 HMSPlymouth underway | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSPlymouth |
| Builder | Devonport Dockyard |
| Laid down | 1 July 1958 |
| Launched | 20 July 1959 |
| Commissioned | 11 May 1961 |
| Decommissioned | 28 April 1988 |
| Identification | Pennant number: F126 |
| Fate | Museum ship from 28 April 1988, Scrapped October 2014 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Rothesay-classfrigate |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 370 ft (110 m) |
| Beam | 41 ft (12 m) |
| Draught | 17.3 ft (5.3 m) |
| Installed power | 30,000 shp (22,000 kW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 30 knots (56 km/h) |
| Range | 400 tons oil fuel, 5,200 nautical miles (9,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h) |
| Complement | 152, later 225, modified to 235[citation needed] |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | Wasp helicopter |
HMSPlymouth was aRoyal NavyRothesay-classfrigate. In 1982,Plymouth was one of the first Royal Navy ships to arrive in the South Atlantic during theFalklands War.
Plymouth was one of 12 ships built in the newRothesay class; were built after theWhitby (Type 12s) in the mid 1950s.Plymouth was built at theDevonport Dockyard, in hernamesake city and waslaid down on 1 July 1958.[1] She waslaunched byViscountess Astor on 20 July 1959 andcommissioned on 11 May 1961 with thepennant number F126.[2][1]
TheRothesay class was an improved version of theWhitby-class anti-submarine frigate, with nineRothesays ordered in the 1954–55 shipbuilding programme for the Royal Navy to supplement the sixWhitbys.[3]
Plymouth was 370 feet 0 inches (112.78 m)long overall and 360 feet 0 inches (109.73 m)between perpendiculars, with abeam of 41 feet 0 inches (12.50 m) and adraught of 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 m).[4] TheRothesays were powered by the same Y-100 machinery used by theWhitby-class. TwoBabcock & Wilcoxwater-tube boilers fed steam at 550 pounds per square inch (3,800 kPa) and 850 °F (454 °C) to two sets of gearedsteam turbines which drove two propeller shafts, fitted with large (12 feet (3.7 m) diameter) propellers. The machinery was rated at 30,000 shaft horsepower (22,000 kW), giving a speed of 29.5 knots (33.9 mph; 54.6 km/h).[5][6] Crew was about 212 officers and men.[4][a]
A twin4.5-inch (113 mm) Mark 6 gun mount was fitted forward, with 350 rounds of ammunition carried. It was originally intended to fit a twin40 mm L/70 Bofors anti-aircraft mount aft, but in 1957 it was decided to fit theSeacat anti-aircraft missile instead. Seacat was not yet ready, andPlymouth was completed with a single L/60 40 mm Bofors mount aft as a temporary anti-aircraft armament.[8] The design anti-submarine armament consisted of twelve 21-inch torpedo-tubes (eight fixed and two twin rotating mounts) forMark 20E Bidder homing anti-submarine torpedoes, backed up by twoLimbo anti-submarine mortars fitted aft. The Bidder homing torpedoes proved unsuccessful however, being too slow to catch modern submarines, and the torpedo tubes were soon removed.[9]
The ship was fitted with aType 293Q surface/air search radar on theforemast, with aType 277 height-finding radar on a short mast forward of the foremast. A Mark 6M fire control system (including a Type 275 radar) for the 4.5 inch guns was mounted above the ship's bridge, while a Type 974 navigation radar was also fitted.[10][11] The ship's sonar fit consisted of Type 174 search, Type 170 fire control sonar for Limbo and a Type 162 sonar for classifying targets on the sea floor.[11]
From 1966 to 1969Plymouth underwent a major modernisation, which brought the ship close in capacity to theLeander class.[12][13] A hangar and flight deck was added aft to allow aWestland Wasp helicopter to be operated, at the expense of one of the Limbo anti-submarine mortars, while a Seacat launcher and the associated GWS20 director was mounted on the hangar roof. Two 20-mm cannons were added either side of the ship's bridge. A MRS3 fire control system replaced the Mark 6M, and its integral Type 903 radar allowed the Type 277 height finder radar to be removed. A Type 993 surface/air-search radar replaced the existing Type 293Q radar, while the ship's defences were enhanced by the addition of the Corvuschaff rocket dispenser.[13][14]
Plymouth served between 1963 and 1964 as the leader of the22nd Escort Squadron and leader of the 29th Escort Squadron from 1964 to 1966 inSingapore and Australia.[15]
In 1966 under the command of Captain Thomas FanshawePlymouth was assigned to theBeira Patrol. On 4 April she intercepted theoil tankerJoanna V, but declined the use of force for diplomatic reasons she failed to prevent the ship from reachingBeira, raising concerns that its 18,700 tons of petroleum could then be sent by pipeline to the rebel British colony ofRhodesia.
In 1970Plymouth took part in the Cook Bicentennial celebrations held inSydney Harbour. After a spell inside a floating dock in Singapore, to clean and repaint her hull, the ship sailed across theIndian Ocean for a six-week stint on theBeira Patrol.
Back in the UK,Plymouth visited various ports around the country including Stornoway and Middlesbrough as part of a Royal Navy recruitment drive.
In 1977 the ship – as part of the8th Frigate Squadron – attended thefleet review offSpithead for theQueen'sSilver Jubilee.[16] She saw action in theCod Wars between the United Kingdom andIceland and also theFalklands War in 1982.
