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Destroyers - Fletcher Class

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  • ....so I'm looking over the RCN fleet at Halifax....

    ....so I'm looking over the RCN fleet at Halifax.... right !

    And as I'm cruising along my eye catches the glint of 'Fresh paint" and there sits this ship with a "semi dazzle paint scheme".
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    • Larger class than the Fletcher's....

      The Flower-class was a British class of 267 corvettes used during World War II, specifically with the Allied navies as anti-submarine convoy escorts during the Battle of the Atlantic.
      Length: 205 ft.
      Speed: 16 knots
      Complement: 85
      Lost: 33 World War II (22 to submarines)
      Did I mention one (1) four inch gun? These little ships could easily be out run by a surfaced U-boat.
      But the idea was to keep the German's submerged and speed was not an issue as these corvettes herded the slowest ship in the convoy across the Atlantic.
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      Last edited by blidgepump; 24 Aug 17,, 02:38.

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      • If you want to read what life was lik eon a Flower Class corvette in the North Atlantic read The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat. He served aboard them in the war and this novel is absolutely outstanding. Also his 3 Corvettes is autobiographical account of the Battle of the Atlantic.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cruel_Sea_(novel)

        And if you liked those I also recommend CS Forester's The Good Shepard.

        I do love the Flower Class. It took guts and stamina to sail and fight in one. The earlier models actually had the mast forward of the bridge!
        “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
        Mark Twain

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        • Adding your book to the list ...

          Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
          If you want to read what life was lik eon a Flower Class corvette in the North Atlantic read The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat. He served aboard them in the war and this novel is absolutely outstanding. Also his 3 Corvettes is autobiographical account of the Battle of the Atlantic.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cruel_Sea_(novel)

          And if you liked those I also recommend CS Forester's The Good Shepard.

          I do love the Flower Class. It took guts and stamina to sail and fight in one. The earlier models actually had the mast forward of the bridge!
          The striking contrast between the Flower & Fletcher class left an impression on me.
          Besides a triple expansion vs. steam turbine, or corvette vs. DD significances; the concept of how to design a ship for the North Atlantic was eye opening.

          The Bridge being on top of the wheel house and the helmsman's forward view block by the 4-inch mount really struck home.
          I'll post some photos to illustrate ....
          Attached Files
          Last edited by blidgepump; 24 Aug 17,, 23:56.

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          • Flower class was based off whaling boats. Seen as a fast way to get coastal patrol boats into service without a drawn out design period. Not designed to cross the North Atlantic, but thrust into that job.

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            • What are the racks on the sides of the 4 inch mounts for....hedgehogs?
              “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
              Mark Twain

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              • Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
                What are the racks on the sides of the 4 inch mounts for....hedgehogs?
                I would think that those were ready service lockers for the 4" mount. Nice, clear, and detailed photos!

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                • Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
                  What are the racks on the sides of the 4 inch mounts for....hedgehogs?
                  2inch rocket flare launchers

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                  • More pictures ....

                    These rugged little boats bobbing around in the North Atlantic ( during a storm ?? ) makes one appreciate how small one is on the open sea.

                    Some imagines of the hedgehogs that the docent gave credit to the RCN for developing, the rocket flairs for illuminations, and did you notice the new paint?
                    The corvette is repainted at the RCN dock each Spring and is scheduled to be dry docked after the tourist season ends this Fall.
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                    • Originally posted by Gun Grape View Post
                      2inch rocket flare launchers
                      Thanks Gunny
                      “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
                      Mark Twain

                      Comment


                      • Top dead center....

                        Now here is something that you won't see ( at least I don't think you will or would of ???) on a steam turbine... a snipe applying a "Johnson bar" to a speed chain on a "triple expansion steam engine" to allow a demonstration of the engine moving on compressed air..... the effort was to move the gears connected to the crank shaft off of top dead center.....
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                        • Points of interest...

                          The engine room on the Sackville is well preserved.
                          As a "national treasure" it receives annual funding from the government.
                          Thus the Halifax Navy yard welcomes the corvette at the end of each tourist season.
                          You might recognized these candid imagines taken during the "inspection".
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                          • 666 ....

                            Not many ships bear this number.... but if there is a class of fighting ship that deserves that honor... it would be the Fletchers.....

                            The history of the USS BLACK (DD-666) begins in 1943 during World War II. From the Marshall Islands southwest to Western New Guinea and north to Japan proper, the BLACK was one of the many destroyers that did everything from delivering mail to bombarding the enemy's homeland. The end of the war found her on occupation missions in Japanese waters. For a short time after WWII the BLACK was decommissioned but soon the BLACK was needed again for the Korean War and later for the War in Vietnam. The BLACK continued to serve with honor until she was eventually retired and cut-up for scrap in 1971.
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                            • Round robin photo op.... More Halifax...

                              More PM requests...

                              While the thread is jumping around at my own doing, here is a photo of a coal barge used during WWII.
                              She is the "tall ship" Silva and sunk once when the hatches weren't secured while loaded with coal.
                              There was enough meat left on her bones that she was refloated and towed across the pond to Halifax.
                              I even took the bait and helped hoist the Jib and Stay sails during the 90-minute cruise .....
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                              Last edited by blidgepump; 05 Sep 17,, 03:31.

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                              • some more pictures of the HMCS Sackville ...

                                I'm always looking at the state of repair on all museum ships visited.
                                The Sackville receives yearly attention from the Canadian government.
                                The RCN supplies ABS to lean on the chipping hammers and apply paint.
                                So when viewing the interior hull near the bilge I can check for details about the maintenance program.

                                And there is the quote from Jellicoe for the history buffs following the thread, too!
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