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About this ship and its interest in War Thunder
These small sub chasers are perfect for the coastal tree. With a main 75mm gun a few MGs and canons, especially with the FNFL refit, they pack the necessary punch to face most 2.0/3.0 ships.
About the Chasseur 5 Class
In 1928, the French navy decided to replace their old C1 submarine chasers that they bought after the Great War to the american shipyard. A first experimental serie called Chasseur 1 was thus built between 1932 and 1934. Equiped with a wooden hull, they were deemed a little big and heavy for the French navy. Thus, a new class, the Chasseur 5, were built between 1938 and 1940. They were the most numerous of the the submarine chasers, with 17 of them being built before the invasion of France in 1940, between the Chasseur n°5 and n°21.
When the Battle of France moved the battlefield toward the coast, more specifically Dunkirk, some of the Chasseur 5 were sent to help the evacuation of Dunkirk. The Chasseur 9 was severely damaged by an aerial attack and forced to run aground. Despite an attempt by the crew to repair the ship, they were forced to abandon it. For The N° 8, 12, 15 et 16, which had been built in the ACSM (Atelier et Chantier de la Seine Maritime), they were barely finished when the invasion started. Of those four ships, only the N°15 was armed. As the German troops were approaching Lorient, the ships departed for the UK to prevent capture. Only the Chasseur 16 which was only running with one engine, was forced to be scuttled to prevent capture.
During Operation Catapult, in June 1940, the Chasseurs 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 which had reached England were captured by the British navy, and manned by a British crew. The Chasseur 6 and 7 were both sunk in october 1940 during and engagement against German destroyers. With the creation of the FNFL starting summer 1940, the Chasseurs started being given to the Free French.
Chasseur 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 couldn’t flee before their construction was finished, and were captured by the Kriegsmarine. N°18,19,20 were scuttled in 1944. N°17 and 21 were re-used after the war.
About the Chasseur Q015 “Paimpol”
Originally named Chasseur CH15, it was renamed “Paimpol” by the Free French forces, and her hull number became Q015. It was among the Chasseurs which fled from Lorient and managed to reach Plymouth in 1940. Captured by the British in July 1940, she was manned by a Polish crew until February 1941, when it was given to the FNFL. She was at this time heavily modified with new armament, as well as an ASDIC, and several other electronic systems. Her most notable engagement was against a German Schnell boat in 1942. She also participated in D-Day. She was decomissioned in 1945.
Chasseur 5 Q015 - Caracteristics
General characteristics
Type: Submarine chaser
Displacement: 107 tons
Length: 37.1m
Beam: 5.66m
Draft: 1.95m
Propulsion: 1130 HP from 2x MAN diesel engines
Speed: 15.5 knots
crew : 23-27 crew
Enhancements :
1 ASDIC (added in 1942)
Echo Sounding added in 1943
RDF 286M added in 1943
Armor : Added armor to the steering chamber in 1942
ARMAMENT :
Original :
1 x 75mm M1897 canon
2 x 2 Hotchkiss 8mm machineguns mle.1914
6 x 100kg depth charges
FNFL refit (1941):
1 x 75mm canon
4 x Lewis 7.7mm on the stern passerelle added in 1941
2 x 7.7mm Darne Mgs (replacing the 8mm)
1 x 37mm Schneider canons
8 x depth charges (1 x british GL to replace the French one)
FNFL refit ( Q015 PAIMPOL, 1942)
1 x 75mm canon
1 x 40mm Mk7 canon (replaced the 37mm)
2 x 7.7mm mgs
2 x 20mm AA (added on top of the bridge)
1 x mortar
2 X smoke devices CAS type B added in 1943
Radio replaced by British radio in 1942.
Plans :
https://archeosousmarine.net/images/chasseur16_nav.jpg
Photos :
Spoiler
Photo of the sister ship CH. 10 Bayonne. Note the twin Lewis on the roof and what appears to be a BOFOR instead of a PomPom on the stern.
Sources :