View allAll Photos Tagged SIRTE
HB-AAS Fokker F28-2000 Sirte Oil Company (operated by Zimex Air)
ex Nigeria Airways and TAT. Last with Petro Air as 5A-DSO
(scan from my collection - not my shot)
¡Quén poidera vivir como elas,
nas praias e bancos,
nos baixos e furnas,
nas sirtes e fachas,
nos seos esquivos
dos feros peñascos!
Muitas veces nos matos nativos,
no crepúsculo fusco e calado,
se escuita das aves
o rápido paso;
das aves aquelas
do pico tamaño,
que soen retirarse
dos rudos traballos,
de escollos e praias
do fero Ouceáno;
e van en ringleira
gritando e voando
en demanda das illas Sisargas
seu noto reparo.
E. Pondal
Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi (born 7 June 1942), commonly referred to as Colonel Gaddafi, has been the leader of Libya since a military coup on 1 September 1969 where he overthrew King Idris of Libya and established the Libyan Arab Republic.
His 42 years in power made him one of the longest-serving rulers in history.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Gaddafi's government was considered a pariah state by the West, denounced for oppressing internal dissidence, acts of state-sponsored terrorism, assassinations of expatriate opposition leaders, and crass nepotism which amassed a multi-billion dollar fortune for himself and his family.
Gaddafi renamed the Libyan Arab Republic to Jamahiriya in 1977, based on his socialist and nationalist political philosophy published in Green Book. In 1979, he relinquished the title of prime minister, and was thereafter called "The Brother Leader" or "The Guide" in Libya's Socialist Revolution.
Gaddafi was a firm supporter of OAPEC and led a Pan-African campaign for a United States of Africa. After the 1986 Bombing of Libya and the 1993 imposition of United Nations sanctions, Gaddafi established closer economic and security relations with the west, cooperated with investigations into previous Libyan acts of state-sponsored terrorism and paid compensation, and ended his nuclear weapons program, resulting in the lifting of UN sanctions in 2003.
In early February 2011, major political protests, inspired by recent pro-democracy events in Tunisia, Egypt and other parts of the Arab world, broke out in Libya against Gaddafi's government and quickly turned into a general uprising. Gaddafi vowed to "die a martyr" if necessary in his fight against the rebels and external forces.
In 1976 after a series of attacks by the Provisional IRA, Gaddafi announced that "the bombs which are convulsing Britain and breaking its spirit are the bombs of Libyan people. We have sent them to the Irish revolutionaries so that the British will pay the price for their past deeds".[
In April 1984, Libyan refugees in London protested the execution of two dissidents. Libyan diplomats shot at 11 people and killed a British policewoman. The incident led to the cessation of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Libya for over a decade. An alleged plot by Britain's Secret Intelligence Service to assassinate Gaddafi, when rebels attacked Gaddafi's motorcade near the city of Sirte in February 1996, was denied by former foreign secretary Robin Cook, although the FCO later stated: "We have never denied that we knew of plots against Gaddafi".
Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi (born 7 June 1942), commonly referred to as Colonel Gaddafi, has been the leader of Libya since a military coup on 1 September 1969 where he overthrew King Idris of Libya and established the Libyan Arab Republic.
His 42 years in power made him one of the longest-serving rulers in history.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Gaddafi's government was considered a pariah state by the West, denounced for oppressing internal dissidence, acts of state-sponsored terrorism, assassinations of expatriate opposition leaders, and crass nepotism which amassed a multi-billion dollar fortune for himself and his family.
Gaddafi renamed the Libyan Arab Republic to Jamahiriya in 1977, based on his socialist and nationalist political philosophy published in Green Book. In 1979, he relinquished the title of prime minister, and was thereafter called "The Brother Leader" or "The Guide" in Libya's Socialist Revolution.
Gaddafi was a firm supporter of OAPEC and led a Pan-African campaign for a United States of Africa. After the 1986 Bombing of Libya and the 1993 imposition of United Nations sanctions, Gaddafi established closer economic and security relations with the west, cooperated with investigations into previous Libyan acts of state-sponsored terrorism and paid compensation, and ended his nuclear weapons program, resulting in the lifting of UN sanctions in 2003.
In early February 2011, major political protests, inspired by recent pro-democracy events in Tunisia, Egypt and other parts of the Arab world, broke out in Libya against Gaddafi's government and quickly turned into a general uprising. Gaddafi vowed to "die a martyr" if necessary in his fight against the rebels and external forces.
In 1976 after a series of attacks by the Provisional IRA, Gaddafi announced that "the bombs which are convulsing Britain and breaking its spirit are the bombs of Libyan people. We have sent them to the Irish revolutionaries so that the British will pay the price for their past deeds".[
In April 1984, Libyan refugees in London protested the execution of two dissidents. Libyan diplomats shot at 11 people and killed a British policewoman. The incident led to the cessation of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Libya for over a decade. An alleged plot by Britain's Secret Intelligence Service to assassinate Gaddafi, when rebels attacked Gaddafi's motorcade near the city of Sirte in February 1996, was denied by former foreign secretary Robin Cook, although the FCO later stated: "We have never denied that we knew of plots against Gaddafi".
