Design
The list of desired improvements from the earlier Wickes class destroyer and Clemson class destroyer were both long and comprehensive. Both classes had the pointed sterns that dug into the water greatly increasing turning diameter. This was addressed with the flat stern design on the Farragut class. The previous classes were flush deck designs, while providing good hull strength proved to be wet in high seas. This was addressed with the raised forecastle employed on the Farragut class. Cruising range on both the Wickes and Clemson classes had been a constant thorn in the side, the Clemson's wing tanks giving better range but at the cost of having high mounted fuel oil on both sides. The Farragut class corrected this by having a design range of 5,800 nautical miles (10,700 km) as opposed to the Clemson's 4,900 nautical miles (9,100 km). Steady improvements to both boilers and steam turbines allowed greater speed and a reduction from 4 to 2 smoke stacks.
The success of the efforts become clear with the testimony of Admiral Land, who was then the head of the Bureau of Construction and Repair to the General Board, comparing the Farragut class to the Wickes and Clemson classes. Those advantages were:
- The Farragut class was 3.3 knots faster
- The class had double the GM height (stability)
- They had 35% more armament; 5 × 5"/38 as opposed to the 4 × 4"/50
- All 8 torpedo tubes were on the preferred centerline position
- The guns were fed by power hoist from the magazines
- Sea-keeping was much improved over the flush deckers that preceded it.
- The radius of action increased by 450 nautical miles (830 km).
This had all been accomplished on a displacement rise of only 22%.
Read more about this topic: Farragut Class Destroyer (1934)
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