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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY (UNITED KINGDOM)

ESCORTS

"RIVER" (British- and early Canadian-built) frigates

Fal 1943

Jed 1944

 

Displacement standard, t	1310 - 1460
Displacement full, t	1920 - 2180
Length, m	86.3 pp 91.8 oa
Breadth, m	11.2
Draught, m	3.61 - 3.89 deep load
No of shafts	2
Machinery	VTE, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers Cam, Chelmer, Ettrick, Halladale, Helmsdale: Parsons geared steam turbines, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Power, h. p.	5500 Cam, Chelmer, Ettrick, Halladale, Helmsdale: 6500
Max speed, kts	20 Cam, Chelmer, Ettrick, Halladale, Helmsdale: 21
Fuel, t	Ballinderry, Bann, Chelmer, Dart, Derg, Ettrick, Exe, Itchen, Jed, Kale, Ness, Nith, Ribble, Rother, Spey, Swale, Tay, Test, Teviot, Trent, Tweed, Waveney, Wear: oil 440 late ships: oil 646
Armament	Ballinderry, Bann, Chelmer, Dart, Derg, Ettrick, Exe, Itchen, Jed, Kale, Ness, Nith, Ribble, Swale, Tay, Test, Teviot, Trent, Tweed, Waveney, Wear: 2 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk XIX, (4 - 6) x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (126), sweeps others: 2 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk XIX, (4 - 6) x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT, 8 DCT, 2 DCR (126) Rother, Spey: 2 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk XIX, 2 x 1 - 40/39 pompom, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT, 8 DCT, 2 DCR (126), sweeps Deveron, Mourne, Towy: 2 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk XIX, (1 - 2) x 1 - 57/40 Hotchkiss, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT, 8 DCT, 2 DCR (126)
Sensors	type 271 or 272, 291 radars, sonars
Complement	140

Ship project history: Design of "River" class frigate is developed in 1941 when it became clear, that for service in Atlantic escorts are required larger than "Flower" class corvettes. Significantly increased dimensions have allowed to improve seaworthiness and conditions of habitability of crew, to place additional armament and to fit twin-shaft machinery (actually doubled machinery of "Flower" class corvettes) and to increase speed to 20kts. An exception made 5 ships which have received more powerful turbine machinery.

Originally known as "twin-screw corvettes", "River" class ships, as well as their predecessors, created on standards of merchant shipbuilding, but their hulls had outlines more habitual for a warship, and its slenderness has increased from 6 to 8. Thus the building technology, as well as  corvettes, as much as possible adapted for usage on the yards which do not have experience of construction of combat ships.

First 24 British-built ships, besides anti-submarine armament, were equipped with the minesweeping equipment. On the subsequent ships it was absent, and fuel stowage has been increased from 440 to 646ts of oil.

Ships of 2nd group were built in Canada under British order, 10 from them intended for transfer to US Navy which during this period felt the big requirement in escorts. However by the moment of completing of frigates intended to USN they have appeared are not necessary, as in the USA own program of building of the similar ships has been developed. Only 2 were transferred really to USN, remaining 8 (Barle, Cuckmere, Evenlode, Findhorn, Inver, Lossie, Parret and Schiel) have supplemented Royal Navy by lend-lease. The remaining 25 Canadian-built ships were a part of RCN.

Modernizations: 1943 - 1944, all survived: DC stowage increased up to 150.

1943 - 1944, all survived ships: - (4 - 6) x 1 - 20/70; + 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon or (4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon)

1944, Helmsdale: - 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog; + 1 x 3 - 305 Squid DCT, DC stowage decreased to 54.

1944 - 1945, Inver: - 4 x 2 - 20/70, 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors, 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors

1944 - 1945, Meon, Usk: - 3 x 2 - 20/70; + 3 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors

1944 - 1945, Awe, Bann, Halladale, Helford, Jed, Kale, Ness, Nith, Tay, Teviot: - 2 x 2 - 20/70; + 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors

1944 - 1945, Barle, Taff: - 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 1 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors

1945, most survived Canadian-built frigates: - 2 x 1 - 102/40; + 1 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI HA

late 1940s, Avon, Ballinderry, Chelmer, Dart, Derg, Dovey, Ettrick, Exe, Fal, Lochy, Nene, Odzani, Plym, Ribble, Rother, Spey, Swale, Tavy, Tees, Test, Tovy, Wear, Wye: - (4 x 2 - 20/70, 2 x 1 - 20/70) or 6 x 2 - 20/70, type 271 or 272 radar; + 6 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors, type 277 radar

late 1940s, Awe, Halladale, Helford, Jed, Kale, Ness, Nith, Tay, Teviot: - 4 x 2 - 20/70, type 271 or 272 radar; + 4 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors, type 277 radar

late 1940s, Usk: - 3 x 2 - 20/70, type 271 or 272 radar; + 3 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors, type 277 radar

late 1940s, Taff: - 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, type 271 or 272 radar; + 5 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors, type 277 radar

late 1940s, Helmsdale was disarmed; 2 x 3 - 305 Squid DCT were installed.

late 1940s, Meon, Waveney were reclassified as HQ landing ships: all old armament was removed. New armament consist of 3 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors and 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, superstructure was enlarged to provide accommodation to marines.

1954, New Glasgow; 1955, Outremont; 1957, Swansea; 1958, New Waterford, as follows:

Naval service: Tweed was sunk by German submarine U305 at coast of Ireland 7/1/1944; ltchen by German submarine U666 at coast of Ireland 22/9/1943; Mourne by German submarine U767 in La Manche 15/6/1944; Valleyfield by German submarine U548 7/5/1944.

Lagan was damaged by submarine 20/9/1943 and never repaired, Aunt also 29/3/1945, Chebogue also 4/10/1944 and Magog 14/10/1944.

Plym 3/10/1952 was lost at nuclear tests. Tir served as TS from 1948.

 

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