HMS Inconstant (H49)

The I-class ships were improved versions of the preceding H class. They displaced {{convert|1370|LT|t|lk=on}} at standard load and {{convert|1888|LT|t}} at deep load. The ships had an overall length of {{convert|323|ft|m|1}}, a beam of {{convert|33|ft|m|1}} and a draught of {{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|1}}. They were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of {{convert|34000|shp|lk=on}} and were intended to give a maximum speed of {{convert|35.5|kn|lk=in}}. The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of {{convert|5500|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|15|kn}}. Their crew numbered 145 officers and ratings.Lenton, p. 163

The Turkish ships mounted four 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark IX guns in single mounts, designated 'A', 'B', 'X' and 'Y' from bow to stern. While under construction, their anti-aircraft (AA) armament was augmented by a single QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun AA gun that replaced the planned aft set of torpedo tubes. In addition the intended pair of quadruple mounts for the 0.5 inch Vickers Mark III machine gun were replaced by a pair of Oerlikon 20 mm cannon light AA guns. They were fitted with a single above-water quadruple torpedo tube mount amidships for British 21 inch torpedo torpedoes.Whitley, p. 111 One depth charge rack and two throwers were fitted for 35 depth charges.English, p. 141 The Turkish ships were fitted with the ASDIC sound detection system to locate submarines underwaterHodges & Friedman, p. 16 and a Type 286 search radar.

Inconstant was laid down as TCG Muavenet for the Turkish Navy by Vickers Armstrong at their Barrow-in-Furness shipyard on 24 May 1939, purchased in September 1939 by the Royal Navy, launched on 24 February 1941, and commissioned on 24 January 1942. The ship participated in the assault on Madagascar in May 1942 and attacked & sank the German submarines {{GS|U-409||2}} in the Mediterranean north-east of Algiers on 12 July 1943 and {{GS|U-767||2}} while in company with the destroyers {{HMS|Fame|H78|2}} and {{HMS|Havelock|H88|2}} in the English Channel south-west of Guernsey on 18 June 1944. Inconstant was returned to Turkey on 9 March 1946 and renamed Muavenet. She was discarded in 1960.

{{reflist}}

• {{Cite Colledge2006}}
• {{cite book|last=English|first=John|title=Amazon to Ivanhoe: British Standard Destroyers of the 1930s|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Kendal, England|isbn=0-905617-64-9}}
• {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|date=2006|isbn=1-86176-137-6|author-link=Norman Friedman}}
• {{cite book |last=Hodges |first=Peter |author2=Friedman, Norman |title=Destroyer Weapons of World War 2 |year=1979 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=Greenwich |isbn=978-0-85177-137-3|name-list-style=amp }}
• {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|authorlink=Henry Trevor Lenton|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7}}
• {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
• {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}

• [http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80009647 IWM Interview with John Eaden, who commanded HMS Inconstant in 1943]

{{I class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Inconstant (H49)}}

Category:Demirhisar-class destroyers

Category:I-class destroyers of the Royal Navy

Category:Ships built in Barrow-in-Furness

Category:1941 ships

Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom