1:600 Hunt class, group 1, with the 2pdr. bow-chaser and single 20mm AA in the wings. © Andrew Arthur

1:600 Hunt class group 1, HMS Eglington. © Andrew Arthur

1:600 Hunt class, group 2, with the modified bridge, third twin 4" and the quad pom-pom moved amidships © Andrew Arthur

1:600 Hunt class group 2, HMS Badsworth. © Andrew Arthur

1:600 Hunt class group 2, HMS Chiddingford. © Andrew Arthur

1:600 Hunt class, group 3. The bridge was modified and moved aft, the mast and funnel had no rake, the quarterdeck gun removed, the searchlight moved onto the aft shelter deck, a twin 21" torpedo tube amidships and a third 20mm AA on the aft shelter deck. Although little heavier than the group 2, the shift in weight distribution needed 40 tons of permanent ballast to maintain stability © Andrew Arthur

1:600 Hunt class group 2, HMS Aldenham, in a striking splinter camouflage © Andrew Arthur

1:600 Hunt class group 3, HMS Wensleydale © Andrew Arthur

1:600 Hunt class group 4, HMS Brecon. They were largely different to the other class members, with a new hull, armament and superstructure, but with a common powerplant and role - albeit much more capable and expensive. They lacked the stabilisation tanks, being large enough to be inherintly stable. © Andrew Arthur

1:600 Hunt class group 4, HMS Brissenden. She has a 2pdr/. bow-chaser added and had SW type 271 RDF added in-place of the searchlight. © Andrew Arthur

The Hunt class evolved from the unsuitability of converting old fleet destroyers to escort destroyers. The main reasons why such a class were needed was, firstly, that a new, utilitarian design could be built quicker than older construction became available for conversion, and secondly, that the high speed of the older destroyers was wasted as escorts, asdics not working effectively at anything over 20 knots. A small design with dual-purpose main guns, no torpedoes, a light AA armament and a speed of around 25 knots would be cheap, quick and economical to build, and be ideal for both anti-submarine and anti-aircraft escorts.
The pre-war sloop HMS Bittern was seen as the most desirable model, displacing 1090 tons, being 282 feet in length, making 18.75 knots and armed with three twin 4" AA controlled by a HA director, with fin stabilisers to provide a good firing platform.
However, to do all that and more ( 27 knots speed and ship a quad pom-pom ) on 8 feet less beam would make a very cramped and unstable design, and a mis-calculation in design meant that they were too unstable and drastically nneded a reduction in top-weight. This was done by removing the twin 4" gun inended for the aft shelter deck, and in turn this also eased supply demands. The pom-pom was moved from abaft the funnel to the shelter deck, and in turn had a much greater field of fire.
The second group had 2½ feet more beam, and so were stable enough to accept the third 4" AA and the pom-pom was returned to it's original position. A new, flat-faced bridge was also designed.
Too unstable and short-ranged for trans-oceanic work, they performed excellent service, particualarly in the anti-aircraft role, as East Coast, North Sea and Mediterranean escorts.
The AA armament was strengthened in nearly all ships in group 1 and all in group 2 by adding a single 20mm AA cannon in each wing ( at the fo'c'sle break in Fernie only ) and nearly all group 1 and 3 group 2 fitted a 2pdr. bow-chaser to ward off MTB attacks and cover the forward fire arcs.
The lack of torpedoes was sorely felt in the North African theatre, were opportunities often arose to attack merchant shipping, and this resulted in the third group replacing one twin 4" AA with a twin 21" torpedo tube amidships. This design was only 10 tons heavier than the Group 2, and on the same hull, but a shift in displacements needed 40 tons of ballast to be added to keep them stable ( it probably would have been more sensible to retain the quarterdeck and remove the shelter deck gun, although this would have meant quite a large blind fire-arc for the aft gun. )
Apart from early war losses, all survivors eventually recieved AW type 286/290 on the tripod and AR type 285 on the HA director. However, only a few ( Cotswold, Silverton, Bleasdale and Wensleydale ) had SW type 271/272 added in-place of the searchlight, highlighting that they were more used in the AA role, mainly because that the corvettes / frigates / sloops were in full production and were much more suited to the ASW role, and there were few other escort vessels with 4 / 6 radar controlled 4" AA.
The third group also fitted a third 20mm AA on the aft shelter deck, and some or all had these later replaced by twin 20mm. Belvoir, Easton, Haydon, Melbreak, Stevenstone and Talybont, and a few others, had a 40mm Bofors AA mounted in front of the bridge and on the quarterdeck.
All of these three groups had retractable fin stabilisers, althogh these were very unpopuolar, and were mostly all removed and replaced by a 63 ton fuel bunker.

The group 4 design was anticipated pre-war by Thornycroft, deciding that a small number of vessels would be needed to fill the gap between the escort destroyer and fleet destroyer.
Differing from the fairly conventional destroyer hulls of the first groups, a 'U' shaped fo'c'sle type hull was strange in that the break was so far aft with only a small quarterdeck. The larger hull, with a squared and widened mid-section was adpoted to dipose of the need for stabilisers, whilst retaining stability for the AA guns. This hull was also much more efficient for mid-speed steaming, being 8% more efficient than a regular destroyer hull ( at 20 knots ) , for a 2% loss at full speed.
The long fo'c'sle also allowed the crew to man all the guns under the cover of the deck, and a double-flare to the full forward ( and amidships ) meant that the bows and decks were kept much drier. A bullet proof bridge, more akin to fleet destroyer design was fitted, and the fact that the triple torpedo tube mas mounted one deck higher in usual allowed the training gear to be 1 deck lower, operating from the safety of the hull, and meant for a more compact tube.
The Admirality, however, was not very impressed, and only two were ordered, with power reduced from the deisgned 25,000 shp to the regular Hunt class 19,000 shp.
Two twin and two single 20mm AA were shipped ( in thew wings and abeam the searchlight respectively ) and Brissenden shipped a 2pdr. bow-chaser. AW type 286 was mounted on the tripod, and AR type 285 on the director, and in Brissenden only, SW type 271 replaced the searchlight.
Although not officially popuolar for not quite being either a fleet or escort destroyer ( on paper ), they were very well recieved by their crews, and viewed by them as much superior to the other groups.

HMS Adrias, RHN operated, in 1943 before mining © Steven Johnson's Cberheritage

Another shot of Adrias © Steven Johnson's Cberheritage

HMS Albrighton and attendant seagulls. Note quad pom-pom abaft funnel © Steven Johnson's Cberheritage

HMS Atherstone © Steven Johnson's Cberheritage

HMS Blackmore, with a 2 pdr. bow-chaser to beat off MTB attacks