HMS Falcon (1931)

HMS Falcon was a British F-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the 1930s. She was one of nine ships of her class.

Design and Description:

The F-class destroyers were essentially repeats of the preceding E-class, albeit with improved internal arrangements. They displaced 1,405 long tons (1,428 t) at standard load and 1,940 long tons (1,970 t) at deep load. The ships had an overall length of 323 feet (98.5 m), a beam of 33 feet 3 inches (10.1 m) and a draught of 12 feet 6 inches (3.8 m). They were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 36,000 shaft horsepower (27,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). Falcon carried a maximum of 470 long tons (480 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 3,850 nautical miles (7,130 km; 4,430 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ship's complement was 145 officers and ratings.

The main armament of the F-class destroyers consisted of four 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark IX guns in single mounts, designated 'A', 'B', 'X', and 'Y' from front to rear. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, they had two quadruple mounts for the 0.5 inch Vickers Mark III machine gun. The F-class was fitted with two above-water quadruple torpedo tube mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes. One depth charge rail and two throwers were fitted; 20 depth charges were originally carried, but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.

Service History:

HMS Falcon was ordered on 17 March 1933, laid down on 30 August 1933 by John Brown & Company at Clydebank, Scotland, launched on 12 September 1934, and commissioned on 2 January 1935. She served in the Mediterranean Fleet before the Second World War.

During the war, Falcon participated in various convoy escort duties and anti-submarine operations. Her service included operations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Specific details on her exact wartime operations are often fragmentary or conflated with those of other vessels.

Fate:

HMS Falcon was sunk on 6 March 1944 off the coast of Algeria by German submarine U-450.