Photo from the Wilhelm Hell collection, scan kindly provided by him for inclusion on this page.
München-Riem
October 1983
G-AOYI
Vickers 806 Viscount
257
Guernsey Airlines
An EgyptAir B707 can be seen in the distance.
Information on this airframe from vickersviscount.net:
First flight 14 November 1957 at Weybridge, Surrey. Delivered to British European Airways as G-AOYI on 2 January 1958. Went on to Cambrian Airways on 15 July 1970, transferred to British Airways (BA) on 31 July 1973, purchased by British Air Ferries on 12 July 1981, leased to Esso Standard Libya Inc., Occidental of Libya Inc, Sirte Oil Company, Polar Airways, Guernsey Airlines; sold to London European Airways on 8 February 1985 and re-registered G-LOND; sold to Caicos International Airways Ltd. in March 1986 and leased to British Air Ferries. Scrapped in February 1993.
Detailed history of this airframe including many photos:
www.vickersviscount.net/Index/VickersViscount257History.aspx
G-AOYI with BEA at LHR (initial colours):
www.flickr.com/photos/dwhitworth/5485268405
G-AOYI with BEA at JER ca. mid-1960s (Red Square livery):
www.flickr.com/photos/78213075@N04/7604177118
G-AOYI with Cambrian Airways at LHR in April 1971 (earlier colours):
www.vickersviscount.net/images/Photos_Medium/101876.jpg
G-AOYI with Cambrian Airways at ORY in June 1973 (later colours:
www.flickr.com/photos/baettig/49810777132
G-AOYI with British Airways at GLA late 1970s:
www.flickr.com/photos/43804460@N08/38321036325
G-AOYI with Polar Airways at ABD in March 1982:
www.flickr.com/photos/26268110@N02/49792369052
G-AOYI with British Air Ferries at CVT in May 1983:
www.flickr.com/photos/131806380@N05/40453869411
Another shot of G-AOYI with Guernsey Airlines at Riem, in September 1983:
imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/9/9/4/0725499.jpg?...
G-AOYI with British Air Ferries at CVT in October 1984 (later colours):
www.flickr.com/photos/brunogeiger/30966201368
This airframe as G-LOND with London European at JER in July 1985:
www.flickr.com/photos/60580721@N06/25273457808
G-LOND with British Air Ferries stored at SEN in July 1989:
www.flickr.com/photos/93373926@N04/15064829739
The remains of G-LOND at West Hanningfield, Essex, in March 1993:
www.flickr.com/photos/alanwz581/50586491966
Scan from Kodachrome slide (on Kodak Photo CD).
Desdeñosos cisnes, como icebergs
Co mar as naus, a maré inexplicable, os cetáceos estraños
as cósmicas reflexións dos filósofos no xardín aberto ás Cícladas
as profetisas do océano
os barcos ata Armórica, Cornualla, Gales, Irlanda, Escocia
a epigrafía das Burgas
os mosteiros nestorianos, os cupresos de Salustio
a elegancia dun pórtico nunha paisaxe erma
o negro sangue que avermella no cárcere de Tréveris
a doutrina dos Eons: Eucrocia, Prócula, Urbica, Hipatia, Trahamunda, Exeria
Os miñotos peixes con letras e cifras de presaxio
o imperio do terror, a final desesperanza romántica
o corazón de Bruce, o rei
BE TOM ATRON SAMBIANA, ATRON DE LABRO
o refluxo dun ecuador brasileiro, congolés, indostánico, malaio
a metamorfose de Adonis-Atis
o baile das damas
a política
a ciencia
as Investiduras
a Dieta imperial
a tiara das tres coroas.
Do Gulf-Stream as rápidas correntes
e as feras sirtes e as ásperas rompentes
Así é como eu imaxino o paradiso
o paradiso é un lugar murado
no paradiso éntrase por ósmose
no paradiso están as pombas e a rede que serve para atrapar as pombas
hai vexetación
pode ser un ermo
un libro
un camiño
nacer, nácese sempre en terra estrana
entón o astro é dous
Terreal
cadrado
catro
Chus Pato
MÚSICA: Behzad Khojasteh - Shadows In My Room
The oil refinery fires in Libya that were started by attacks on oil terminals in Libya in very early January continue. The stream of black smoke that emanates from the refinery has grown tremendously as the fires caused by the initial shelling have spread to giant storage tanks. These fires are reported to be raging in Sidra, on the coast between Sirte and Benghazi. Actively burning areas, detected by MODIS’s thermal bands, are outlined in red.
The initial image of the fires taken on January 07, 2016 can be found here for comparison: www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2016/terra-captures-im...
NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
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Desdeñosos cisnes, como icebergs
Co mar as naus, a maré inexplicable, os cetáceos estraños
as cósmicas reflexións dos filósofos no xardín aberto ás Cícladas
as profetisas do océano
os barcos ata Armórica, Cornualla, Gales, Irlanda, Escocia
a epigrafía das Burgas
os mosteiros nestorianos, os cupresos de Salustio
a elegancia dun pórtico nunha paisaxe erma
o negro sangue que avermella no cárcere de Tréveris
a doutrina dos Eons: Eucrocia, Prócula, Urbica, Hipatia, Trahamunda, Exeria
Os miñotos peixes con letras e cifras de presaxio
o imperio do terror, a final desesperanza romántica
o corazón de Bruce, o rei
BE TOM ATRON SAMBIANA, ATRON DE LABRO
o refluxo dun ecuador brasileiro, congolés, indostánico, malaio
a metamorfose de Adonis-Atis
o baile das damas
a política
a ciencia
as Investiduras
a Dieta imperial
a tiara das tres coroas.
Do Gulf-Stream as rápidas correntes
e as feras sirtes e as ásperas rompentes
Así é como eu imaxino o paradiso
o paradiso é un lugar murado
no paradiso éntrase por ósmose
no paradiso están as pombas e a rede que serve para atrapar as pombas
hai vexetación
pode ser un ermo
un libro
un camiño
nacer, nácese sempre en terra estrana
entón o astro é dous
Terreal
cadrado
catro
Chus Pato
MÚSICA: Ludovico Einaudi - Ancora
Sukhoi Su-22 es un cazabombardero a reacción de origen soviético con gran éxito en la Fuerza Aérea Soviética, fue ampliamente utilizado en las fuerzas aéreas de países del Bloque del Este y Oriente Medio Las versiones soviéticas recibían el nombre de Su-17, mientras que su equivalente para exportación, Su-22.
El avión fue exportado por todo el mundo, incluyendo Afganistán, Angola, Argelia, Bulgaria, Checoslovaquia, Corea del Norte, Egipto, Etiopía, Hungría, Irán, Irak, Libia, Polonia, Perú, República Democrática Alemana, Siria, Vietnam y Yemen.
Dos Su-22 libios fueron derribados en el incidente del Golfo de Sirte por la Marina estadounidense por F-14 Tomcats. A finales de los años 70, Libia reclamaba una zona de exclusividad marítima mayor en la costa del mediterráneo de 12 millas más a las que tenía en su extensión de aguas territoriales en el Golfo de Sidra, lo que llevó a que las fuerzas navales de Estados Unidos condujesen a dicha zona una parte de su flota en 1981.
Sukhoi Su-22 is a jet fighter-bomber of Soviet origin with great success in the Soviet Air Force, was widely used in the air forces of Eastern Bloc countries and the Middle East Soviet versions were named Su-17, while its export equivalent, Su-22.
The aircraft was exported all over the world, including Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, North Korea, Egypt, Ethiopia, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Poland, Peru, German Democratic Republic, Syria, Vietnam and Yemen.
Two Libyan Su-22s were shot down in the Gulf of Sirte incident by U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcats. In the late 1970s, Libya claimed a larger maritime exclusivity zone on the Mediterranean coast of 12 miles more than it had in its extension of territorial waters in the Gulf of Sidra, which led to U.S. naval forces driving a portion of its fleet there in 1981.
A B-2 Spirit from the 590th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., prepares to take off in support of operations near Sirte, Libya. In conjunction with the Libyan Government of National Accord, the U.S. military conducted precision airstrikes Jan. 18, 2017, destroying two Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant camps, 45 kilometers southwest of Sirte. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Joel Pfiester)
Better to ask forgiveness than permission
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi[7] (Arabic: معمر محمد أبو منيار القذافي) (June 1942[nb 1] – 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi /ˈmoʊ.əmɑr ɡəˈdɑːfi/ (Arabic: مُعَمَّر القَذَّافِي Muʿammar al-Qaḏḏāfī audio (help·info)) or Colonel Gaddafi, was a Libyan politician and political theorist. He served as the ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011. Politically an Arab nationalist, he formulated his own ideology, known as Third Universal Theory, with industry and business being nationalized under state ownership. He later came to embrace Pan-Africanism, and served as Chairperson of the African Union (AU) from 2009 to 2010.
Born the son of an impoverished Bedouin goatherd, Gaddafi became involved in Arab nationalist politics while at school in Sabha, subsequently enrolling in the Royal Military Academy, Benghazi. Founding a revolutionary group within the ranks of the Libyan military, in 1969 he seized power from King Idris in a bloodless coup. Becoming leader of the governing Revolutionary Command Council (RCC), he dissolved the monarchy and proclaimed the Libyan Arab Republic. Ruling by decree, he implemented measures to remove foreign imperialist influence from Libya, and strengthened ties to other Arab nationalist governments. Intent on pushing Libya toward socialism, he nationalized the country's oil industry and used the increased revenues to bolster the military, implement social programs to improve housing and healthcare, and fund revolutionary groups across the world. In 1973 he announced the start of a "Popular Revolution" in Libya with the formation of General People's Committees (GPCs), a system of direct democracy, but retained personal control over major decisions. He outlined his Third Universal Theory that year, publishing these ideas in a political tract, The Green Book.