Plymouth, then commanded by CaptainDavid Pentreath, was one of the firstRoyal Navy ships to arrive in the South Atlantic following theArgentine invasion of theFalkland Islands andSouth Georgia.[17][18] Together withAntrim,Brilliant andEndurance, she took part in the recapture of South Georgia duringOperation Paraquet. On 25 April, her Wasp helicopter took part in an attack on the Argentinian submarineSanta Fe, which had previously been badly damaged by adepth charge attack fromAntrim′sWessex, claiming one hit on the waterline with anAS12 missile. After the crippledSanta Fe had sailed back intoGrytviken harbour and was abandoned by her crew, a scratch force ofRoyal Marines,SAS andSBS troops was landed to capture the settlement. Along withAntrim,Plymouth providednaval gunfire support for this force, both ships firing a total of 235 shells, until the Argentinian troops raised thewhite flag. Later that dayPlymouth sailed withEndurance toLeith Harbour, which was still held by the Argentines. The next day the garrison commander, Lieutenant commanderAlfredo Astiz, signed the surrender inPlymouth's wardroom.[19][13]
On 1 May,Plymouth rejoined the task force and on the night of 20–21 May, she was part of the escort for the amphibious assault force enteringSan Carlos Water, being the first British vessel to sail into the bay. On 21 May theArgentine Air Force began aseries of air attacks against the landing force.Plymouth provided assistance to the frigateArgonaut, the first ship to suffer damage in "Bomb Alley". For the next nine days she carried out air defense duties by day while by night undertaking escort and patrol missions and supporting ground troops with her 4.5-inch (114 mm) guns. She was then dispatched to thecarrier battle group, located some 150 miles east of the Falklands. On 30 May, the group came under attack byExocet missile but no damage was incurred and on 1 JunePlymouth returned to San Carlos Water.[20]
On 8 June, the ship was alone inFalkland Sound, returning from a naval gunfire mission, when she was attacked by fiveDagger fighter-bombers of Grupo 6 of the Argentine Air Force. DespitePlymouth firing her 20 mm guns and a Seacat missile, the aircraft dropped eightMk 82 500 lb bombs, five of which struck home. One Dagger was unable to release its payload due to a mechanical failure and another suffered light damage fromshrapnel.[21] According to other sourcesPlymouth was hit by four 1000 lb bombs.[20] All of the bombs failed to explode, but caused extensive damage: one hit the flight deck, detonating a depth charge and starting a fire, one went straight through her funnel and two more destroyed herLimbo anti-submarine mortar.[22] Internal flooding caused the ship to take a six degree list.[21] Five men were injured in the attack.[23] The fire took 90 minutes to extinguish with assistance fromAvenger, and repairs were carried out through the night and the next day, restoring some of her capabilities.Plymouth then withdrew to a repair area, where naval personnel on board the oil rig support vessel MVStena Seaspread assisted in returning her to fighting order. She returned to shore bombardment duties on 14 June, when Argentine forces in the Falklands finallysurrendered.[20]
After hostilities had endedPlymouth was the first British warship to enterPort Stanley harbour on 17 June. After assisting in establishing naval control of the harbour she returned briefly to San Carlos before leaving the south Atlantic on 21 June in company withGlamorgan. She returned toRosyth Dockyard on 14 July for a full repair and a refit. During the course of the war she fired 909 4.5 inch shells and nine Seacat missiles.[20]
In 1983,Plymouth served as the West Indies guard ship.[24] On 11 April 1984, she was involved in a collision with the GermanKöln-class frigateBraunschweig in fog offBornholm during exercises in the Baltic.Plymouth's bow was damaged, and she had to put intoKarlskrona, Sweden for temporary repairs.[25][26] In 1986 she suffered a boiler room fire, killing two sailors.
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After the ship, which was the last Type 12 in service, was paid off on 28 April 1988, she was acquired by theWarship Preservation Trust. In 1990 she was towed toGlasgow and placed on permanent display at a berth on theRiver Clyde. In the late 1990s, she was relocated to theGreat Float withinBirkenhead Docks for display alongside other preserved ships andsubmarines, where she became the undertaking ofPeel Holdings.
On 6 February 2006 the Warship Preservation Trust closed citing financial difficulties.Plymouth became the property of theMersey Docks and Harbour Company following the demise of the trust.[27] Plymouth City Council expressed an interest in the ship; a campaign group called the HMSPlymouth Preservation Trust attempted to raise £250,000 to bring the warship back to her home city.[28][29] However the attempt to bring the Type 12 frigate back to Plymouth'sMillbay Docks failed after theAssociated British Ports withdrew the offer of a berth in January 2007.[30] An online petition then called on the UK government to provide a berth for the ship, but it was announced in 2012 that she had been sold for scrapping.[31]
In January 2014 campaigners continued to dispute Peel Ports – which owns Mersey Docks – that it had ownership rights toPlymouth.[32] The action group accused Peel of allowing the condition ofPlymouth to worsen in order to make any attempt to move/preserve her appear unfeasible.[33]
The ship was towed fromVittoria Dock, Birkenhead, by the tugAmber II, on 20 August 2014[34] to be scrapped in Turkey.[35] HMSPlymouth was scrapped at Aliaga in 2014.[36]
There appears to be some controversy about how the sale was conducted byThe Peel Group and some of the clauses included in the sale contract with the dismantlers.[37]
 Royal Navy |
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 Royal Australian NavyPart ofRiver class | |||||
 Royal New Zealand Navy | |||||
 South African NavyPresident class | |||||
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