HSMS Wrangel (DD-1917)

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While previous classes of what the Scandinavians had called destroyers, were in fact more of torpedo boat size. The Wrangel Class were full destroyers built as escorts to the Kung Gustaf class battlecruisers. The Kung Gustaf class were big and fast so the Wrangel class needed to be big and fast as well. In size the ships were as big as the Marksman class leaders that the British were building at the same time.

Built in pairs the eight ships of the class were completed between 1917 and 1919. When completed the ships were completed with five single 3.9" guns, mounted two side by side on the forecastle deck with the other three mounted on the centerline, two superfiring aft and one between the funnels. Six 50mm AA guns and six torpedo tubes finished out a more than adequate armament. Propulsion for 34 knots was provided.

The ships received various refits during the 1920's and 1930's to keep the ships up to date with other countries destroyers. Having been of a large size to start with they were never quite outclassed by other countries destroyers till the large destroyers of the late 1930's. It is interesting that only 4 years lay between the Ornen and the Wrangel but the speed of advance of technology of the time made them seem from different centuries. The major refit replaced the side by side 3.9" on the forecastle with the light twin dual purpose turrets that appeared during the 1930's. The other single 3.9" were also refurbished onto AA mountings. The old 50mm were replaced with 20mm AA cannons.

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