In 1977, he dissolved the Republic and announced the creation of the Jamahiriya, officially adopting a symbolic role within the country's governance structure. Throughout Libya, Revolutionary Committees were formed to accompany the GPCs, with Gaddafi as their leader; utilizing violence to suppress counter-revolutionary elements, Gaddafi later admitted that they had caused excessive problems. Overseeing unsuccessful border conflicts with Egypt and Chad, his support for foreign militants led to Libya being labelled an "international pariah", with a particularly hostile relationship developing with the United States and United Kingdom. From 1991, Gaddafi initiated moves to improve relations with former enemies, a policy that Libya pursued for two decades. In February 2011, following revolutions in neighboring Egypt and Tunisia, an anti-Gaddafist uprising led by the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) broke out, resulting in the Libyan civil war. A NATO-led coalition intervened militarily on the side of the NTC, resulting in the downfall of the government. Gaddafi himself retreated to Sirte, but was captured and killed by NTC fighters.
Gaddafi is a controversial and highly divisive world figure, being lauded as a champion of anti-imperialism and both Arab and African nationalism by his supporters, but his critics have accused him of being a dictator and autocrat whose authoritarian administration has overseen multiple human rights abuses both at home and abroad.
Since it was the most numerous observation plane of the Italian Navy, the Aircraft was involved in all major naval events of the Mediterranean Sea during the Second World War, namely the Battle of Calabria, Cape Matapan and the Second Battle of Sirte.
Because of their slow speed and lack of fighter cover, most of the time these small biplanes were intercepted by older Fleet Air Arm fighters like Sea Gladiators or the Skuas. However, they were still widely used by 1942.
A small number of 5 planes landed in Spain and were used by the Spanish for some time from the Aeronaval Base of Mallorca.
To know more about this MOC, click here for the next picture:
www.flickr.com/photos/einon/53071641422
Einon
Lincolnshire RoadCar 616 (B516 UWW) a Leyland Olympian/ECW is caught at Lincoln Bus station as it operates a 5 service for St.Giles.
2nd September 2005.
The same day they captured and killed Gaddafi. My Friend Moad who took this photo for me walking on huge carpet made of bullet cartridge, this will let you know about the intensive fighting were taken place here. Take a look at Sirte Left in ruins SET for more Photos
A sirte turbulenta e prolongada
os seus negros penedos amostrando
con roncos cantos sin cesar branquea,
cal dentes dunha longa e fea xerpa.
Ésa é a morada insidiosa
das falaces sirenas.
Ouh, novos navegantes
que novo ideal alenta:
non escuités seus cantos,
súa armonía estupenda;
voso timón virade,
virade vosa vela
se non querés por sempre no nirvana
caer con mingua eterna.
Ésa é a morada insidiosa
das falaces sirenas.
Eduardo Pondal, 22-X-1912.
MÚSICA: Guadi Galego - Mergullei
Replacing an earlier scanned slide with a better version 28-Oct-15, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 13-Apr-23.
Northeast Airlines (formerly BKS Air Services), part of BEA British European Airways subsidiary British Air Services. At the time this photo was taken the aircraft was on lease to Cambrian Airways.
Delivered new to BEA British European Airways in Jul-58 as G-APEY. Ten years later, in Apr-68, it was sold to BKS Air Transport who operated mostly in the north-east of England. BKS was renamed Northeast Airlines in Nov-70.
It was leased to British Air Services partner company Cambrian Airways for the summer of 1972 between April and the end of September. Northeast was merged into British Airways in Apr-74 and the aircraft continued in service with British Airways until it was sold to BAF British Air Ferries in Apr-81.
It was wet-leased to the Oasis Oil Company, Libya between Jun/Aug-81, and wet-leased to Air Algerie between Oct/Dec-81. It was also wet-leased to Sirte Oil, Libya, between Feb/Jun-82.
Virgin Atlantic Airways wet-leased it in Jan-88 and it returned to BAF in May-89. BAF was renamed British World Airlines in Apr-93. In Dec-97 the aircraft was sold to Heli-Lift and leased to SAFT Gabon in Jan-98, returning to Heli-Lift the following month when it was leased to Heli-Jet Aviation.
Still as G-APEY it was sold to Interflight in Sep-99. It had the distinction of being the last operational Viscount on the British Register. It was registered in Equatorial Guinea in Oct-99 as 3C-PBH and leased to Air Zimbabwe, returning to Interflight one month later.
It was sold to Air Ogooue (Swaziland) as 3D-JAP in May-01. It was sold to Global Airways (Swaziland) in Jan-03. In Jan-04 it was re-registered in the Democratic Republic of Congo as 9Q-CON. The aircraft was seen still in service in 2005, it was noted stored at Kinshasa in Mar-08 and was 'for sale in outstanding condition'. By then it was 50 years old, it didn't sell and was broken up in late 2008.
Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar) was one of three Conte di Cavour-class dreadnought battleships built for the Royal Italian Navy (Regia Marina) in the 1910s. Completed in 1914, she was little used and saw no combat during the First World War. The ship supported operations during the Corfu Incident in 1923 and spent much of the rest of the decade in reserve. She was rebuilt between 1933 and 1937 with more powerful guns, additional armor and considerably more speed than before.
During World War II, both Giulio Cesare and her sister ship, Conte di Cavour, participated in the Battle of Calabria in July 1940, when the former was lightly damaged. They were both present when British torpedo bombers attacked the fleet at Taranto in November 1940, but Giulio Cesare was not damaged. She escorted several convoys to North Africa and participated in the Battle of Cape Spartivento in late 1940 and the First Battle of Sirte in late 1941. She was designated as a training ship in early 1942, and escaped to Malta after the Italian armistice the following year. The ship was transferred to the Soviet Union in 1949 and renamed Novorossiysk (Новороссийск). The Soviets also used her for training until she was sunk in 1955, with the loss of 608 men, when an old German mine exploded. She was salvaged the following year and later scrapped.
Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar) was one of three Conte di Cavour-class dreadnought battleships built for the Royal Italian Navy (Regia Marina) in the 1910s. Completed in 1914, she was little used and saw no combat during the First World War. The ship supported operations during the Corfu Incident in 1923 and spent much of the rest of the decade in reserve. She was rebuilt between 1933 and 1937 with more powerful guns, additional armor and considerably more speed than before.
During World War II, both Giulio Cesare and her sister ship, Conte di Cavour, participated in the Battle of Calabria in July 1940, when the former was lightly damaged. They were both present when British torpedo bombers attacked the fleet at Taranto in November 1940, but Giulio Cesare was not damaged. She escorted several convoys to North Africa and participated in the Battle of Cape Spartivento in late 1940 and the First Battle of Sirte in late 1941. She was designated as a training ship in early 1942, and escaped to Malta after the Italian armistice the following year. The ship was transferred to the Soviet Union in 1949 and renamed Novorossiysk. The Soviets also used her for training until she was sunk in 1955, with the loss of 608 men, when an old German mine exploded. She was salvaged the following year and later scrapped.
Scan from the Michael Röser collection kindly provided by him for inclusion on this page.
München-Riem
October 1983
G-AOYI
Vickers 806 Viscount
257
Guernsey Airlines
Ports of Call Denver B707 parked behind.
Information on this airframe from vickersviscount.net:
First flight 14 November 1957 at Weybridge, Surrey. Delivered to British European Airways as G-AOYI on 2 January 1958. Went on to Cambrian Airways on 15 July 1970, transferred to British Airways (BA) on 31 July 1973, purchased by British Air Ferries on 12 July 1981, leased to Esso Standard Libya Inc., Occidental of Libya Inc, Sirte Oil Company, Polar Airways, Guernsey Airlines; sold to London European Airways on 8 February 1985 and re-registered G-LOND; sold to Caicos International Airways Ltd. in March 1986 and leased to British Air Ferries. Scrapped in February 1993.
Detailed history of this airframe including many photos:
www.vickersviscount.net/Index/VickersViscount257History.aspx
G-AOYI with BEA at LHR (initial colours):
www.flickr.com/photos/dwhitworth/5485268405
G-AOYI with BEA at JER ca. mid-1960s (Red Square livery):
www.flickr.com/photos/78213075@N04/7604177118
G-AOYI with Cambrian Airways at LHR in April 1971 (earlier colours):
www.vickersviscount.net/images/Photos_Medium/101876.jpg
G-AOYI with Cambrian Airways at ORY in June 1973 (later colours:
www.flickr.com/photos/baettig/49810777132
G-AOYI with British Airways at GLA late 1970s:
www.flickr.com/photos/43804460@N08/38321036325
G-AOYI with Polar Airways at ABD in March 1982:
www.flickr.com/photos/26268110@N02/49792369052
G-AOYI with British Air Ferries at CVT in May 1983:
www.flickr.com/photos/131806380@N05/40453869411
Another shot of G-AOYI with Guernsey Airlines at Riem, in September 1983:
imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/9/9/4/0725499.jpg?...
G-AOYI with British Air Ferries at CVT in October 1984 (later colours):
www.flickr.com/photos/brunogeiger/30966201368
This airframe as G-LOND with London European at JER in July 1985:
www.flickr.com/photos/60580721@N06/25273457808
G-LOND with British Air Ferries stored at SEN in July 1989:
www.flickr.com/photos/93373926@N04/15064829739
The remains of G-LOND at West Hanningfield, Essex, in March 1993:
www.flickr.com/photos/alanwz581/50586491966
Scan from Kodachrome slide.
A model of the Dido Class Light Cruiser HMS Dido at the Glasgow Transport Museum, 2 March 2007.
