View source for W and Z-class destroyer

{{short description|Ship class}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=April 2009}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin|sclass=2}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Zebra.jpg
|Ship caption=[[HMS Zebra (R81)|HMS ''Zebra'']] on 12 October 1944
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=W and Z class
|Builders=
|Operators=*{{navy|United Kingdom}}
*{{navy|South Africa|1952}}
*{{navy|Yugoslavia}}
*{{navy|Egypt}}
*{{navy|Israel}}
|Class before={{sclass2|U and V|destroyer|4}}
|Class after={{sclass2|C|destroyer (1943)|4}}
|Subclasses=W, Z
|Built range=
|In commission range=1943 - 1971
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=16
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=4 (2 as targets)
|Total ships retired=12
|Total ships preserved=
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(W class)
|Ship type=[[Destroyer]]
|Ship displacement=*1,710 [[long ton|tons]] (1,730 [[tonne]]s)
*2,530 tons full (2,570 tonnes)
|Ship length={{convert|362.75|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam={{convert|35.75|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|10|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers,
*Parsons single-reduction geared [[steam turbine]]s,
*{{convert|40,000|shp|MW|lk=in|abbr=on}}, 2 shafts
|Ship speed={{convert|36|kn|lk=in}} / {{convert|32|kn}} full
|Ship range={{convert|4,675|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|20|kn}}
|Ship complement=179 (225 as [[flotilla leader|leader]])
|Ship sensors=* [[Radar Type 272]] target indication
* [[Type 291 radar]] air warning
* [[Type 285 radar]] fire control on director Mk.III(W)
* [[Type 282 radar]] fire control on 40 mm mount Mk.IV
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=* 4 × [[4.7 inch QF Mark IX|QF&nbsp;4.7&nbsp;inch (120-mm) L/45 Mk.IX guns]], single mounts CP&nbsp;Mk.XXII
* 4 × [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|QF 2-pounder (40-mm) Mk.VIII "pom-poms"]], quad mount Mk.VII, ''or'';
** 2 × QF&nbsp;[[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40&nbsp;mm Bofors]], twin mount "Hazemeyer" Mk.IV
*4 × [[anti-aircraft|A/A mountings]];
** twin [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20&nbsp;mm Oerlikon]] Mk.V
** single Bofors 40&nbsp;mm Mk.III or "Boffin" Mk.V
** single QF [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|2-pounder]] Mk.XVI
*8 (2x4) tubes for [[British 21 inch torpedo|{{convert|21|inch|mm|adj=on}} torpedoes Mk.IX]]
*2 racks & 4 throwers for 70 [[depth charge]]s
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= (Z class)
|Ship displacement=*1,830 tons (1,860 tonnes)
*2,530 tons full (2,570 tonnes)
|Ship sensors=*[[Type 293 radar]] target indication
*Type 285 fire-control radar on director type K

|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
4 x [[QF 4.5 inch Mk I - V naval gun|QF 4.5&nbsp;in (113 mm) Mk.IV]] guns, single mounts CP Mk.V
|Ship notes= Other characteristics as per W class
}}
|}

The '''W and Z class''' was a [[ship class|class]] of sixteen [[destroyer]]s of the [[Royal Navy]] launched in 1943&ndash;1944. They were constructed as two flotillas, with names beginning with "W-" and "Z-", respectively, although, like the preceding {{sclass2|U and V|destroyer|4}}, two of the [[flotilla leader]]s were named after historical naval figures (as had been Royal Navy practice during the inter-war years). They were known as the '''9th''' and '''10th Emergency Flotilla''', respectively and served as [[Naval fleet|fleet]] and [[convoy]] escorts in [[World War II]]. None were lost during World War II but [[HMS Zealous (R39)|INS ''Eilat'']] (originally HMS ''Zealous'') was sunk during the Israel-Egypt conflict in October 1967 by Egyptian missile boats and the ''[[HMS Myngs (R06)|El Qaher]]'' (originally HMS ''Myngs'') of the Egyptian Navy was sunk at Berenice, Egypt on 16 May 1970 by Israeli Air Force aircraft during the [[War of Attrition]].

==Design==
Repeats of the preceding U and V-class destroyers, with modified director structures. The Z class were armed with 4.5&nbsp;inch guns.<ref>March, p.419.</ref>

