Tátra-class destroyer

SMS Tátra circa 1916
Class overview
Name:	Tátra class
Builders:	Porto Ré
Operators:	Austro-Hungarian Navy
In commission:	1910
Completed:	6
Lost:	2
General characteristics
Type:	Destroyer
Displacement:	870 long tons (880 t) (normal),[1] 1,050 long tons (1,070 t) (full load)[2]
Length:	85.25 m (279 ft 8 in)
Beam:	7.8 m (25 ft 7 in)
Propulsion:	20,600 shp (15.4 MW)[3]
Speed:	32.5 kn (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph)[4]
Complement:	104 officers and men[5]
Armament:	2 × 100 mm (3.9 in) L/50 (2 × 1)[6] 6 × 66 mm (2.6 in) L/45 (6 × 1)[7] 4 × 45 cm (18 in) torpedo tubes (2 × 2)[8]

The Tátra class was a class of destroyers built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy before the First World War.

History

The Tátra class comprised six ships - Tátra, Balaton, Csepel, Lika, Triglav and Orjen. Built by Porto Ré, a subsidiary of Danubius & Ganz, they were launched in the years 1912 and 1913. Triglav and Lika were sunk by mines near Durazzo on 29 December 1915.

Six further destroyers were authorised in May 1914 to increase the number of destroyers, but construction had not started at the outbreak of the war. Four units were authorised in 1916 to replace the wartime losses. These four ships were named Triglav II, Lika II, Dukla and Uzsok and classified as the Replacement Triglav Class. They were also built by Danubius and launched in 1917, so their wartime careers were rather short. Propelled by two steam turbines these four vessels were the most modern ships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy.

The ships were of 85.28 m (279.8 ft) overall length with a beam of 7.80 m (25.6 ft). Their design displacement was 880 tons with a full load displacement of 1050 tons. Powered by two AEG-Curtiss turbines producing 20,600 shp (15.4 MW), driving two shafts. They were able to achieve speeds of up to 33.8 knots (62.6 km/h). Of the six Yarrow boilers, four were oil-fired and the other two capable of operating with either oil or coal. Their armament was two 100 mm 50 calibre guns. Secondary armament was provided by six 66 mm 45 calibre guns. Two of these were on special anti-aircraft mountings. The gun armament was completed by a single 7.8 mm (0.31 in) machine gun. Their main offensive capability came from four 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes mounted in pairs. After the war, three vessels—Triglav, Lika, and Uzsok—were ceded to Italy and one, Dukla, to France. The last vessel was scrapped in 1936.

Notes

1. Fitzsimons, Bernard, "Tatra", in The Illustrate Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare (London: Phoebus Publishing Co., 1978), Volume 23, p.2476.
2. Fitzsimons, "Tatra", p.2476.
3. Fitzsimons, "Tatra", p.2476.
4. Fitzsimons, "Tatra", p.2476.
5. Fitzsimons, "Tatra", p.2476.
6. Fitzsimons, "Tatra", p.2476.
7. Fitzsimons, "Tatra", p.2476.
8. Fitzsimons, "Tatra", p.2476.

References

• Greger, René (1976). Austro-Hungarian Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0623-7.