Difference between revisions of "Destroyer"
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They evolved in a series of stages from the small [[Torpedo Boat]]s of the 1800s who represented a threat to capital ships. Navies reacted to this threat by creating slightly larger vessels with greater gun armament called "torpedo boat destroyers", although eventually they also shouldered the burden of torpedo attack. Eventually, the name was further shortened to just "destroyers". | They evolved in a series of stages from the small [[Torpedo Boat]]s of the 1800s who represented a threat to capital ships. Navies reacted to this threat by creating slightly larger vessels with greater gun armament called "torpedo boat destroyers", although eventually they also shouldered the burden of torpedo attack. Eventually, the name was further shortened to just "destroyers". | ||
| − | Like their [[Torpedo Boat|torpedo boat]] predecessors, destroyers were some of the most technologically advanced vessels of their period. As a result, prior to the massive industrial mobilizations of the First World War, destroyer construction remained in large part the exclusive preserve of specialist shipbuilding firms, most of which had substantial experience in torpedo craft construction. Examples of these firms include [[Thornycroft]] and [[J. S. White]] in Great Britain, [[Fore River]] and [[Bath Iron Works]] in the United States, [[Schichau]] and [[Germaniawerft]] in Germany, and [[Normand]] in France. | + | Like their [[Torpedo Boat|torpedo boat]] predecessors, destroyers were some of the most technologically advanced vessels of their period. As a result, prior to the massive industrial mobilizations of the First World War, destroyer construction remained in large part the exclusive preserve of specialist shipbuilding firms, most of which had substantial experience in torpedo craft construction. Examples of these firms include [[Thornycroft]] and [[J. S. White]] in Great Britain, [[Fore River]] and [[Bath Iron Works]] in the United States, [[Schichau]] and [[Germaniawerft]] in Germany, [[Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée|FCM]] and [[Chantiers et Ateliers Augustin-Normand|Normand]] in France, [[Ansaldo]] in Italy, and [[Nevsky Shipbuilding and Mechanical Works|Nevsky]] in Russia. Only Japan produced a sizable proportion of its destroyers in its Navy Yards prior to 1914. |
Destroyers, like other ship types, generally grew in size and capability as time went on. | Destroyers, like other ship types, generally grew in size and capability as time went on. | ||
Revision as of 17:39, 11 June 2015
A Destroyer was the smallest warship type to participate in fleet operations in World War I.
They evolved in a series of stages from the small Torpedo Boats of the 1800s who represented a threat to capital ships. Navies reacted to this threat by creating slightly larger vessels with greater gun armament called "torpedo boat destroyers", although eventually they also shouldered the burden of torpedo attack. Eventually, the name was further shortened to just "destroyers".
Like their torpedo boat predecessors, destroyers were some of the most technologically advanced vessels of their period. As a result, prior to the massive industrial mobilizations of the First World War, destroyer construction remained in large part the exclusive preserve of specialist shipbuilding firms, most of which had substantial experience in torpedo craft construction. Examples of these firms include Thornycroft and J. S. White in Great Britain, Fore River and Bath Iron Works in the United States, Schichau and Germaniawerft in Germany, FCM and Normand in France, Ansaldo in Italy, and Nevsky in Russia. Only Japan produced a sizable proportion of its destroyers in its Navy Yards prior to 1914.
Destroyers, like other ship types, generally grew in size and capability as time went on.
Footnotes
See Also
Bibliography
- Lyon, David (1996). The First Destroyers. London: Chatham Publishing. (on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk).
- March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892-1953. London: Seeley Service & Co. Limited. (on Bookfinder.com).
