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L and M-class destroyer
Class of destroyers for Britain / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The L and M class was a class of sixteen destroyers which served in the British Royal Navy during World War II. The ships of the class were launched between 1939 and 1942.
![]() | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2010) |
![]() HMS Legion with her Type 285 radar aerials visible on her HA DCT | |
Class overview | |
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Operators | |
Preceded by | J, K and N class |
Succeeded by | O and P class |
Subclasses | L, M |
Built | 1938–42 |
Completed | 16 |
Lost | 9 |
Scrapped | 7 |
General characteristics as completed | |
Type | Destroyer |
Displacement |
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Length | 362 ft 3 in (110.4 m) o/a |
Beam | 37 ft (11.3 m) |
Draught | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
Installed power | 48,000 shp (36,000 kW) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) |
Range | 5,500 nmi (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
Complement | 190 |
Sensors and processing systems |
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Armament |
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The L class (also known as the Laforeys) were approved under the 1937 Naval Estimates. Four of these ships (Lance, Lively, Legion and Larne) were built with 4-inch (100 mm) armament instead of 4.7 inch. Six of the eight were war losses, with the surviving pair being broken up in 1948.
The M Class were built under the 1939 Naval Estimates. They served in the Home Fleet until 1944 and then went to the Mediterranean. Three were wartime losses; of the five survivors, the Musketeer was broken up in 1955 and the other four sold to Turkey in 1958.