 Half-sisterMilan at anchor | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name | Gerfaut |
| Namesake | Gerfalcon |
| Builder | Ateliers et Chantiers de Bretagne, Nantes |
| Launched | 14 June 1930 |
| Completed | 30 January 1932 |
| Fate | Scuttled, 27 November 1942 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class & type | Aigle-classdestroyer |
| Displacement | 2,441long tons (2,480 t) (standard) |
| Length | 128.5 m (421 ft 7 in) |
| Beam | 11.8 m (38 ft 9 in) |
| Draught | 4.97 m (16 ft 4 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 gearedsteam turbines |
| Speed | 36knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) |
| Range | 3,650 nmi (6,760 km; 4,200 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Crew | 10 officers, 217 crewmen (wartime) |
| Armament |
|
Gerfaut was one of sixAigle-classdestroyers (contre-torpilleurs) built for theFrench Navy during the 1930s.
TheAigle-class ships were designed as improved versions of the precedingGuépard-class destroyers. They had anoverall length of 128.5 meters (421 ft 7 in), abeam of 11.8 meters (38 ft 9 in),[1] and adraft of 4.97 meters (16 ft 4 in). The ships displaced 2,441long tons (2,480 t) atstandard[2] and 3,140 metric tons (3,090 long tons) atdeep load. The ships were powered by two gearedsteam turbines, each driving onepropeller shaft using steam provided by fourdu Temple boilers. The turbines were designed to produce 64,000metric horsepower (47,000 kW; 63,000 shp), which would propel the ships at 36knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). During hersea trials on 30 April 1931,Gerfaut'sRateau-Bretagne turbines reached 41.46 knots (76.78 km/h; 47.71 mph) for a single hour. The ships carried enoughfuel oil to give them a range of 3,650nautical miles (6,760 km; 4,200 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph). Their crew consisted of 10 officers and 198 crewmen in peacetime and 10 officers and 217 enlisted men in wartime.[3]
The main armament of theAigle-class ships consisted of five138.6-millimeter (5.5 in) Modèle 1927 guns in singleshielded mounts, onesuperfiring pair fore and aft of thesuperstructure and the fifth gunabaft the aftfunnel.Albatros'santi-aircraft armament consisted of a75-millimeter (3 in) M1897-15 gun forward of the rear pair of funnels and foursemi-automatic37-millimeter (1.5 in) Modèle 1927 guns in single mounts positionedamidships. All the ships carried two rotating triple mounts for 550-millimeter (21.7 in)torpedo tubes, one mount between the two pairs of funnels as well as another aft of the rear funnel. A pair ofdepth charge chutes were built into theirstern; these housed a total of sixteen 200-kilogram (440 lb) depth charges, with eight more in reserve. They were also fitted with four depth-charge throwers, two on each broadside abreast the forward pair of funnels, for which the ships carried a dozen 100-kilogram (220 lb) depth charges.[4]
AfterFrance surrendered toGermany in June 1940 duringWorld War II,Gerfaut served with the navy ofVichy France. She was amongthe ships of the French fleet scuttled atToulon, France, on 27 November 1942.
