Ship "Index"
17). WW11 Escort Sloops, & Frigates,
( # ) - against ships name shows either new or updated entry. - This section updated Mid April 2016.
"Scroll Further Down" to view list of ships.
In
this section I hope to show some of the various classes of "Convoy Escort" ships as they
grew in size and ability throughout WW11.
I have now moved the many photos of the
"Flower Class Corvettes", and those of the larger and more capable
"Castle Class Corvette",
which gradually replaced them from 1943
onwards, to the
following "Index sections ( 17a ) and ( 17b )".
There
are also examples, in the growing "Miscellaneous section" below, of some of the
various other classes of " WW11 Sloop and "Destroyer",
that were
also used as Convoy Escorts.
The American designed "Captains Class",
along with the U.S. derivative of the British "River Class",
known to the
U.S.Navy as the "Tacoma Class" and to the R.N as the "Colony
Class", are also here.
The photo's of these classes of ships have been
provided by a donor who wishes to remain "Anonymous",
hence there are
no credits beneath them.
The "Black
Swan Class", which was a development of the contemporary "Bittern / Egret" class,
was a pre WW11 design "Sloop"- now
re-designated as an A.S.W. Frigate, - is shown here.
These were quite complex and difficult
ships to
build, and needed the resources of large Naval Shipyards
to deal with
their "Steam Turbine" power plants
and associated machinery.
The "River Class" was
a wartime emergency attempt to build a simpler and cheaper ship with all the capabilities of the
"Black Swan's",
albeit around 8 to 10 knots slower. Not all of the
smaller shipbuilding yards at that time
could accommodate the "Rivers" 300ft. hull,
and so a smaller ship was designed at 250ft.
which became the "Castle Class Corvette" as seen in the following
"section 17b".
All of these developments were required, as
the task of escorting convoys grew in its demands,
due to the ever increasing
abilities and performance of the German U-Boats.
It was fortunate indeed that
the wars end came before the introduction, into full active service, of the German
"Type XX1" submarine,
as it would have completely outclassed any then
existing A.S.W. ship employed against it.
As it was, this submarine influenced
the future design of all Navies "Conventional Submarine fleets",
and
altered beyond all recognition the design and performance required of any surface ship
that were to be pitted against them.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
July
1st. 2010. I have now realized that I have many ships
displayed in this, and many of the other sections of my site,
that were part of other
nations Navies who also played a major part alongside the RN in WW11.
Many of
these were ships of the "Royal Indian Navy". Where I have noticed my omission
I have made efforts to make amends,
and note the Navy they were serving with. If
there are others that my sites visitors are aware of,
please feel free to bring
them to my attention through my usual "Contact Me" page.
I
would also like to bring to my visitors attention an excellent book covering the
exploits of the "Royal Indian Navy, 1612 - 1950"
written by
Cmdr.D.J.Hastings R.I.N.V.R. It is certainly an eye opener and,
whilst most of
the R.N. History of WW11 has been focused on the "Battle of the Atlantic",
this book relates
the exploits taking place in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and the Indian Ocean,
many of which are hardly known to present day scholars. This book can be
obtained from "Amazon Books"
either by "clicking" HERE,
to be taken direct to my sites book section,
and then finding the relevant
"link" to it at the bottom of the displayed page, ( this facility is also
accessible from my sites "Front page" ),
or from HERE
to go direct to the Amazon site page for it.
I
hope that this recommendation goes some way to repaying the debt owed by us to
the many who served
in all the armed forces from all the "Commonwealth
and Allied Nations".
______________________________________________________________________
"Black Swan class" ( also includes many "Bittern / Egret Class" ) This class was designed and building commenced pre WW11. It was purely designed from the start as a "Convoy Escort Sloop" with a heavy emphasis on AA. defence as "aircraft" were then seen as the main threat . Its Anti Submarine ( A.S.W. ) capabilities were somewhat of a secondary nature, although this is not all that clear when the exploits of Capt. F.J.Walker, possibly one of the greatest A.S.W. team leaders of WW11 are taken into account. His use of this class of ship as part of the 36th Escort Group and the later 2nd Support Group are almost legendary. They were complicated and difficult ships to build with steam turbine plant. This was one of the main reasons for the adoption of the " River class" of ASW ships. The "Black Swans" were later put to good effect due to their heavy AA fit out with the BPF later in the war, and many also served throughout the Korean war and later with Foreign Navies. 3). Amethyst. – 10 photo’s. # + Short Video clip.5). Calvary. ( or Cauvery - Indian Navy )– 1 photo. 11). Godavari. ( Indian Navy ) - 1 photo. 14). Jhelum. (Indian Navy) - 1 photo. 15). Jumna. (Indian Navy) - 1 photo. 20). Mermaid. – 4 photo's WW11 Sloop. + 1 photo of 1960's oddball "Mermaid"
|
River Class". This class was developed to have the same capabilities as the pre WW11 "Black Swan" class. However, they were much simpler, cheaper and easier to build with "Reciprocating" rather than "Steam Turbine" power plants. They were designed to be 50ft. longer, at 300ft., than the contemporary "Castle Class" ASW Corvettes, seen in section 17b, and so the task of building them could not be carried out in many smaller "Civilian" yards. The design was also used as the basis of the USN "Tacoma class", known to the RN as the "Colony Class". The hull design was later elaborated into the "Loch and Bay Class" Frigates, several of which are displayed in section 16a. of this site. 13). Nunotris. ( ex HMS Avon ) - 1 photo. ____________________________________ "Tacoma" ( USN ) & "Colony Class" ( RN ) Both classes were US designed and built using experience gained from the RN "River Class". They did, however, have lighter Main Armament than contemporary RN ships in that they used the American 3" weapon, which British crews termed an "Elephant Gun", rather than the RN standard 4" or 4.5" mounting. 1). Tacoma. ( US Navy ) - 1 photo. 2). Anguilla. ( RN ) - 2 photo's. 4). Somaliland. ( RN ) - 1 photo. 5). Tortola. ( RN ) - 1 photo.
|
"Captains Class". ( Named after "Napoleonic War" Captains whilst in RN service.) This American designed ship came in 6 differing sub-types, of which 2 were used by the R.N. We received 78 ships in total under lend-lease, 32 of the "Evarts" and 46 of the "Buckley" sub classes. Their main advantage was in their propulsion systems being either Diesel/Electric in the "Evarts" or Turbo/Electric in the "Buckleys". These systems did away with the expensive and difficult to produce "Reduction gearing" required in the power trains of conventional Steam turbine powered RN ships. 29). Redmill. ( action damaged ) - 1 photo.
|
|---|
"Miscellaneous" Escort types. Thanks mainly to Mr. Jim Bryce I have now been able to place the following ships into a better "Class grouping".
|
|---|
"Return" |
|---|