- Author
- NHSA Webmaster
- Subjects
- Ship design and development
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- December 1981 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
The Fletcher class was a well designed, well built, well armed group of ships, proven by actual war service. One of the main reasons for their success was that the US Navy was not frightened to try out new ideas. Most of these features were later to be incorporated into the Daring class. The twin furnace single uptake boiler, the unit machinery system, the welded hull: all these were direct from the Fletchers. Apart from the obvious result in obtaining a hard hitting fleet unit, the use of welding reduced the building time. Rivetted ships took on an average of 15 to 18 months to build, whereas the welded Fletcher built in an average time of from 6 to 8 months.
Details of Fletcher Class
| Displacement: | 2,050 to 2,100 tons standard 2,940 tons full load. |
| Dimensions: | 376’6” length oa, 39’3” beam, 17’9” draught at full load. |
| Machinery: | Four Babcock & Wilcox controlled superheat boilers. General Electric or Westing-house geared turbines, double reduction. 60,000shp for 35kts sea speed. |
| Armament: | Final outfit comprised five 5 inch/38 cal. DP in five single mounts. Ten 40 mm Bofors in five twin Mark I twin mountings. Seven 20 mm Oerlikons. Ten 21 inch torpedo tubes in 2 pentad deck mountings. Six depth charge throwers and two stern chutes. |
| Oil fuel: | 495 to 525 tons. |
| Range: | 6,000 miles at 15 knots. |