Eleven Dido Class cruisers were launched in 1939-41 and completed in 1940-42 and five Modified Dido (or Bellona) Class vessels were launched in 1942 and completed in 1943-44. Although often described as AA cruisers, in fact they were conceived as trade protection cruisers to complement the larger 12x6” gunned 8,500 ton Crown Colony Class of fleet cruisers then being built at the same time. They were based on the 6x6” gunned 5,250 ton Arethusa Class of 1935-37 which had been regarded as too small to be regarded as effective fleet cruisers (although in fact they turned out to be very effective); instead of 6” guns, it was planned that the Didos would be armed with 5.25” guns and turrets of a new design which, though optimised for surface use, could be used in the AA role and were therefore dual purpose weapons; 5.25” was considered the largest practicable AA gun, although in service the turret’s training and elevating speed was somewhat slow in tracking fast moving aircraft. On the other hand, their air-burst was considered devastating.
The Didos emerged as a very innovative design with an unprecedented five twin turrets for its main armament with three stacked in the fore positions of A, B and C (and two in X & Y). Although this potentially raised the centre of gravity of the ship, this was counterbalanced by the first use of aluminium in substantial parts of the forward superstructure and bridge. The Didos measured 512 ft x 50.6 ft x 16.6 ft, with a displacement of 5,600 tons and a designed armament of 10x5.25”DP guns, 8x2 pdr AA pom poms guns (2x4), 8x0.5” mg AA and 8x18” TT (2x4). Their 62,000 shp turbines and 4 screws gave them a speed of 32 kts (although there is a claim that one ship reached 39 kts on trial!).
The outbreak of WWII led to a shortage of bauxite imports whilst what aluminium was produced was prioritised to aircraft production. This resulted to some ships having an all steel superstructure. This, together with delays building the complex 5.25” gun turrets, led to three ships being completed with only four 5.25” turrets and a 4” gun, including Dido although the fifth turret was later added. However, subsequently several ships had a 5.25” turret removed and replaced by various combinations of 1-3 twin/quadruple 40mm and/or 1-3 quadruple pom poms AA guns plus single/twin 20mm AA guns. Moreover, two ships were completed with a completely different main armament of 8x4.5” DP guns, which was at least a more effective AA weapon that the 5.25” guns if less hard-hitting in the surface role.
The Modified Dido or Bellona Class were redesigned with just four 5.25” turrets, upgraded and radar-guided, and a much lower superstructure to improve stability. Their role was also somewhat different to the main class in that they were intended to be escort ships for carrier task forces and also act as picket ships for amphibious operations. Their armament comprised 8x5.25” DP guns (2x4), 12x2 pdrs AA (3x4) guns, 12x20mm AA (6x2) guns and 6x21” TT (2x3).
Interestingly, although designed as trade protection cruisers or carrier escorts, in the Mediterranean the Didos and Bellonas were often used as fleet cruisers (with the Arethusas), participating, for example, in the Battle of Cape Matapan and the Second Battle of Sirte where they successfully held off larger and more powerful Italian cruisers. They were also at the Allied Invasion of North Africa, Salerno, D-Day and Okinawa. Their action-packed lives inevitably led to high losses, six being lost in WWII. So highly thought of was the class that, with the outbreak of the Korean war, there was a scheme to replace the 5.25” turrets with four or five automatic, radar-controlled, twin 3” AA turrets with an extremely high rate of fire but in the event it was found too difficult (and costly) to fit-in all the necessary equipment into a relatively small hull. The survivors were scrapped in 1955-68, although one sold to Pakistan survived until 1985.
HMS Dido herself was built by Cammell Laird, Belfast, being launched in 1939 and completed in 1940. She had a very active service in WWII (including the Second Battle of Sirte) and fired the last salvoes in the naval campaign in Europe in a shore bombardment in North Germany. The surrender of the German Kreigsmarine took place on her at Copenhagen. She then escorted the German cruisers Prinz Eugen and Nurnberg from Copenhagen to Wilhelmshaven. After the war she became the flagship of the Reserve Fleet and was scrapped in 1958.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Tyne was the second of the five River-class light cruisers in the Royal Navy, which were introduced during the interwar period and played, after modifications, an active role in World War II, especially in the Mediterranean theatre of operations.
After the construction of the Danae-class cruiser, the demerits of the small cruiser concept became apparent. At the end of 1917, plans for an additional six C-class vessels, plus three new-design 7,200 ton-class scouting cruisers were shelved, in favor of an intermediate 5,500 ton-class vessel which could be used as both a long-range, high speed scout ship, and also as a command vessel for destroyer or submarine flotillas. The resulting River-class vessels were essentially enlarged versions of the Danae-class cruisers, with greater speed, range, and weaponry. With improvements in geared-turbine engine technology, the River-class vessels were capable of the high speed of 36 knots (67 km/h), and a range of 9,000 nmi (17,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h). The number of BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) L/45 Mark XII guns was increased from only three to seven in single mounts and provision was made for 48 naval mines. However, the four triple torpedo launchers on the Danae-class were reduced to just two double launchers, and the River-class remained highly deficient in anti-aircraft protection, with only two QF 3 in 20 cwt L/45 Mk. I and two QF 2-pounder L/39 Mk. II guns. A total of eight ships were ordered, but, with less pressure after the end of WWI, only five were built and finished.
