The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia

P Class, British Destroyers

Photograph of HMS Panther, a Pakenham-class destroyer

Imperial War Museum #A 7315. Via Wikimedia Commons

Tonnage	1610 tons standard displacement 2175 tons fully loaded
Dimensions	362'9" 35' by 11'4" 110.56m by 10.67m by 3.45m
Maximum speed	36 knots
Complement	175
Armament	4x1 4"/45 DP guns 1x4 2pdr guns 4x1 20mm Oerlikon AA guns 2x4 21" (53cm) torpedo tubes 70 depth charges 4 depth depth charge throwers 2 depth charge racks
Machinery	2-shaft Parsons geared turbine (40,000 shp) 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Bunkerage	484 tons fuel oil
Range	3850 nautical miles (7130 km) at 20 knots
Sensors	Type 128 sonar Type 285 radar Type 286 radar
Modifications	Radar periodically updated, including Type 290 and Type 291. 2x2, 2x1 20mm Oerlikons was standard by early 1944.

The Pakenham or "P" class of destroyers were completed in 1941-1942. They were very similar to the preceding "O" class, which saw no service in the Pacific.

Both classes were described either as Quick Production Destroyers or Intermediate Destroyers, which were originally two different design programs that were merged when it was found that they had converged on similar designs. The Intermediate Destroyer was to be intermediate in characteristics between the Icarus class, which was a traditional small destroyer emphasizing torpedo armament, and the "J" class, with their larger size and relatively heavy gun armament. It was also to have enhanced antiaircraft capability. The Quick Production Destroyer was an emergency construction class prompted by the Munich crisis and clear imminence of war. To speed construction, the class was built on what was essentially a Javelin hull.

Before most of the units were laid down, it became clear that antiaircraft capability was going to be important, and the original armament of 4.7" guns was replaced with 4" guns having greater antiaircraft capability. By the time the ships were deployed to the Pacific, they had had one 4" gun replaced with a second torpedo bank, except possibly on Paladin and Penn.

Units in the Pacific:

Paladin	Arrived 1942-1 Arrived 1944	Withdrawn summer 1942
Panther	Arrived 1942-1	Withdrawn summer 1942
Pakenham	Arrived 1942-4 Arrived early 1943	Withdrawn summer 1942 Withdrawn 1943
Petard	Arrived early 1943 Arrived 1944	Withdrawn 1943
Pathfinder	Arrived 1944
Penn	Arrived 1944

References

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