French destroyer Aspirant Herber

Sister ship Mameluck at anchor
History
France
Name	Aspirant Herber
Builder	Arsenal de Rochefort
Launched	30 April 1912
Completed	August 1912
Stricken	July 1930
General characteristics
Class and type	Spahi-class destroyer
Displacement	530–550 t (522–541 long tons)
Length	64 m (210 ft) (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
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 triple-expansion steam engines
Speed	28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range	1,000–1,200 nmi (1,900–2,200 km; 1,200–1,400 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

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

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] Aspirante Herber had an 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]

Aspirante Heber was powered by two triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by four . 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, Aspirante Herber reached a speed of 28.25 knots (52.32 km/h; 32.51 mph). The ships carried enough coal to give them a range of 1,000–1,200 nautical miles (1,900–2,200 km; 1,200–1,400 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[]

Aspirante Herber was built by Arsenal de Lorient and was launched on 30 April 1912. She was completed in August 1912.^[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.