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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY (UNITED KINGDOM)

ESCORTS   

"CASTLE" corvettes

       Hadleigh Castle 1943

Hadleigh Castle 1945

Name No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Allington Castle (ex-Amaryllis) K689 - F89 Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley 7/1943 29/2/1944 6/1944 BU 12/1958
Alnwick Castle K405 - F105 George Brown, Greenock 6/1943 23/5/1944 11/1944 BU 12/1958
Alton Castle   Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Amberley Castle K386 - F286 Austin, Sunderland 5/1943 27/11/1943 11/1944 meteorological vessel 1960
Appleby Castle   Austin, Sunderland 1943 --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Arnprior (ex-Rising Castle) (RCN) K494 Harland & Wolff, Belfast 6/1943 8/2/1944 6/1944 to Uruguay 1948 (Montevideo)
Avedon Castle   Kingston, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Bamborough Castle K412 - F12 Lewis, Aberdeen 7/1943 11/1/1944 5/1944 BU 5/1959
Barnard Castle K594 George Brown, Greenock 1943 3/10/1944 --- // 1945 completed as convoy rescue ship Empire Shelter
Barnwell Castle   Kingston, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Beeston Castle   Kingston, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Bere Castle   George Brown, Greenock --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Berkeley Castle K387 - F387 Barclay Curle, Glasgow 3/1943 19/8/1943 11/1943 technical accident 2/1953, never repaired, BU 2/1956
Bodiam Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Bolton Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Bowes Castle   Kingston, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Bowmanville (ex-Nunnery Castle) (RCN) K493 Pickersgill, Sunderland 8/1943 26/1/1944 9/1944 sold 1947
Bramber Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Bridgnorth Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Brough Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Caistor Castle K690 - F690 Lewis, Aberdeen 8/1943 22/5/1944 9/1944 BU 1956
Caldecot Castle   George Brown, Greenock --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Calshot Castle   Inglis, Glasgow --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Canterbury Castle   Midland, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Carew Castle   Midland, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Carisbrooke Castle K379 - F379 Caledon, Dundee 3/1943 31/7/1943 11/1943 BU 6/1958
Chepstow Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Chester Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Christchurch Castle   Midland, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Clare Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Clavering Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Clitheroe Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Clun Castle   Midland, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Colchester Castle   Midland, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Copper Cliff (ex-Hever Castle) (RCN) K495 Blyth 6/1943 24/2/1944 7/1944 sold 1947
Corfe Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Cornet Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Cowes Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Cowling Castle   Midland, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Criccieth Castle   Morton, Quebec City, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Cromer Castle   Midland, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Denbigh Castle K696 Lewis, Aberdeen 9/1943 5/8/1944 12/1944 sunk 13/2/1945
Devizes Castle   Kingston, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Dhyfe Castle   Collingwood, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Dover Castle   Inglis, Glasgow --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Dudley Castle   Inglis, Glasgow --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Dumbarton Castle K388 - F388 Caledon, Dundee 5/1943 28/9/1943 2/1944 BU 3/1961
Dunster Castle   Midland, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Egremont Castle   Kingston, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Farnham Castle K413 - F413 Crown, Sunderland 6/1943 25/4/1944 1/1945 BU 10/1964
Flint Castle K383 - F383 Robb, Leith 4/1943 1/9/1943 12/1943 BU 7/1958
Fotheringay Castle   Morton, Quebec City, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Hadleigh Castle K355 - F355 Smiths Dock, South Bank 4/1943 21/6/1943 9/1943 BU 1/1959
Hedingham Castle (ex-Gorey Castle) K529 - F386 Crown, Sunderland 11/1943 30/10/1944 5/1945 BU 4/1958
Helmsley Castle   Morton, Quebec City, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Hespeler (ex-Guilford Castle) (RCN) K489 Robb, Leith 5/1943 13/11/1943 2/1944 sold 1947
Humberstone (ex-Norham Castle, ex-Totnes Castle) (RCN) K497 Inglis, Glasgow 8/1943 12/4/1944 9/1944 sold 1947
Huntsville (ex-Wolvesey Castle) (RCN) K499 Ailsa, Troon 6/1943 24/2/1944 6/1944 sold 1947
Hurst Castle K416 Caledon, Dundee 8/1943 23/2/1944 6/1944 sunk 1/9/1944
Kenilworth Castle K420 - F420 Smiths Dock, South Bank 5/1943 17/8/1943 11/1943 BU 6/1959
Kincardine (ex-Tamworth Castle) (RCN) K490 Smiths Dock, South Bank 8/1943 26/1/1944 6/1944 sold 1947
Knaresborough Castle K389 - F389 Blyth 4/1943 28/9/1943 4/1944 BU 3/1956
Lancaster Castle K691 - F691 Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley 9/1943 14/4/1944 9/1944 BU 9/1960
Launceston Castle K397 - F397 Blyth 5/1943 27/11/1943 6/1944 BU 8/1959
Leaside (ex-Walmer Castle) (RCN) K492 Smiths Dock, South Bank 9/1943 10/3/1944 8/1944 sold 11/1946
Leeds Castle K384 - F384 Pickersgill, Sunderland 4/1943 12/10/1943 2/1944 BU 6/1958
Maiden Castle K443 Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley 1943 8/6/1944 --- // 11/1944 completed as convoy rescue ship  Empire Lifeguard
Malling Castle   Morton, Quebec City, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Malmesbury Castle   Morton, Quebec City, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Monmouth Castle   Lewis, Aberdeen --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Morpeth Castle K693 - F693 Pickersgill, Sunderland 6/1943 26/11/1943 7/1944 BU 8/1960
Norwich Castle   George Brown, Greenock --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Oakham Castle K530 - F530 Inglis, Glasgow 11/1943 20/7/1944 12/1944 meteorological vessel 1957
Orangeville (ex-Hedingham Castle) (RCN) K491 Robb, Leith 7/1943 26/1/1944 4/1944 sold 1947
Oswestry Castle   Crown, Sunderland --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Oxford Castle K692 - F692 Harland & Wolff, Belfast 6/1943 11/12/1943 3/1944 BU 9/1960
Pendennis Castle   Crown, Sunderland --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Petrolia (ex-Sherborne Castle) (RCN) K498 Harland & Wolff, Belfast 6/1943 24/2/1944 6/1944 BU 1946
Pevensey Castle K449 - F449 Harland & Wolff, Belfast 6/1943 11/1/1944 6/1944 meteorological vessel 1959
Portchester Castle K362 - F362 Swan Hunter, Wallsend 3/1943 21/6/1943 11/1943 BU 5/1958
Raby Castle   Morton, Quebec City, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Rayleigh Castle K695 Ferguson, Glasgow 1943 19/6/1944 --- // 10/1944 completed as convoy rescue ship Empire Rest
Rhuddlan Castle   Crown, Sunderland --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Rushen Castle K372 - F372 Swan Hunter, Wallsend 4/1943 16/7/1943 2/1944 meteorological vessel 1960
St. Thomas (ex-Sandgate Castle) (RCN) K488 Smiths Dock, South Bank 6/1943 28/12/1943 5/1944 sold 1946
Scarborough Castle K536 Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley 1944 8/9/1944 --- // 1/1945 completed as convoy rescue ship Empire Peacemaker
Shrewsbury Castle   Swan Hunter, Wallsend 5/1943 16/8/1943 --- // 4/1944 to Norway at completion (Tunsberg Castle)
Thornbury Castle   Ferguson, Glasgow --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Tillsonburg (ex-Pembroke Castle) (RCN) K496 Ferguson, Glasgow 6/1943 12/2/1944 6/1944 sold 1947
Tintagel Castle K399 - F399 Ailsa, Troon 4/1943 13/12/1943 4/1944 BU 6/1958
Trematon Castle   Morton, Quebec City, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Tonbridge Castle   Austin, Sunderland --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Tutbury Castle   Morton, Quebec City, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
Warkworth Castle   Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley --- --- --- cancelled 10/1943
Wigmore Castle   Midland, Canada --- --- --- cancelled 12/1943
York Castle K537 Ferguson, Glasgow 1944 20/9/1944 --- // 2/1945 completed as convoy rescue ship Empire Comfort

