HMS Comet (1910)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Comet.
HMS Comet, c. 1914–1918
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Comet
Builder: Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Govan
Launched: 23 June 1910
Fate: Sunk in collision, 6 August 1918
General characteristics
Class and type: Acorn class
Type: Destroyer
Displacement: 730 to 780 tons
Length: 246 ft 6 in (75.13 m)
Beam: 25 ft 6 in (7.77 m)
Draught: 7 ft (2.1 m)–10 ft (3.0 m)
Propulsion:
Speed: 27 knots (50 km/h)
Range: 170 tons oil
Complement: 72
Armament:

HMS Comet was an Acorn class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw active service in the First World War. She was built under the 1909–1910 programme by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company in Govan. She was launched on 23 June 1910 and lost after a collision while under tow on 6 August 1918 in the Mediterranean. Initially it was believed that she was torpedoed and sunk by an Austro-Hungarian U-boat, but this was dismissed since no submarine claimed her sinking.[1]

The Acorn class marked a return to oil-firing as pioneered in the Tribal or F class of 1905 and HMS Swift of 1907. This change allowed a generally smaller vessel than the Beagles even with an increase in armament. The Comet was built to an individual design by Fairfield Shipbuilding although the Acorns had a more-or-less uniform appearance, with three funnels, a tall, thin fore funnel, a short, thick central and a short narrow after stack. Comet had two 4-inch guns on the fo'c'sle and on the quarterdeck. The 12-pounder guns were amidships, one on each side between the first pair of funnels, and the torpedo tubes were abaft the funnels, mounted singly with a searchlight position between them.

References

  1. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: comet". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.

Coordinates: 36°29′N 15°45′E / 36.483°N 15.750°E / 36.483; 15.750


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