wing, and a twin Mark 5 mounting behind the aft funnel.[7]Vampire and Vendetta had a different arrangement: a single Mark 7 mounting on each side of the bridge, and two Mark 5 mountings near the aft funnel.[8]
The aft torpedo launcher was also removed from the Australian design, allowing for the extension of the aft superstructure all the way up to the aft funnel.[7]
Operational history
United Kingdom
With their large ships' companies, finding personnel to man the Darings was always a challenge, particularly after National Service ended in 1960.[2] Over the next decade, several ships of the class spent periods in Reserve.[2]
Decoy was used for trials of the Sea Cat missile, the first step in plans to fit the launcher to at least four of the Daring-class ships.[6] The aft torpedo tube mounting was removed in 1959, and a deckhouse built between the existing superstructure: the launcher was mounted on the roof, with missile loading and storage spaces inside.[6] The launcher was removed in 1963, and in 1964 it was decided that only new-build warships would be equipped with Sea Cat.[6]
Following the loss of HMAS Voyager in a collision with the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne in 1964, Duchess was offered to the RAN on loan until two two modified River-class frigates could be built to replace the lost capability.[9]Duchess remained with the RAN after the loan period ended in 1968, and was sold outright to Australia in 1972.[9]
Australia
Plans were made to replace 'X' turret on the Australian Darings with Ikara anti-submarine missile launchers were proposed in 1965, but were abandoned two years later with no modifications made.[8]
In 1973, after being purchased from the British, the RAN converted Duchess into a training vessel.[11] The two-year conversion saw 'X' turret, its associated fire director, and the Squid launcher were removed, to allow the addition of a deckhouse for use as a classroom.[11][12]
Peru
Two ships were sold to Peru in October 1969: Ferré (the former Decoy) and Palacios (ex-Diana).[13] The ships spent three years undergoing modernisation at Cammell Laird's Birkenhead shipyard.[13] Eight Exocet missile launchers were fitted, four on each side between the aft funnel and 'X' turret.[13]
Between 1977 and 1978, the Squid launcher, two of the Exocet launchers, and the aft 4.5-inch turret were removed from Palacios.[13] A helicopter landing platform was built in their place.[13]
Decommissioning and fate
Four of the five Darings still in British service at the end of their careers were all broken up during the early 1970s.[7]Diamond was instead used as a training and accommodation ship attached to HMS Sultan (shore establishment) from 1970 to 1980, then was also sold for breaking.[14] Prior to demolition, Defender was used by the Naval Constructional Research Establishment for testing the effects of underwater explosions.[6]
Palacios was decommissioned in 1993 and scrapped a year later.[7]Ferré, however, remained in Peruvian service until 2005.[7]
Citations
^ abcdefghijMcCart, Daring Class Destroyers, p. ix