 

 

Displacement standard, t

1010 - 1060

Displacement full, t

1590 - 1630

Length, m

68.6 pp 76.8 oa

Breadth, m

11.2

Draught, m

4.11 - 4.19 deep load

No of shafts

1

Machinery

VTE, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers

Power, h. p.

2750

Max speed, kts

16.5

Fuel, t

oil 480

Endurance, nm(kts)

6200(15)

Armament

1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk XIX, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, (2 - 6) x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 1 x 3 - 305 Squid DCT, 2 DCT, 1 DCR (15)

Convoy rescue ships: 2 x 1 - 76/40 QF Mk I HA, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon

Sensors

British-built ships: type 276, 291 radars, sonar

Canadian-built ships: type 268, 276 radars, sonar

Complement

120

Ship project history: The further development of successful "Flower" class. The dimensions of the hull have been increased for elimination of the basic lacks of a prototype: bad habitability and a small fuel stowage. Though machinery practically without changes copied previous class at the expense of increase in the L/B relation, maximal speed remained practically same. Larger dimensions have allowed to place more powerful anti-submarine weapon: "Castle" class corvettes became the first British ships carrying newest Squid.

In total under 1942 and 1943 programs it was planed to built 59 ships, however only 39 entered service on an original design. 5 More (Empire Shelter, Empire Rest, Empire Lifeguard, Empire Peacemaker and Empire Comfort) have been completed as convoy rescue ships and carried a merchant flag, formally not being a part of the Royal Navy. Instead of regular armament they had 2 õ 1 76mm/40 guns and 4 õ 1 20mm Oerlikons. The order for the remaining have cancelled, as well as on 36, planed to a building in Canada.

Modernizations: None.

Naval service: Hurst Castle 1/9/1944 was sunk by German submarine U482 W of Ireland, Denbigh Castle 13/2/1945 was sunk by U992 in Barents sea. All were reclassified to frigates in 1947. Berkeley Castle was turned over in dock in February 1953 and never repaired. Meteorological vessels were armed by 1 40/60-mm Bofors gun and 1 Squid.

Flint Castle 1951

 

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© Ivan Gogin, 2008-10