==Ships==

===W class===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Construction data for W-class destroyers
|-
! scope="col" | Ship
! scope="col" | Shipyard
! scope="col" | Launched
! scope="col" | Fate/notes
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Kempenfelt|R03|2}}
|rowspan=2|[[John Brown, Clydebank]]
|8 May 1943
|[[Flotilla leader]]. Sold to [[Yugoslavia]] 1956. After refit served as ''Kotor''. Scrapped 1971<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-62W-Kempenfelt2.htm |title=HMS Kempenfelt (ii) (R 03) - W-class Flotilla Leader |publisher=naval-history.net |last=Mason |first=Geoffrey B. |editor=Gordon Smith |date=2002 |access-date=2 May 2015 |archive-date=30 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430041201/http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-62W-Kempenfelt2.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Wager|R98|2}}
|1 November 1943
|Sold to [[Yugoslavia]] 1956, served as ''Pula'' after refit. Scrapped 1971.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Wakeful|R59|2}}
|rowspan=2|[[Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company|Fairfields of Glasgow]]
| 30 June 1943
| converted to [[Type 15 frigate|Type 15]] anti submarine frigate, later a training ship, scrapped 1971
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Wessex|R78|2}}
| 2 September 1943
|Transferred to [[South Africa]], 1950 as ''Jan van Riebeeck'' Scrapped 1978.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-63W-Wessex2.htm |title=HMS Wessex (ii) (R 78) - W-class Destroyer |publisher=naval-history.net |last=Mason |first=Geoffrey B. |editor=Gordon Smith |date=2002 |access-date=2 May 2015 |archive-date=23 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170623233055/http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-63W-Wessex2.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Whelp|R37|2}}
|rowspan=2|[[Hawthorn Leslie]]
| 3 June 1943
|Transferred to [[South Africa]], 1953 as ''Simon van der Stel''. Scrapped [[Durban]] 1976.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Whirlwind|R87|2}}
|30 August 1943
| converted to Type 15 A/S frigate, lost while used as target 1974
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Wizard|R72|2}}
|rowspan=2|[[Vickers-Armstrong]], [[Barrow-in-Furness|Barrow]]
|29 September 1943
|Broken up in March 1967 at [[Inverkeithing]].
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Wrangler|R48|2}}
|30 December 1943
|Transferred to [[South Africa]], 1957 as ''Vrystaat''. Sunk as target 1976.
|}

===Z class===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Construction data for Z-class destroyers
|-
! scope="col" | Ship
! scope="col" | Shipyard
! scope="col" | Launched
! scope="col" | Fate/notes
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Myngs|R06|2}}
|rowspan=2|[[Vickers-Armstrong]], [[Tyneside]]
| 31 May 1943
|Flotilla leader completed June 1944. Transferred to [[Egypt]], 1955 as ''El Qaher''. Sunk in 1970 by Israel aircraft<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-64Z-Myngs.htm |title=HMS Myngs (R 06) - Z-class Flotilla Leader |publisher=naval-history.net |last=Mason |first=Geoffrey B. |editor=Gordon Smith |date=2006 |access-date=2 May 2015 |archive-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220115174512/http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-64Z-Myngs.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Zephyr|R19|2}}
|15 July 1943
|Broken up July 1958 at [[Dunston, Tyne and Wear|Dunston]].
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Zambesi|R66|2}}
|rowspan=2|[[Cammell Laird]], [[Birkenhead]]
|12 November 1943
|Broken up December 1959 at [[Briton Ferry]].
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Zealous|R39|2}}
|28 February 1944
|Transferred to [[Israel]] 1955 as ''Eilat'', sunk 1967 by an Egyptian missile boat.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Zebra|R81|2}}
|rowspan=2|[[William Denny and Brothers]], [[Dumbarton|Dunbarton]]
|8 March 1944
|Broken up February 1959 at [[Newport, Wales|Newport]].
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Zenith|R95|2}}
|5 June 1944
|Refitted 1950. Transferred to [[Egypt]], 1955 as ''El Fateh'' Modernised in UK 1963–1964.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-65Z-Zenith.htm |title=HMS Zenith (R 95) - Z-class Destroyer |publisher=naval-history.net |last=Mason |first=Geoffrey B. |editor=Gordon Smith |date=2004 |access-date=2 May 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003738/http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-65Z-Zenith.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Zest|R02|2}}
|rowspan=2|[[J I Thornycroft|John I. Thornycroft]], [[Woolston, Hampshire|Woolston]]
|14 October 1943
|Refitted 1945. Sold in 1969 and broken up 1970<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-65Z-Zest.htm |title=HMS Zest (R 02) - Z-class Destroyer |publisher=naval-history.net |last=Mason |first=Geoffrey B. |editor=Gordon Smith |date=2004 |access-date=2 May 2015 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303195943/http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-65Z-Zest.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Zodiac||2}}
|11 March 1944
|Transferred to [[Israel]], 1955 as ''Yaffo''. Taken out of service in 1972<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-65Z-Zodiac.htm |title=HMS Zodiac (R 52) - Z-class Destroyer |publisher=naval-history.net |last=Mason |first=Geoffrey B. |editor=Gordon Smith |date=2004 |access-date=2 May 2015 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171152/http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-65Z-Zodiac.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|}

==See also==
* The [[V and W-class destroyer]]s: World War I destroyer class.
* [[Type 15 frigate]]: postwar full conversion of Wartime Emergency Programme destroyers into first-rate fast [[anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine]] [[frigate]]s

==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist}}

;Bibliography
* {{cite book|title=Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893-1981 |first=Maurice |last=Cocker |date=1981 |publisher=Ian Allan |isbn=0-7110-1075-7}}
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946 |year=1984 |editor=Robert Gardiner |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=0-87021-913-8}}
* {{cite book|title=British destroyers: A history of development 1892-1953 |last=March |first=Edgar |publisher=Billing and Sons Ltd |place=London |date=1966}}
* {{cite book |title=Royal Navy Destroyers since 1945 |first=Leo |last=Marriott |publisher=Ian Allan |date=1994 |isbn=0-7110-1817-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/royalnavydestroy0000marr }}
* {{cite book|last=Raven|first=Alan|author2=Roberts, John |title=War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes|publisher=Bivouac Books|location=London|year=1978|isbn=0-85680-010-4}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War 2|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|W and Z class destroyer}}
{{W and Z class destroyers}}
{{War Emergency Programme destroyers}}
{{WWII British ships}}

[[Category:Destroyer classes]]
[[Category:Ship classes of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:W and Z-class destroyers| ]]