Janissaire was one of four Chasseur-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

A postcard of sister ship Chasseur at anchor
History
France
Name	Janissaire
Namesake	Janissary
Builder	Ateliers et Chantiers de Penhoët, Saint-Nazaire
Launched	12 April 1910
Completed	June 1911
Stricken	October 1920
General characteristics
Class and type	Chasseur-class destroyer
Displacement	450 t (443 long tons) (designed) 520 t (512 long tons) (deep load)
Length	64.5 m (211 ft 7 in) (p/p)
Beam	6.6 m (21 ft 8 in)
Draft	3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)
Installed power	7,200 shp (5,369 kW) 3 Foster-Wheeler boilers
Propulsion	3 shafts; 3 steam turbines
Speed	28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range	1,400–1,500 nmi (2,600–2,800 km; 1,600–1,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	77–79
Armament	6 × 65 mm (2.6 in) guns 3 × 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes

Design and description

The Chasseur class was based on the preceding Spahi-class destroyer, albeit oil-fired boilers rather than the coal-fired ones of the earlier ships.[1] Janissaire had an length between perpendiculars of 64.5 meters (211 ft 7 in), a beam of 6.6 meters (21 ft 8 in),[2] and a draft of 3.1 meters (10 ft 2 in). Designed to displaced 450 metric tons (443 long tons), the ships displaced 520 t (512 long tons) at deep load. Their crew numbered 77–79 men.[1]

Janissaire was powered by three Parsons direct-drive steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Foster-Wheeler boilers. The engines were designed to produce 7,200 shaft horsepower (5,400 kW) which was intended to give the ships a speed of 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph). Janissaire exceeded that speed during her sea trials, reaching 28.6 knots (53.0 km/h; 32.9 mph). The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 1,400–1,500 nautical miles (2,600–2,800 km; 1,600–1,700 mi) at a cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[3]

The primary armament of the Chasseur-class ships consisted of six 65-millimeter (2.6 in) Modèle 1902 guns in single mounts, one each fore and aft of the superstructure and the others were distributed amidships. They were also fitted with three 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes. One of these was in a fixed mount in the bow and the other two were on single rotating mounts amidships.[1]

Construction and career

Janissaire was ordered from Ateliers et Chantiers de Penhoët and was launched from its Saint-Nazaire shipyard on 12 April 1910. The ship was completed in June 1911. She survived the First World War to be condemned in October 1920.[4]

References

Bibliography

• Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0445-5.
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.