L’Adroit class Destroyers (1926)

French Navy – Standard 1500t destroyers, 14 built 1925-1931, in service until 1952: L’Adroit, Basque, Bordelais, Boulonnais, Brestois, Forbin, Frondeur, L’Alcyon, La Palme, La Railleuse, Le Fortuné, Le Mars, Foudroyant, Fougueux

The L’Adroit class were a group of standard French destroyers built in 1925-1930. They served primarily in the French Navy, part of France’s efforts to modernize its fleet between the World Wars. These ships were an evolution of earlier destroyer designs, specifically the Bourrasque class, and were intended to improve on speed, firepower, and operational range. They were a bit longer at around 107 meters (351 feet) for a beam of 9.9 meters (32 feet) and displacing Approximately 1,800 tons fully loaded with a top speed of approximately 33 knots (61 km/h or 38 mph), range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h or 17 mph). They were armed with four 130 mm (5.1 in) guns in single mounts, for a solid surface-attack capabilities but with lighter 13.2 mm Hotchkiss anti-aircraft guns, limited by later standards. They had two sets of triple 550 mm torpedo tubes, and later were refitted to carry depth charges racks and in WW2, received depht charge throwers to improve anti-submarine capabilities.

These were relatively light multi-role ships, capable of fleet escort, patrolling and convoy escort. They were intended to counter submarines and smaller vessels, with decent enough firepower to face larger ships under favorable conditions. L’Adroit was the lead ship, and Bison, Mars, and Cyclone all had interresting careers. Some fought with Vichy, other Free France, and before that, some were scuttled or captured when France fell in 1940. The L’Adroit class represents an era when the French Navy was pushing for a balance of speed, firepower, and durability in a destroyer platform, aiming to keep pace with other major naval powers.

The L’Adroit class is a series of fourteen torpedo boats of the French Navy (1925 batch) commissioned from 1928 to 1931. These torpedo boats are very similar to the twelve Bourrasque class torpedo boats that preceded them. Built after the twelve Bourrasque class units, the L’Adroit class is part of a plan to modernize the French fleet after the First World War. It has the same armament and speed as the previous class, but with a slightly higher displacement.
A modernization concerned all the ships of the class at the end of the 1930s: replacement of the 75 mm/50 cannon and the 2 8 mm machine guns by 2 37 mm M1925 AA guns in 2 single mounts and 4 13.2 mm machine guns in 2 double AA mounts. In 1940, all ships (except La Railleuse which suffered an explosion on 24 March 1940, and L’Adroit, sunk on 25 May 1940) had a 130 mm gun removed. In 1943, L’Alcyon, Le Fortune, Le Basque and Le Forbin were modernised by the Allies: removal of a triple mount of 550 mm torpedo tubes and addition of a Bofors 40 mm L/60 Mk 1/2 anti-aircraft gun, 4 to 6 20 mm Oerlikon Mk 4 anti-aircraft guns, a radar and a sonar.

Wow’s rendition of l’Adroit class

Career of L’Adroit class destroyers

L`Adroit was DD48, laid down at A C de France, Dunkerque on 5.1925, launched 1.4.1927, completed 7.1929. She was sunk on 21.5.1940 during Operation Dynamo.

L’Alcyon was built as DD 49 at F C de la Gironde, Bordeaux, laid down on 2.1925, launched 26.6.1926 and completed on 7.1929. She joined the FNFL late 1942, sold 6.1952.

Le Fortune was DD51, then 36 buil at CNF, Caen, laid down on 9.1925, launched on 15.11.1926, completed on 7.1928. She joined the FNFL late 1942, sold 8.1950.

Le Mars was DD50, then 35, buiot at CNF, Caen, laid down on 7.1925, launched on 28.8.1926 and completed on 1.1928. She was scuttled 27.11.1942 in Toulon to prevent capture.

La Palme 52 A C Dubigeon, Nantes 5.1925 30.6.1926 2.1928 scuttled 27.11.1942
La Railleuse 53 A C Dubigeon, Nantes 7.1925 9.9.1926 2.1928 explosion 24.3.1940
Brestois 64 Dyle et Baccalan, Bordeaux 5.1926 18.5.1927 6.1928 sunk 8.11.1942
Boulonnais 65 CNF, Caen 5.1926 1.6.1927 6.1928 sunk 8.11.1942
Basque 66 50 A C de la Seine-Maritime, Le Trait 9.1926 25.5.1929 3.1931 FNFL late 1942, sold 12.1952
Le Bordelais 67 F C de la Gironde, Bordeaux 11.1926 23.5.1928 4.1930 scuttled 27.11.1942
Forbin 81 F C de la Méditerranée, Le Havre 6.1927 17.7.1928 5.1930 FNFL late 1942, sold 11.1952
Frondeur 82 78 CNF, Caen 11.1927 20.6.1929 10.1931 sunk 8.11.1942
Fougueux 83 A C de Bretagne, Nantes 9.1927 4.8.1928 6.1930 sunk 8.11.1942
Le Foudroyant 84 Dyle et Baccalan, Bordeaux 7.1927 24.4.1929 10.1930 sunk 1.6.1940

Read More/Src

Books

Links

https://www.navypedia.org/ships/france/fr_dd_ladroit.htm

Videos

Model Kits

3D