The Aylwins were the second of five "second-generation" 1000-ton four-stack destroyer classes that were front-line ships of the Navy until the 1920s.

[3] The class was probably equipped with one or two depth charge racks each for anti-submarine convoy escort missions in World War I.

[2] The ships were equipped with four White-Forster boilers supplying steam to two Cramp direct-drive steam turbines driving two shafts for 16,000 shp (12,000 kW) as designed; all of the class exceeded this on trials.

[5] Compound steam engines could be clutched to the shafts for economical medium-speed cruising.

[1] Aylwin achieved 29.6 knots (54.8 km/h; 34.1 mph) on trials at 16,286 shp (12,144 kW); this was typical for the others of the class.