The Royal Navy's First Guided Missile Destroyer: A sit-away drawing of the Royal Navy's First guided missile dstroyer which will be launched and named evinshire today by H.R.G. Princess and Alexandra at the Birkenshead yesterday of Camel Laird and Company (Ship builder and Engineers Ltd) The Devonshire will be the first operational ship of the Royal Navy to be the first operational ship of the Royal Navy to be fitted with both the Seaslug medium-range ship-to-air guided missile and the seacat, the short range ship-to-air weapon;. Her 4.5 inch guns in twin mountings forward are radar controlled. During recent test firing of Seaslug, not fitted with warheads, four rounds of seven were direct hits, the remaining near misses would also have been successful. The dEvonshire has a standard displavcemtn of 5,000 tons. nearly twice tha of the modren Daring Class ships wehich at the present time are the Navy's largest destroyers.Her overall length is 520-feet -130-feet more than a daring. Three other ships of the same class are being built. The Devonshire is expected to take her place in the fleet early in 1962, and her sister ships by spring o 1963. (The Key) (1) Seaslug Lanncher. (2) C.P.O'S Mess. (3) Wessex anti-submarine helicopter. (4) crews dining hall (5) missile-guidance radar. (6) missile stowage, (7) seacat close-range anti-aircraft missile, (8) homing anti-submarine torpedo tubes. (9) inflatable life rats. (10) enclosed bridge. (11) 4.5 twin gun mountings, (12) gas turbine room. (13) gearing room. (14) boiler room. (15)after turbine room (16) fuel tanks.
Photo measures 8.25 x 6 inches.
Photo is dated 6-10-1960.
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