Lansquenet was one of seven Spahi-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

Sister ship Mameluck at anchor
History
France
Name	Lansquenet
Namesake	Landsknecht
Builder	Dyle et Bacalan, Bordeaux
Launched	20 November 1909
Completed	October 1910
Stricken	December 1928
General characteristics
Class and type	Spahi-class destroyer
Displacement	530–550 t (522–541 long tons)
Length	64 m (210 ft 0 in) (p/p)
Beam	6.6 m (21 ft 8 in)
Draft	2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Installed power	7,500 ihp (5,593 kW) 4 Normand boilers
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 triple-expansion steam engines
Speed	28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range	2,880 nmi (5,330 km; 3,310 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	77–79
Armament	6 × single 65 mm (2.6 in) gun 3 × 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes

Design and description

The Spahi-class was over 50 percent larger than the preceding Branlebas class to match the increase in size of foreign destroyers.[1] Lansquenet had a length between perpendiculars of 64 meters (210 ft), a beam of 6.6 meters (21 ft 8 in),[2] and a draft of 2.3 meters (7 ft 7 in). The ships displaced 530–550 metric tons (522–541 long tons) at deep load. Their crew numbered 77–79 officers and men.[1]

Lansquenet was powered by two triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by four Normand boilers. The engines were designed to produce 7,500 indicated horsepower (5,600 kW) which was intended to give the Spahi class a speed of 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph). During her sea trials, Lansquenet reached a speed of 28.84 knots (53.41 km/h; 33.19 mph). She carried more coal than her sister ships which gave her a range of 2,880 nautical miles (5,330 km; 3,310 mi) at a cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[3]

The primary armament of the Spahi-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

Lansquenet was ordered from Dyle et Bacalan and was launched at their shipyard in Bordeaux on 20 November 1909. She was completed in October 1910.[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.