View source for Visby-class destroyer

{{Short description|Ship class}}
{{Other ships|Visby-class corvette}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Visby (J11).JPG
|Ship caption= ''Visby''
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Visby'' class
|Builders=
|Operators={{navy|SWE}}
|Class before={{sclass|Göteborg|destroyer|4}}
|Class after={{sclass|Öland|destroyer|4}}
|Subclasses=
|Built range=1942–1944
|In commission range=1943–1982
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=4
|Total ships completed=4
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=4
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Destroyer]]/[[frigate]]
|Ship displacement=1,135–1,320&nbsp;tons
|Ship length={{convert|98|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|9|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|3.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed={{convert|39|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=155
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*''As destroyer''
*3 × {{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on}} guns
*4 x {{convert|40|mm|in|abbr=on}} cannons
*4 x {{convert|20|mm|in|abbr=on}} cannons
*6 x {{convert|533|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s 
*''As frigate''
*2 × [[57&nbsp;mm lvakan M/50|57&nbsp;mm lvakan m/50 B]]
*4 × [[Bofors 375mm anti submarine rockets|{{convert|375|mm|in|abbr=on}} anti-submarine rocket launcher]]
*[[Depth charge]]s
*[[Naval mine|Mines]]
|Ship armour=
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=1 helicopter as frigate
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

The '''''Visby'' class''' was a Swedish [[World War II]] [[destroyer]] class. During the years 1942–1944 four ships, {{HSwMS|Visby|J11|2}}, {{HSwMS|Sundsvall|J12|2}}, {{HSwMS|Hälsingborg|J13|2}} and {{HSwMS|Kalmar|J14|2}}, were built and delivered to the [[Swedish navy]]. The ships were  a part of Sweden's military buildup during the war. Under this period the ships were used as neutral guards and escort ships. In 1965 the ships were modified and rebuilt as [[frigate]]s. Two of the ships were decommissioned in 1978 and the last two followed in 1982.

== Orders ==
During the first years of the War Sweden's armed forces went through a massive reinforcement. In 1941, as part of this build-up, the Swedish government ordered four new destroyers for the Swedish navy, of which two were replacements for three destroyers sunk in an explosion on 17 September that year.{{#tag:ref|The three destroyers sunk at the Naval base at [[Hårsfjärden]] near [[Stockholm]] on 17 September were {{HSwMS|Göteborg||2}}, {{HSwMS|Klas Horn||2}} and {{HSwMS|Klas Ugla||2}}. ''Göteborg'' and ''Klas Horn'' were later salvaged and returned to service, while ''Klas Ugla'' was scrapped.<ref name="Whitley p249"/><ref name="Conways22 p372">Gardiner and Chesneau 1980, p. 372.</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} The new class would be based on the older {{sclass|Göteborg|destroyer|1}} that were classified as a "Town-class destroyer" and because of this classified as "Modified Town-class destroyers", (''modifierad Stadsjagare''). In total four ships were built, two at the ''Götaverken''-shipyard and two at the ''Eriksbergs'' shipyard.<ref name="Whitley p250">Whitley 2000, p. 250.</ref><ref name="war p60">Palmstierna 1972, p. 60.</ref>

== Design ==
The design was largely based on the ''Göteborg''-class destroyer, with a similar main armament of three {{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on}} M/24 [[Bofors]] guns in three single mounts, but in an improved arrangement, with the second gun mounted aft, firing over the third gun rather than between the funnels as in the earlier destroyers, thus improving fields of fire. Anti-aircraft armament was also improved, consisting of four [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40 mm gun]]s in a twin mount on the ship's centreline between the banks of torpedo tubes, and two single mounts mounted port and starboard further forward. These were supplemented by several 20&nbsp;mm cannon,{{#tag:ref|Sources differ as to the number of 20 mm cannon carried. Palmsteirna states two,<ref name="war p60,73">Palmsteirna 1972, pp. 60, 73.</ref> while Gardiner and Chesneau states three<ref name="Conways22 p373"/> and Whitley states four.<ref name="Whitley p249"/>|group=lower-alpha}} also by Bofors. The ships' torpedo armament remained six {{convert|53|cm|in|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s in two triple mounts.<ref name="war p60"/><ref name="Whitley p249-0"/> The ships were fitted for minelaying, with up to 20 [[Naval mine|mines]] being carried, while anti-submarine armament consisted of four [[depth charge]] throwers.<ref name="Conways22 p373"/>

