Type 22 Batch III Frigate
Finishing a week of model ships, here's the most modern of the lot, although already consigned to history. She is HMS Chatham (F87), the last of the Batch III versions of the Type 22 frigate.
The early (Batch I) Type 22s were limited in size due to the limitations of the Frigate Refit Complex in Plymouth. When the latter was expanded, this permitted the larger Batch II and III variants. The Batch Is and IIs were the only ships designed for the Royal Navy from the outset without a main gun and this was later deemed an error, corrected in the Batch IIIs.
The Batch Is were intended primarily as ASW units, whilst the Batch IIs were configured to be forward-deployed early-warning units. The Batch IIIs incorporated lessons learned in the Falklands and the weapons fit was changed, becoming more optimised to a general warfare role.
The only major weapon system shared with the Batch Is and IIs was the pair of manually-reloaded six-cell Seawolf launchers fore and aft. The Batch IIIs were fitted with the 4.5" gun, primarily for naval gunfire support. Exocet was replaced by Harpoon, providing the RN with a long-overdue surface-to-surface over-the-horizon missile capability. Each Batch III was also fitted with a Goalkeeper CIWS.
Like the later Batch IIs, the hangar was enlarged compared with earlier ships, allowing the forthcoming Merlin helicopter to be carried. In the meantime, two Lynx could be fitted in the hangar, but the ships almost always operated with just one. The model displays a rather sad and simple ASW Sea King, which could land on, but was not intended to be resident on board.
In their final form, the Batch IIIs at 5,300 tons standard displacement were the largest frigates ever built for the Royal Navy. Indeed, they were just shy of the displacement of some WWII cruisers!
Chatham was commissioned in No. 2 Basin of Chatham Dockyard in 1990. Courtesy of her connection with the town, she unusually had a motto in English: "Up and at 'em", reflecting the rallying cry of the town's football and rugby teams.
She was the first Royal Navy ship to open fire during Operation Telic in 2003, firing 60 rounds in support of the Royal Marines on the al-Faw peninsula. However, like the rest of the class, she became the victim of post-Cold War defence cuts and was decommssioned in 2011 before being sold for scrap in 2013.
Type 22 Batch III Frigate
Finishing a week of model ships, here's the most modern of the lot, although already consigned to history. She is HMS Chatham (F87), the last of the Batch III versions of the Type 22 frigate.
The early (Batch I) Type 22s were limited in size due to the limitations of the Frigate Refit Complex in Plymouth. When the latter was expanded, this permitted the larger Batch II and III variants. The Batch Is and IIs were the only ships designed for the Royal Navy from the outset without a main gun and this was later deemed an error, corrected in the Batch IIIs.
The Batch Is were intended primarily as ASW units, whilst the Batch IIs were configured to be forward-deployed early-warning units. The Batch IIIs incorporated lessons learned in the Falklands and the weapons fit was changed, becoming more optimised to a general warfare role.
The only major weapon system shared with the Batch Is and IIs was the pair of manually-reloaded six-cell Seawolf launchers fore and aft. The Batch IIIs were fitted with the 4.5" gun, primarily for naval gunfire support. Exocet was replaced by Harpoon, providing the RN with a long-overdue surface-to-surface over-the-horizon missile capability. Each Batch III was also fitted with a Goalkeeper CIWS.
Like the later Batch IIs, the hangar was enlarged compared with earlier ships, allowing the forthcoming Merlin helicopter to be carried. In the meantime, two Lynx could be fitted in the hangar, but the ships almost always operated with just one. The model displays a rather sad and simple ASW Sea King, which could land on, but was not intended to be resident on board.
In their final form, the Batch IIIs at 5,300 tons standard displacement were the largest frigates ever built for the Royal Navy. Indeed, they were just shy of the displacement of some WWII cruisers!
Chatham was commissioned in No. 2 Basin of Chatham Dockyard in 1990. Courtesy of her connection with the town, she unusually had a motto in English: "Up and at 'em", reflecting the rallying cry of the town's football and rugby teams.
She was the first Royal Navy ship to open fire during Operation Telic in 2003, firing 60 rounds in support of the Royal Marines on the al-Faw peninsula. However, like the rest of the class, she became the victim of post-Cold War defence cuts and was decommssioned in 2011 before being sold for scrap in 2013.