The first River-class ship, H.M.S. “Trent”, was laid down in December 1918 and launched in August 1919. H.M.S. “Tyne” was the second cruiser of this new class, laid down 8 July 1919, launched 24 September 1920 and completed at Chatham Royal Dockyard 2 June 1922. Completed too late to see action in the First World War, “Tyne” was initially assigned to operate in the Baltic Sea against the Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia. She was then on detached service in the West Indies. Following this assignment, she was attached to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet for the following five years. 1923/24, “Tyne” became a member of the Cruise of the Special Service Squadron, also known as the “Empire Cruise”. Following this tour, she went with the squadron to the Mediterranean for the next few years.
In May 1928 “Tyne” was assigned to the North America and West Indies Station, based at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda. She ran aground on 2 July 1928 on the Thrum Cap Shoal, 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was badly damaged, suffering the breach of her engine room and of one of her boiler rooms. She was abandoned by most of her 445 crew, the officers remaining on board. Subsequently, all her guns and torpedo tubes and much of her other equipment had to be removed to lighten her. She was finally refloated on 11 July 1928 and towed off by H.M.S. “Despatch” and several tugs. She was repaired throughout 1929 and then reduced to the reserve.
In 1930, however, due to a shortage of ships at foreign theatres of operation, she was reactivated and transferred back to the America and West Indies Station. During 1931-1933 she served with the South American Division, and in 1934 she relieved the cruiser “Curlew” in the Mediterranean and was reassigned to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron. In 1935 she returned to Britain to be paid off into the reserve, but “Tyne” was kept active in British coastal waters for cadet training.
On the outbreak of the Second World War, “Tyne” was recommissioned and thoroughly modernized, since the original armament and other equipment had become obsolete by 1939. All five River-class ships were re-designed as light trade protection cruisers and were outfitted with new, state-of-the-art equipment and armament, including six new and very compact turrets. Pairs were placed at the bow and at the stern each, with another two placed singly at port and starboard amidships. Each was armed with twin 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns in high angle mountings. These new, quick-firing weapons were primarily surface weapons, but it was intended to fire the heaviest shell suitable for anti-aircraft defense, so that the ships could be used for convoy protection from aerial attacks.
The ballistic performance of the QF 5.25 was very good, with a maximum range of 24,070 yd (22,010 m) at 45 degrees with an 80 lb (36.3 kg) HE shell. In comparison, the contemporary French 138 mm (5.4 in) Mle 1934 guns as used on the Mogador-class destroyers had a maximum range of 21,872 yards (20,000 m) at 30 degrees with an 88 lb (39.9 kg) SAP shell, and the Italian 135/45 mm gun as used on the Capitani Romani-class cruisers had a maximum range of 21,435 yards (19,600 m) at 45 degrees with a 72.1 lb (32.7 kg) AP shell.
The new turrets were far more modern in design than previous light cruiser turrets and offered efficient loading up to 70 degrees to provide the intended dual-purpose capability. Furthermore, “Tyne” was, like its revamped sister ships, outfitted with four twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-poms" and a pair of triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tube launchers, mounted under the main deck. The latter carried a steam catapult for a reconnaissance waterplane, initially a Fairey Swordfish on floats but later replaced by a Supermarine Walrus amphibious flying boat. The depth charge racks were augmented by two new launchers.
After her modifications at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, field tests in the Channel and receiving a light disruptive Admiralty paint scheme, “Tyne” joined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, escorting convoys to Scandinavia and engaged in the hunt for the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. After the Norwegian Campaign she participated in the operations hunting the German battleship Bismarck and, together with the cruiser “Kenya”, intercepted one of the German supply ships, “Belchen”, on 3 June 1941.
Between July and August 1941, as part of Force K with the Home Fleet, she was involved in “Operation Gauntlet”, with operations to Spitzbergen and Bear Island. After one of these sorties, in company with the cruiser “Nigeria”, she intercepted a German troop convoy off Northern Norway, and the German ship “Bremse” was sunk. Later that year she was transferred to the Mediterranean and arrived in Alexandria on 21 October 1941 to join a new Force K, where the ship received a new high-contrast paint scheme, typical for this theatre of operations.
On 9 November 1941, Force K, consisting of “Tyne”,”Aurora”, “Penelope”, “Lance” and “Lively”, she was involved in the destruction of the Beta Convoy. In the resulting battle the Italian destroyer “Fulmine” was sunk, as well as the German transports “Duisburg” and “San Marco”, the Italian transports “Maria”, “Sagitta” and “Rina Corrado”, and the Italian “Conte di Misurata” and “Minatitlan”. The Italian destroyers “Grecale” and “Euro” were damaged.
