Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:57:54-1:58:12

Could the Abdiels outrun Tribal-class destroyers?

Operational stories describe Abdiel-class minelayers pulling away from Tribal-class destroyers once they reached open water.

Abdiel Class MinelayersHigh Speed WarshipsNaval EngineeringRoyal NavyTribal Class Destroyers (1936)
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Question

Did Abdiel-class minelayers outrun Tribal-class destroyers on operations?

Short answer

Yes; they reportedly did so on several occasions and were extremely difficult to match in open water.

Notes

A viewer asks whether an Abdiel-class ship once pulled away from destroyers already running at maximum speed. The class reportedly outran Tribal-class destroyers on several operations. In open water, very little could keep up once an Abdiel used all of its available power. The comparison places the class's power-to-weight calculation beside one of the Royal Navy's premier large destroyer types.