Aigle

History

Aigle following her launch in Dunkirk, February 1931.

Design

The Aigle-class of French destroyers were a set of four (sometimes considered six, though the final two were technically of the Vauquelin-class) destroyers developed in 1927 by the Marine Nationale, with all four (and the two Vauquelin’s) being laid down throughout 1929 and 1930, launched in between 1930-31, and commissioned from 1931-33.

The Aigle-class were essentially the same as the previous Guepard-class, but adopted some minor modifications that were found on the succeeding class of the Vauquelin’s. These modifications included a slightly different hull form, higher pressure boilers that led to an increased top speed, and most importantly, an improved main armament (the 138.6/40 Mle. 1927 gun).

Compared to the previous Guepard-class, the Aigle’s featured some minor weight-savings in the form of welded non-critical sections and structures, mainly in the superstructure. Other improvements were found in the ships machinery; primarily the boilers. Even within the Aigle-class the machinery differed. The first three of the class (Aigle, Vautour, and Albatros) employed the use of Parsons turbines, while the remaining Gerfaut used turbines made by Rateau-Bretagne. During trials, most of the class achieved a speed of ~37 knots, but Gerfaut distinguished herself by achieving a speed of over 40 knots.

The second improvement of the Aigle-class over previous French destroyers was the new 138.6mm/40 Mle. 1927 gun. The main difference between this gun and the previous (Mle. 1923) version was the use of a sliding-breech, similar to those of similarly sized German guns, that effectively doubled their rate of fire.

Torpedo armament of the class consisted of two triple 550mm torpedoes mounted along the ships’ centerline. Anti-aircraft armament — like most ships of the late twenties — was extremely sparse, consisting of a single 75mm high-angle gun and four single 37mm guns. The class also mounted depth-charge racks and throwers for anti-submarine warfare.

The ships underwent a few upgrades during their careers, mainly to their anti-aircraft armament, with a few minor modifications made to their main armament, communications and ASW facilities.

Service

Laid down as the lead ship of the Aigle-class contre-torpilleurs on 8 October 1928, Aigle was launched on 19 February 1931 and commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 10 October 1932, the 12th contre-torpilleur to join the Marine Nationale. Aigle joined her predecessors Vauban and Lion of the preceding Guépard-class in the 1st Division, based in the Mediterranean. She had little service beyond regular training sorties during the 1930’s, and her first real action came in June 1940 when Italy entered the war, and the Marine Nationale sortied en masse against the Regia Marina.

• 

  Épervier, an Aigle-class destroyer.

• 

  Gerfaut, an Aigle-class destroyer.

• 

  Milan, an Aigle-class destroyer, beached in Casablanca harbor after the Operation Torch landings in November 1942.