French destroyer Commandant Lucas

Commandant Lucas was one of six Bisson-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the 1910s.

Commandant Lucas (LA, second from left) and sister ship Protet (OT, left) at anchor in Toulon, 1926
History
France
Name	Commandant Lucas
Builder	Arsenal de Toulon
Laid down	February 1912
Launched	11 July 1914
Completed	1914
Stricken	June 1933
General characteristics
Class & type	Bisson-class destroyer
Displacement	756–791 t (744–779 long tons)
Length	78.1 m (256 ft 3 in) (p/p)
Beam	8.6 m (28 ft 3 in)
Draft	3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)
Installed power	15,000 shp (11,185 kW) 4 water-tube boilers
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 steam turbines
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range	1,950 nmi (3,610 km; 2,240 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement	80–83
Armament	2 × single 100 mm (3.9 in) guns 4 × single 65 mm (2.6 in) guns 2 × twin 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes

Design and description

Sister ship Bisson in harbor

The Bisson class were enlarged versions of the preceding Bouclier class built to a more standardized design. The ships had a length between perpendiculars of 78.1 meters (256 ft 3 in), a beam of 8.6 meters (28 ft 3 in), and a draft of 3.1 meters (10 ft 2 in).^[1] Designed to displace 850–880 metric tons (837–866 long tons),^[2] they displaced 756–791 t (744–779 long tons) at normal load. Their crew numbered 80–83 men.^[1]

Commandant Lucas was powered by a pair of Breguet steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by four Indret water-tube boilers. The engines were designed to produce 15,000 shaft horsepower (11,000 kW) which was intended to give the ships a speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). During her sea trials, Commandant Lucas reached a speed of 30.02 knots (55.60 km/h; 34.55 mph).^[2] The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 1,450 nautical miles (2,690 km; 1,670 mi) at cruising speeds of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph).^[1]

The primary armament of the Bisson-class ships consisted of two 100-millimeter (3.9 in) Modèle 1893 guns in single mounts, one each fore and aft of the superstructure, and four 65-millimeter (2.6 in) Modèle 1902 guns distributed amidships. They were also fitted with two twin mounts for 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes amidships.^[2]

Construction and career

Commandant Lucas was ordered from the Arsenal de Toulon and was launched on 11 July 1914. The ship was completed later that year.^[2]