Allied Warships

Destroyers

W class

8 ships


The destroyer HMS Whelp (R 37) of the Royal Navy.

Technical information

TypeDestroyer
Displacement1710 BRT 
Length363 feet 
Complement186 men 
ArmamentAs designed;
4 4.5" guns (4x1)
2 40mm AA (1x2)
6 20mm AA (2x2, 2x1)
8 21" torpedo tubes 
Max speed37 knots
EnginesGeared turbines, 2 shafts 
Power40000 HP 
Notes on class 


All ships of the W class


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Wager (R 98)
HMS Wakeful (ii) (R 59)
HMS Wessex (ii) (R 78)
HMS Whelp (R 37)
HMS Whirlwind (ii) (R 87)
HMS Wizard (R 72)
HMS Wrangler (R 48)

Flotilla leader


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Kempenfelt (ii) (R 03)


8 Destroyers of the W class.

See all Destroyer classes.



The last stand of the tin can sailors

Hornfischer, James D.

Books dealing with this subject include:

200,000 Miles Aboard the Destroyer Cotten, Robinson, C. Snelling, 1999
A Home on the Rolling Main, A G F Ditcham, 2013
All the Gallant Men, Donald Stratton, 2016
Arctic Convoy PQ8, Michael Wadsworth, 2010
The Battle of Tassafaronga, Russell Syndnor Crenshaw, 2010
Battlestations, Veronico, Nicholas A., 2001
Blood on the Sea, Parkin, Robert Sinclair, 1996
A Blue Water Navy, WAB Douglas, R. Sarty, M. Whitby et al., 2007
British destroyers & frigates, Norman Friedman, 2006
British Destroyers 1892 to 1953, March, Edgar J, 2003
British Destroyers in World War Two, Burt, R.A., 1986
Cadillac of Destroyers, Barrie, Ron and Macpherson, Ken, 1996
Cape Hatteras, Lloyd, Keith Warren, 2008
The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World War, Collingwood, Donald, 1999
Capturing Enigma, Harper, Stephen, 2000 (transl.)



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