Voltigeur counter torpido boat class, Voltigeur

Mathll · May 21, 2026, 10:32pm

[Would you like to see this in-game?]

Yes
No

0 voters

Hello everyone and welcome to this new feature.

Today I’m introducing a new class of French destroyers, the Voltigeur class. And to start, here is the first ship of the class, the Voltigeur.

The Voltigeur class was a small group of just two ships, the Voltigeur and the Tirailleur, directly derived from the earlier Spahi class of destroyers. What set this class apart was its experimental propulsion system: both vessels were equipped with a combination of one turbine engine and two triple-expansion engines, all powered by coal-fired boilers. This hybrid setup made them important testbeds for mixed propulsion in French naval engineering.

Laid down in 1909 at the Chantiers de Bretagne shipyard in Nantes, the Voltigeur was the first ship of the class. It was completed and commissioned the following year, joining the 3rd Torpedo Boat Squadron of the French 1st Naval Fleet, based in the Mediterranean at Toulon. In its early service, the ship carried out patrol and surveillance missions and could be easily identified by the letter “V” painted on its bow.

At the outbreak of the First World War, the Voltigeur, still part of the Mediterranean Fleet, was reassigned to escort duties. Like other destroyers in the region, it was tasked with protecting major French warships, particularly armored cruisers. As part of the 3rd Torpedo Boat Squadron, the ship took part in the Battle of Antivari, where French destroyers screened French and British battleships. However, due to the brief nature of the engagement and the limited resistance encountered, the Voltigeur did not see direct combat during the battle. Following this, the ship, like many of its counterparts, was reassigned to escort and protect transport and merchant vessels. This strategic shift followed lessons learned from the torpedoing of the battleship Jean Bart, which highlighted the vulnerability of large warships and the effectiveness of smaller, more agile vessels against German submarines.

Unlike some ships of its class, the Voltigeur did experience combat situations later in the war. It notably rescued the crew of the Merganser, which had been sunk by a submarine. In 1918, while escorting a convoy departing from Valletta, the ship engaged an enemy submarine. Despite a two-hour pursuit, the use of depth charges, and support from an Allied seaplane, the submarine ultimately escaped. The Voltigeur, however, successfully fulfilled its primary mission by ensuring the safety of the convoy.

After the war, the Voltigeur was decommissioned in 1920, soon followed by its sister ship, bringing the brief history of this experimental destroyer class to an end.

Characteristics

Length : 68.00 m

Width : 7.00 m

Draught : 3.00 m

Mass : 600 tons

This vessel boasts a truly unique propulsion system, featuring three engines, two turbines, and a triple-expansion steam engine, all powered by four Normand coal-fired boilers. This configuration gives it a total power output of 8,500 hp, allowing it to reach a speed of 28 knots (a speed of 31.3 knots was achieved during sea trials). Its range is 2,200 nautical miles at a speed of 10 knots.

Its crew consists of 79 sailors.

Weapons

The ship’s armament is designed to be simple but effective, and therefore includes the following:

Guns :

6 x 65mm/50 Mle1905 canons

Torpedo :

1 x 450mm fix bow tube (Torpedo 450 Mle1906)
2 x 1 450mm adjustable tube (Torpedo 450 Mle1906)

In addition to the 3 torpedo already present in the tubes, 3 other were in hold (1 reload per tube)

In-game this ship would be an incredible addition to the French tree, bringing a ship with a completely original engine system and substantial armament, making the Voltigeur an interesting addition to the French coastal tree.

Pictures

Sources