Английская Википедия:HMS Opportune (1915)
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Other ships Шаблон:EngvarB Шаблон:Use dmy dates
Шаблон:Infobox ship imageШаблон:Infobox ship careerШаблон:Infobox ship characteristicsHMS Opportune was an Шаблон:Sclass2 which served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous Шаблон:Sclass2, capable of higher speed. The vessel was launched on 20 November 1915 and joined the Grand Fleet. Opportune spent much of the war involved in anti-submarine warfare. The ship took part in large patrols to seek out submarines which involved entire flotillas and also acted as an escort for convoys. After the Armistice that marked the end of the First World War, the destroyer was transferred to Portsmouth and placed in reserve. After a brief spell as a remote controlled target to test how warships responded to attacks by aircraft, Opportune was decommissioned and, on 7 December 1923, sold to be broken up.
Design and development
Opportune was one of twenty-two Шаблон:Sclass2 destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in November 1914 as part of the Third War Construction Programme.Шаблон:Sfn The M-class was an improved version of the earlier Шаблон:Sclass2 destroyers, originally envisaged to reach the higher speed of Шаблон:Convert in order to counter rumoured German fast destroyers, although the eventual specification was designed for a more economic Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn
The destroyer was Шаблон:Convert long between perpendiculars, with a beam of Шаблон:Convert and a draught of Шаблон:Convert. Displacement was Шаблон:Convert normal and Шаблон:Convert deep load. Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding two Brown-Curtis steam turbines rated at Шаблон:Convert and driving two shafts.Шаблон:Sfn Three funnels were fitted and Шаблон:Convert of oil was carried, giving a design range of Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn
Armament consisted of three [[QF 4-inch naval gun Mk IV, XII, XXII|Шаблон:Convert Mk IV QF]] guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised platform and one between the middle and aft funnels. A single 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft gun was carried, while torpedo armament consisted of two twin mounts for [[British 21 inch torpedo|Шаблон:Convert torpedoes]].Шаблон:Sfn The ship had a complement of 76 officers and ratings.Шаблон:Sfn
Construction and career
Laid down by William Doxford & Sons at their shipyard in Sunderland, Opportune was launched on 20 November 1915 and completed during June the following yearШаблон:Sfn The destroyer was the first Royal Navy ship to be given the name.Шаблон:Sfn The vessel was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla at Scapa Flow.[1]Шаблон:Sfn
The destroyer was active in anti-submarine warfare but with variable results. On 15 June 1917, Opportune, along with the rest of the flotilla, was involved in a large sweep of the area west of the Shetland Islands.Шаблон:Sfn No submarines were sunk.Шаблон:Sfn Increasingly, patrols had not provided the security needed to shipping and the Admiralty redeployed the destroyers of the Grand Fleet to focus on the more effective convoy model.Шаблон:Sfn Opportune was one of the vessels detached from the flotilla to act as a convoy escort.Шаблон:Sfn The flotilla subsequently took part in the Royal Navy's engagement with one of the final sorties of the German High Seas Fleet during the First World War, on 24 April 1918, although the two fleets did not actually meet and the destroyers returned unharmed.Шаблон:Sfn
After the armistice, the Grand Fleet was disbanded. The Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of mobilisation and both the number of ships and the amount of staff needed to be reduced to save money.Шаблон:Sfn Opportune was placed in reserve at Portsmouth and, on 17 October 1919, was placed in care and maintenance.[2][3] For a brief period, the destroyer was reactivated and used as a remote controlled target to test the resilience of warships against aerial attacks.Шаблон:Sfn However, soon after, in 1923, the Navy decided to scrap many of the older destroyers in preparation for the introduction of newer and larger vessels.Шаблон:Sfn On 7 December, Opportune was sold to King of Garston to be broken up.Шаблон:Sfn
Pennant numbers
| Pennant number | Date |
|---|---|
| G05 | September 1915Шаблон:Sfn |
| G58 | January 1917Шаблон:Sfn |
| G59 | January 1918Шаблон:Sfn |
| G27 | January 1919Шаблон:Sfn |
References
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