The hull was lengthened compared with the ''Göteborg'' class, giving a [[length between perpendiculars]] of {{convert|95.0|m|ftin}} and an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|98|m|ftin}} with a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|9.0|m|ftin}} and a [[Draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|3.8|m|ftin}}. [[Displacement (ship)|Displacement]] was {{convert|1135|LT|t|lk=in}} standard and {{convert|1320|LT|t}} full load.<ref name="Whitley p249"/> A square [[stern]] was fitted. Like the ''Göteborg'' class, the superstructure was built using light alloys to save weight.<ref name="war p60"/> Three [[Three-drum boiler|3-drum boiler]]s fed superheated steam to two de Laval geared [[steam turbine]]s, driving two shafts and giving {{convert|36000|shp|kW}}, allowing a speed of {{convert|39|kn}} to be reached.<ref name="Whitley p249"/><ref name="Conways22 p373"/>

== Rebuilds ==
[[File:HMS Sundsvall.jpg|thumb|right|''Sundsvall'' with a [[Piasecki H-21|Piasecki HkP1]] helicopter during the mid-1960s]]
From 1957 to 1959, ''Hälsingborg'' and ''Kalmar'' were modified, removing the aft set of torpedo tubes and replacing the forward triple mount with a quintuple set of tubes.<ref name="war p73">Palmstierna 1972, p. 73.</ref> From 1964, ''Visby'' and ''Sundsvall'' underwent a much more expensive reconstruction, being completely rearmed. As recommissioned on 14 October 1966, the two destroyers were armed with two Bofors {{convert|57|mm|in|abbr=on}} anti-aircraft guns, one forward and one aft, with a quadruple {{convert|375|mm|in|abbr=on}} Bofors anti-submarine rocket launcher replacing the torpedo tubes. The ships' bridges were enlarged and a platform for a helicopter fitted. The ships' radar fit was also updated.<ref name="war p69">Palmsteirna 1972, p. 69.</ref>

All four ships were redesignated as frigates on 1 January 1965.<ref name="jfs71 p304"/>

== Decommissioning ==
In the 1970s the Swedish government decided that the navy would give up its [[blue-water navy]] capacity and become a more coast-based navy. All frigates and destroyers were decommissioned. The first two ''Visby''-class frigates left the navy in 1978 and in 1982 the remaining two followed. HSwMS ''Visby'' and HSwMS ''Sundsvall'' were used as target ships before being sold to Spain for scrapping.

==Ships==
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!Name
!Pennant number
!Builder
!Laid Down
!Launched<ref name="Whitley p249">Whitley 2000, p. 249.</ref>
!Commissioned<ref name="Whitley p249"/>
!Fate
|-
|{{ship|HSwMS|Visby|J11|2}}||J11||[[Götaverken]]||29 April 1942<ref name="jfs71 p304">Blackman 1971, p. 304.</ref>||16 October 1942||10 August 1943||Stricken 1 July 1982, scrapped Spain.<ref name="Whitley p249-0">Whitley 2000, pp. 249–250.</ref>
|-
|{{ship|HSwMS|Sundsvall|J12|2}}||J12||[[Eriksbergs Mekaniska Verkstad|Eriksberg]]||1942<ref name="Whitley p249"/>||20 October 1942||17 September 1943||Stricken 1 July 1982, scrapped Spain 1985<ref name="Whitley p249-0"/>
|-
|{{ship|HSwMS|Hälsingborg|J13|2}}||J13||Götaverken||1942<ref name="Whitley p249"/>||23 March 1943||30 November 1943||Stricken 1 July 1978, scrapped 1979<ref name="Conways22 p373">Gardiner and Chesneau 1980, p. 373.</ref>
|-
|{{ship|HSwMS|Kalmar|J14|2}}||J14||Eriksberg||16 November 1942<ref name="jfs71 p304"/>||20 July 1943||2 February 1944||Stricken 1 July 1978, used as target<ref name="Conways22 p373"/>
|}

==References==

===Notes===
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Sources===
{{Commons category|Visby class destroyer}}
* {{cite book|last=Blackman|first=Raymond V. B.|title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72|year=1971|publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd|location=London|isbn=0-354-00096-9}}
* {{cite book|editor-last1=Gardiner|editor-first1=Robert|editor-last2=Chesneau|editor-first2=Roger|title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|year=1980|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Palmsteirna|first=C.|title=Swedish Torpedo Boats & Destroyers: Part II - Destroyers|magazine=[[Warship International]]|date=31 March 1972|volume=IX|issue=1|pages=59–77}}
*{{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia |year=2000| publisher=Cassell & Co.|location=London|isbn=1-85409-521-8|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}

{{Visby class destroyer}}
{{WWII Swedish ships}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Visby Class Destroyer}}
[[Category:Visby-class destroyers| ]]
[[Category:Destroyer classes]]
[[Category:Swedish destroyer classes]]