HMS Diana (D126)
| HMS Diana passing through the Kiel Kanal |
HMS Diana passing through the Kiel Kanal. June 1961 | | - | HMS Diana | | | General Characteristics |
|---|
| Displacement: | 3,610 Standard |
| Length: | 390 ft |
| Beam: | 43 ft |
| Propulsion: | Engines by Parsons.
Propulsion: Geared turbine. 2 shaft |
| Speed: | Over 30 knots |
| Complement: | 297 |
| Armament: | 3 x twin 4.5 in guns
2 x twin 40 mm Bofors guns
One Triple Anti-Submarine Mortar
5 x torpedo tubes |
Introduction
HMS
Diana was one of the
Daring Class of
destroyers planned during the
Second World War by the
Royal Navy.It, therefore, reflected developments of the
Pacific campaign. Long range ability, able to efficiently RAS (Replenish At Sea).
Sixteen were planned, but the ending of the war resulted in only eight being built.
Daring,
Dainty,
Duchess,
Decoy,
Defender,
Delight,
Diana, and
Diamond.
Size
Diana's standard
displacement was 3,610 tons. Length and beam of the ship are 390 feet and 43 feet respectively, she was capable of steaming at over 30 knots. The normal peacetime complement of HMS
Diana was 297 officers and men.
Launch
The ship was built at
Clydebank,
Glasgow, by
Yarrow and Co. Ltd. (Yard No 1846 ), laid down
3 April,
1947 and launched Thursday
8 May,
1952 by Lady McGrigor, wife of
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Rhoderick McGrigor, and first commissioned
29 March,
1954. Originally the name was to be Druid but this changed to
Diana during building.
At the time
Diana was considered a large destroyer, being nearly as big as a pre-war
light cruiser. The Daring class was a logical outcome of the Pacific War, where the ability to stay at sea for long periods was of prime importance.
Armament
The main armament consisted of six 4.5 inch dual purpose guns in three totally enclosed turrets, two forward, one aft. At the time of building the control system for the guns was the most advanced in the Royal Navy, being completely
radar controlled. The guns were considered, at the time, highly accurate with a high rate of fire.
In summary her armament was: (
1960)
*Six 4.5" guns
*Two 40mm
Bofors Guns
*Five
Torpedo Tubes
*One Triple Anti-Submarine Mortar.
Electrical Supply
The ship's electrical power was produced by two
turbine generators and three diesel generators. The current used was 440 volts, 60 cycle
Alternating Current (AC) power.
Interestingly, of the eight Darings, four ships were designed to operate on
Direct Current (DC) for their electrical supply and four to operate on AC. The object was a practical test to determine which form of electrical supply was the most practical.
Diana was an AC ship, as were all Royal Navy ships following this 'test'.
Propulsion
*Engines by
Parsons*Propulsion: Geared turbine. 2 shaft
 |
The crest of HMS Diana |
Name, Goddess and Crest
"This
Diana of ours is a very demanding person, goddesses tend to be that way"
Captain GJ Kirkby,
DSC **, Royal Navy, Captain, HMS
Diana 1961. The ship's Commission book of
1961 describes Diana (the goddess) has having a distinctly complex personality. Apart from being the huntress; by the light of the sun she was pure and chaste. By the light of the moon, however, she became abandoned and dark. For a more scholarly article (on the goddess) see
Diana (goddess).
Career
Diana saw action during the
Suez Crisis, when on
October 31 1956, she torpedoed and sank the Egyptian frigate
Domiat, which was engaged in a one sided gun duel with the cruiser
HMS Newfoundland in the
Red Sea.
Sold
HMS
Diana was acquired by the
Peruvian Navy in
1969 together with
HMS Decoy. Renamed BAP
Palacios (DM-73) she served until
1993 when she was stricken.
References
*HMS
Diana, the Fifth Commission of the tenth HMS
Diana,
1961-
1963, on the occasion of her tenth anniversary.
Written by members of the Ship's Company and produced with the kind permission of the Commanding Officer
External links
*
Clyde Built Ships*
HMS Diana Association
