Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Royal Navy — Destroyer R75

HMS Virago (R75)

V-class destroyer

HMS Virago (R75)
Cleet J H (of South Shields) — This photograph FL 9578 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 8308-29) — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate — R75 Photograph of British destroyer HMS Virago at anchor on the River Tyne .

Service

  1. Royal Navy as HMS Virago5 November 1943 — 1963667 days of the war
V-class destroyer Particulars
Name
HMS Virago
Pennant / hull number
R75
Builder
Swan Hunter, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
Ordered
1 September 1941
Laid down
16 February 1942
Launched
4 February 1943
Commissioned
5 November 1943
Decommissioned
1963
Fate
Scrapped 4 June 1965 (1965)
Status
Scrapped

Specifications — V class destroyer

Displacement, standard
1,777 long tons (1,806 t)
Displacement, full load
2,058 long tons (2,091 t)
Length
110.64 m (363 ft)
Beam
10.67 m (35 ft)
Draught
3.05 m (10 ft)
Speed
37 knots (68.5 km/h, 42.6 mph)
Range
4,860 nmi (9,001 km)
Complement
180
Main gun
40 mm (1.6 in)

HMS Virago was a V-class destroyer, operated by the Royal Navy. She carried the pennant number R75. Swan Hunter, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom laid her keel on 16 February 1942. Launched on 4 February 1943, she entered service on 5 November 1943.

She was one of 30 ships of her class. The class followed the Nelson-class battleship and was succeeded by the Lion-class battleship.

She displaced 1,777 long tons standard and 2,058 long tons at full load. She measured 110.6 m (363 ft) long with a beam of 10.7 m (35 ft). Her designed speed was 37 knots, and she carried a complement of 180. Her main battery was of 40 mm (1.6 in) calibre.

She was in commission for 667 days of the Second World War. She was decommissioned in 1963.

She was broken up for scrap on 4 June 1965.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

This vessel is recorded in 2 configurations. Wartime refits changed armament and complement substantially, so each is kept separately rather than averaged into one set of figures. The figures above are as built.

V class destroyer
Propulsion
  • 2 × Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boilers
  • Geared steam turbines, 40000 shp
  • 2 shafts
Armament
  • Original configuration :
  • 4 × QF 4.7-inch (120-mm) Mk XII guns in single mountings CP Mk.XXII
  • 2 × QF 40 mm Bofors guns in twin mount Mk.IV
  • 6 × QF 20 mm Oerlikon guns; 2 × twin mounts Mk.V, 2 × single mounts Mk.III
  • 2 × quadruple tubes for 21 in torpedo Mk.IX
Type 15 frigate
Displacement, standard
2,300 long tons (2,337 t)
Length
109.12 m (358 ft) OA
Beam
11.28 m (37 ft)
Draught
4.27 m (14 ft)
Speed
31 knots (57.4 km/h, 35.7 mph)
Complement
174
Main gun
102 mm (4 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers
  • steam turbines on 2 shafts
  • 40,000 shp
Armament
  • 1 × twin 4 in gun Mark 19
  • 1 × twin 40mm Bofors Mk.5
  • 2 × Squid A/S mortar or
  • 2 × Limbo Mark 10 A/S mortar

Sister ships

5 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from HMS Virago (R75) on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: Cleet J H (of South Shields) — This photograph FL 9578 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 8308-29) — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons