The Kingfisher class and HMS Basset tested sloop- and trawler-based answers to the coastal escort problem in 1935. Coastal convoys did not require days of fuel and supplies, but they still needed protection from submarines and mines. Smaller hulls could therefore accept limited endurance while being produced in yards suited to merchant-derived construction. Their simple gun-and-depth-charge fit reflects the weapons available before more advanced anti-submarine weapons matured.
Notable Point · 26:16-28:35
Kingfishers, trawlers, and coastal convoy defence
Smaller coastal escorts traded ocean endurance for the ability to defend local convoys against submarines and mines.