NRP Vouga (D334)

NRP Vouga was one of five Douro-class destroyer built for the Portuguese Navy during the 1930s. She remained in service until the early 1960s.

Design and description
The Douro-class ships were designed by the British shipbuilder Yarrows and were based on HMS Ambuscade (D38), a prototype destroyer built for the Royal Navy in 1926 by Yarrow. They were 323 ft long overall, with a beam of 31 ft and a draught of 11 ft. The ships displaced 1219 LT at standard load and 1563 LT at full load. The Douros were powered by two Parsons-Curtis geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by three Yarrow boilers. The turbines, rated at 33000 shp, were intended to give a maximum speed of 36 kn. The destroyers carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 5400 nmi at 15 kn.

Armament was similar to contemporary Royal Navy destroyers, with a gun armament of four 4.7 in (120 mm) Vickers-Armstrong Mk G guns, and three 2-pounder (40 mm) Mk VIII anti-aircraft guns. Two quadruple banks of 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes were carried, while two depth charge throwers and 12 depth charges constituted the ships' anti-submarine armament. Up to 20 mines could be carried. The ships' complement consisted of 147 officers and men.

Construction and career
The five destroyers carried out patrols to defend Portugal's neutrality during the Second World War. Their anti-aircraft armament was revised during 1942–1943, with the 40 mm guns and one of the banks of torpedo tubes replaced by six 20 mm cannon. The ships were refitted by Yarrow from 1946 to 1949, with the machinery refurbished, anti-aircraft armament again revised to three Bofors 40 mm gun in powered mounts and three 20 mm cannon. Sonar and British Type 285 and Type 291 radars were fitted.