User:Iazyges/Type 1937-III destroyer

Development

The Type 1937-III was designed in 1937, and was one of five project studies done by the Kriegsmarine in this year, the others being the Type 1937J, I, II and IV destroyers. These five projects were all project studies for a "Type 1937 destroyer".

The Type 1937 destroyers were to be ocean-going escort ships, which could serve in the tropics and could attack and defend convoys in the Atlantic. They were planned as a replacement for the Type 1936 and Type 1936A destroyers. They were designed to be able to match any given enemy destroyer. They were not planned to be able to combat French flotilla leaders, a task that would be left to either a light cruiser, or else multiple Type 1937s, if needed.

The initial design called for it to have a radius of 6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi), and six 12.7 cm (5.0 in) guns in twin mountings, with a simple firing control system. Due to the experiences gained from the Type 1934, an increase in gun caliber to 15 cm (5.9 in) was initially not approved, as it was feared that it would limit their seaworthiness. The original design was purposefully made so as to avoid a hybrid cruiser-destroyer design, which would not be able to perform either role well. From this original design came forth the five project studies. Of these, the Type 1937J was deemed the best in terms of armament, with its five single 15 cm (5.9 in) guns, and thus was further worked upon, while the others, including the Type 1937-III, were cancelled.

However, problems arose due to the inability of contemporary naval technology to simultaneously meet the requirements for weight, speed, range and armament. On 8 April 1938 German Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, the commander in chief of the Kriegsmarine, informed the Oberkommando der Marine (German Naval High Command) that the Type 1937J design work was to be stopped, and that a further eight Type 36 destroyers were to be built instead. Although no ships of the Type 1937 destroyer class were ever ordered or laid down, they influenced later project studies: the Type 1938Ac, 1938Ad, and 1938B destroyers.