french destroyer class destroyer french french_navy named west african river built outbreak world war penultimate built french_navy sister ship designed effort build ship capable fighting ship arguably design successful possessed armament light cruiser hull destroyer ships class described having pushed concept limits capabilities service french_navy saw limited action following outbreak war took convoy escort duties initially withdrawn brest refit july british attacked french fleet managed escape damage sought refuge toulon germans tried seize rest fleet november scuttled toulon harbour crew prevent captured design description overall length meters beam meters maximum draft meters displaced metric tons long tons standard load metric tons long tons deep load geared steam turbines designed produce shaft horsepower propel ship knots mph sea trials february turbines provided shp reached knots mph deep displacement metric tons long tons ship carried metric tons long tons fuel oil normal load additional metric tons long tons deep load carried modèle guns twin electrically powered gun turrets superimposed fore aft anti aircraft armament consisted guns single mount positioned rear deck house forward rear turrets mounted heavy machine guns twin mounts located forward superstructure forward guns carried water millimeter tubes pair triple mounts funnels pair double mounts aft rear funnel pair depth charge built stern housed total depth charges rails fitted rear deck maximum capacity mines ship greatest weakness inability generate sufficient electric current power multitude auxiliary motors advanced machinery complex gun dependent auxiliary motors seriously particularly gun slow train elevate rudder contributed ship poor service history sister comprised 6th french division assigned based brest war began group purpose hunt german blockade runners raiders escort convoys danger october escorted convoy protect german cruiser sortied north_atlantic war began sortie north_atlantic november prompted force sail brest rendezvous british battlecruiser hms hood patrol area south iceland german ships able return safely cover heavy weather engaged refitted brest january number minor changes necessary improvements identified main armament sea trials year earlier finally implemented canvas cover turrets replaced rolling door new radios installed shields fitted anti aircraft machine guns fitted june proved july following british attacked french fleet effort destroy french fleet order prevent captured germans despite attack fired shells british destroyer performance rated gunnery officer best point managing escape toulon company battleship number destroyers armistice germany june french_navy decided increase anti aircraft strength class destroyers installed machine guns platforms attached sides gun mount december january version american caliber use standard french ammunition rate fire increased rounds minute fed round flexible belts greater range older hotchkiss machine guns fitted plans time replace hotchkiss machine guns twin mount pair shortage weapons prevented plan fulfilled machine guns fitted crew morale benefit real meter fitted aft end centre deck house improve coverage rear sky arcs increase number aerial targets engaged autumn naval adaptation army anti aircraft gun available modified august november single guns hotchkiss machine guns mounted platform widened additional machine gun added platform hotchkiss guns moved upper deck deck house cable added refit later year scheduled replaced french copy sitting scuttled toulon harbour germans tried seize fleet november prevent allies raised italians effort repair bombed sunk november later refloated scrapped
French destroyer Volta