![]() Side view of her sister HMS Lookout
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History | |
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Name | HMS Loyal |
Ordered | 31 March 1938 |
Builder | Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Greenock, Scotland |
Laid down | 23 November 1938 |
Launched | 8 October 1940 |
Completed | 31 October 1942 |
Identification | Pennant number G15 |
Fate |
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General characteristics as completed | |
Class and type | L-class destroyer |
Displacement |
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Length | 362 ft 3 in (110.4 m) o/a |
Beam | 37 ft (11.3 m) |
Draught | 13 ft 9 in (4.2 m) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed | 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) |
Range | 5,500 nmi (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
Complement | 190 |
Sensors and processing systems |
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Armament |
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HMS Loyal was a L-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the late 1930s, although she was not completed until after World War II had begun.
Description
The L-class destroyers were designed as enlarged and improved versions of the preceding J class equipped with dual-purpose guns. They displaced 1,920 long tons (1,951 t) at standard load and 2,675 long tons (2,718 t) at deep load. The ships had an overall length of 362 feet 3 inches (110.4 m), a beam of 37 feet (11.3 m) and a deep draught of 13 feet 9 inches (4.2 m). They were powered by Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam for was provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 48,000 shaft horsepower (36,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). The ships carried a maximum of 567 long tons (576 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The L class' complement was 190 officers and ratings.[1]
The ships mounted six 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark XI guns in twin-gun mounts, two superfiring in front of the bridge and one aft of the superstructure. Their light anti-aircraft suite was composed of one quadruple mount for 2-pounder "pom-pom" guns and six single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. Later in the war, twin Oerlikon mounts replaced the singles. The L-class ships were fitted with two above-water quadruple mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.[2] The ships were equipped with 45 depth charges.[3]
Construction and career
Loyal was laid down on 23 November 1938 by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company at their Greenock shipyard, launched on 8 October 1941 and completed on 31 October 1942.[1] She struck a mine on 12 October 1944 and was declared a constructive total loss.
Notes
References
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- English, John (2001). Afridi to Nizam: British Fleet Destroyers 1937–43. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-64-9.
- Friedman, Norman (2006). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-86176-137-6.
- Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
- March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.
- Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
- Smith, Peter C. (2010). Fighting Flotilla: RN Laforey Class Destroyers in WW2 (2nd ed.). Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword Maritime. ISBN 978-1-84884-273-1.
- Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.
- Dann, John (2019). Struck by Lightning The story of HMS Lightning 1941-1943. Upfront Publishing Northampton. ISBN 978-178456-649-4.