HMS Racehorse (H11)

Racehorse on the River Clyde on completion, December 1942
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Racehorse
Builder:	John Brown & Company, Clydebank
Launched:	1942
Identification:	pennant number H11
Fate:	Scrapped 1949
General characteristics
Class and type:	R-class destroyer
Displacement:	1,705 long tons (1,732 t) (standard) 2,425 long tons (2,464 t) (deep load)
Length:	358 ft 3 in (109.2 m) (o/a)
Beam:	35 ft 8 in (10.9 m)
Draught:	13 ft 6 in (4.1 m) (deep)
Installed power:	40,000 shp (30,000 kW) 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Propulsion:	2 × shafts; 2 × Parsons geared steam turbines
Speed:	36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range:	4,675 nmi (8,658 km; 5,380 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Sensors and processing systems:	Radar Type 290 air warning Radar Type 285 ranging & bearing
Armament:	5 × single QF 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mk.IX guns 1 × quadruple QF 2-pdr Mk.VIII AA guns 6 × single QF 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns 2 × quadruple 21-inch torpedo tubes 4 × throwers and 2 × racks for 70 depth charges

HMS Racehorse was a R-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

Description

Racehorse displaced 1,705 long tons (1,732 t) at standard load and 2,425 long tons (2,464 t) at deep load. She had an overall length of 358 feet 3 inches (109.2 m), a beam of 33 feet 8 inches (10.3 m) and a deep draught of 13 feet 6 inches (4.1 m). She was powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). Racehorse carried a maximum of 470 long tons (480 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 4,675 nautical miles (8,658 km; 5,380 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). Her complement was 176 officers and ratings.^[1]

The ship was armed with four 45-calibre 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark IX guns in single mounts. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, Racehorse had one quadruple mount for QF 2-pdr Mark VIII ("pom-pom") guns and six single 20-millimetre (0.8 in) Oerlikon autocannon. She was fitted with two above-water quadruple mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes. Two depth charge rails and four throwers were fitted for which 70 depth charges were provided.^[2]

Construction and career

She was built by John Brown & Company, Clydebank and launched in 1942. She was adopted by the civil community of Greater London during Warship Week in 1942.

The ship served in World War II, taking part in operations Balsam and Livery.^[3] She was placed in reserve in Portsmouth in 1946. She arrived at Troon for breaking up on 8 December 1949.^[4]

References

1. Lenton, p. 174
2. English, p. 51
3. Ministry of Defence (Navy), Great Britain (1995). The advance to Japan. War with Japan. Volume 6, Part 1. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 334. ISBN 9780117728219.
4. Critchley, Mike, "British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers", Maritime Books: Liskeard, UK, 1982. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2, page 52

Bibliography

• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.
• English, John (2001). Obdurate to Daring: British Fleet Destroyers 1941–45. Windsor, UK: World Ship Society. ISBN 978-0-9560769-0-8.
• Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
• Raven, Alan; Roberts, John (1978). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. ISBN 0-85680-010-4.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.