Fact Sheet 1
The Modified Black Swan class
A class of sloop of the Royal Navy and Royal Indian Navy. Twenty-nine modified Black Swans were launched between 1942 and 1945 including HMS WHIMBREL and HMS STARLING.
Sloops were specialized convoy-defence vessels, with anti-aircraft and anti-submarine capability. They were designed to have a longer range than a destroyer at the expense of a lower top speed, while remaining capable of outrunning U-boats.
In World War II, Black Swan-class sloops sank 29 U-boats. The most famous sloop commander was Captain Frederic John Walker. His sloop Starling became one of the most successful submarine hunters, taking part in the sinking of eleven U-boats.
After the war, sloops continued in service with the Royal Navy, Egyptian Navy, Indian Navy, Pakistani Navy and the West German Navy.
