Starting in Q2 the RN is refitting some of the old V&W Class destroyers into AA destroyers. The first to be converted will be two Home flotillas then two Med flotillas. No news yet on what conversions and refits will be undertaken on Far Eastern based vessels of this class.
![](http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c275/hangar/Shipbucket%20profiles/VWClassWW.png)
V & W Class AA Conversion, Great Britain Destroyer laid down 1917
Displacement:
1,164 t light; 1,211 t standard; 1,366 t normal; 1,490 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
312.00 ft / 309.00 ft x 29.60 ft x 10.80 ft (normal load)
95.10 m / 94.18 m x 9.02 m x 3.29 m
Armament:
4 - 4.00" / 102 mm guns (2x2 guns), 31.00lbs / 14.06kg shells, 1933 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 1 raised mount
4 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (2x2 guns), 2.00lbs / 0.91kg shells, 1922 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
12 - 0.66" / 16.8 mm guns (2x6 guns), 0.14lbs / 0.06kg shells, 1935 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
Weight of broadside 134 lbs / 61 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 250
3 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes
Armour:
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 0.50" / 13 mm 0.25" / 6 mm -
2nd: 0.50" / 13 mm - -
3rd: 0.50" / 13 mm - -
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 33,261 shp / 24,813 Kw = 32.00 kts
Range 3,120nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 279 tons
Complement:
112 - 146
Cost:
£0.293 million / $1.172 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 17 tons, 1.3 %
Armour: 4 tons, 0.3 %
- Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 4 tons, 0.3 %
- Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 757 tons, 55.4 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 335 tons, 24.6 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 202 tons, 14.8 %
Miscellaneous weights: 50 tons, 3.7 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
319 lbs / 145 Kg = 10.0 x 4.0 " / 102 mm shells or 0.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.45
Metacentric height 1.5 ft / 0.5 m
Roll period: 10.0 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 51 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.15
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 0.84
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
Block coefficient: 0.484
Length to Beam Ratio: 10.44 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 17.58 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 70 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 61
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 9.20 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 18.50 ft / 5.64 m
- Forecastle (17 %): 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
- Mid (36 %): 16.00 ft / 4.88 m (12.30 ft / 3.75 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (17 %): 10.00 ft / 3.05 m
- Stern: 10.00 ft / 3.05 m
- Average freeboard: 12.87 ft / 3.92 m
Ship tends to be wet forward
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 193.1 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 99.2 %
Waterplane Area: 6,007 Square feet or 558 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 52 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 28 lbs/sq ft or 139 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.50
- Longitudinal: 1.65
- Overall: 0.56
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
Poor seaboat, wet and uncomfortable, reduced performance in heavy weather
Refit includes;
New HACS Mk.II
New twin 4in DP mounts
New multiple HMG mounts
Retrofitted twin 2pdr
New DC racks and two new pattern throwers
Removal of one torpedo mount