On 24 November Force K, intercepted an Axis convoy about 100 nautical miles west of Crete. The Axis convoy was bound from the Aegean to Benghazi. The two German transports in the convoy, “Maritza” and “Procida”, were both sunk by H.M.S. “Penelope” and H.M.S. “Lively” despite the presence of the Italian torpedo boats “Lupo” and “Cassiopea”. On 1 December 1941 Force K, with “Tyne”, “Penelope” and ”Lively”, attacked the Mantovani Convoy. The Italian destroyer “Alvise Da Mosto” and the sole cargo ship “Mantovani” were sunk. H.M.S. “Tyne” next participated in the First Battle of Sirte on 17 December 1941. On 19 December, while steaming off Tripoli, she was heavily damaged in a mine field and was forced to retire to Malta for hull repairs.
After repairs, which lasted several months into summer 1942, she returned to service in the MTO and joined Force H. In November she became part of the Centre Task Force for the Landings in North Africa, Operation Torch. Off Oran, she engaged the Vichy French destroyers “Tramontane” and “Tornad”e on 8 November 1942, damaging the former so badly that it had to be beached. The following day she badly damaged the destroyer “Épervier” and drove it ashore. By early December 1942 she was operating as part of Force Q at Bône against the Axis evacuation and supply convoys between Trapani and Tunis.
However, “Tyne” was hit on 20 December 1942 off Trapani (Sicily) by an air-dropped torpedo. She caught fire, had two of her turrets out of action and was badly flooded. Later that day she was attacked once more by German dive-bombers, and a fatal bomb hit at the ship’s stern eventually led to her loss the following day. 115 men were killed through the attacks, the rest, more than two-thirds of the crew, was rescued.
All River-class ships had a very active war career and proved to be satisfactory in service, even though they were hardly a match for full-fledged battleships and worked best in conjunction with other ships. Especially in the Mediterranean they were very effective in protecting crucial convoys to Malta and even managed to see off some ships of the Italian Royal Navy. However, their outdated WWI machinery became their Achilles heel and limited their potential, and the relatively light main guns lacked range and firepower to take on major enemy ships their own.
From 1940 on the ships were to be replaced by the much more modern and better-equipped new Dido-class cruisers, but a shortage of guns for them, due to difficulties in manufacturing them, delayed their introduction so that the River-class cruisers had to soldier on. Two ships, “Tyne” and “Thames”, were lost, and the three post-war survivors “Trent”, “Severn” and “Mersey”, were immediately put into reserve after the end of hostilities in Europe and quickly broken up.
General characteristics:
Displacement: 5,100 long tons (5,200 t) (standard)
Length: 500 ft (152.4 m)
Beam: 47 ft (14.2 m)
Draft: 16 ft (4.8 m)
Draught: 12 ft 6 in (3.8 m) (deep)
Armor: Belt: 64 mm (3 in), Deck: 29 mm (1 in)
Complement: 450
Propulsion:
12× Admiralty boilers with 4× geared steam turbines, developing 90,000 shp (67,000 kW)
and driving four shafts
Performance:
Top speed: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Armament (after conversion):
12× 5.25 guns (133 mm) 50 caliber guns in six twin turrets
4× twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" AA guns in powered mounts
2× triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
2× throwers and 2× racks astern with 48 depth charges
The kit and its assembly:
The Royal Navy’s River-class light cruisers never existed. These fictional interwar ships were based on the Dido-class cruisers’ concept, just placed in an earlier generation and realized on the basis of an old/outdated ship. Inspiration came with an aftermarket set of six 1:700 white metal turrets that I came across recently, and I wanted to use it to build something like the American Atlanta-class light cruisers with a specialized AA armament.
However, this armament called for a suitable and bigger hull than my former destroyer builds, and I was eventually able to hunt down a cheap Tamiya kit of a Japanese Kuma-class light cruiser as starting point. It was perfect in size (almost exactly as big as a Dido-class cruiser!), shape and time frame, even though I I basically only used the kit’s single-piece hull as starting point. I had to modify the superstructures thoroughly to adapt the Japanese ship to the new role and also to a more Western layout and silhouette.
For instance, the typically Japanese tall “pagoda” bridge/command section of that era had to disappear, and I changed the superstructures almost completely, because the new twin turrets needed much more space than the small single guns of the Kuma cruiser. I also wanted to place them at different levels, and this called for suitable staggered platforms, too.
Initially there was the plan to mount the six turrets in groups of three at both bow and stern, but it was soon clear that this would not work – this arrangement would have been too long and too high, too, so that I went with two staggered pairs. I also wanted to give the ship – unlike the American Atlanta-class ships – a catapult for an on-board aircraft, and this required some free space on deck.
With this framework I scratched new/additional superstructures, using leftover pieces from the two recently built Matchbox K-class destroyers and from a Revell H.M.S. Ark Royal carrier. Everything evolved through trial-and error, in an attempt to find a plausible layout for all the deck equipment. The lowered hull section for the Kuma-class’ front torpedo tubes was filled with a cabin and re-purposed for lifeboats. Then the initially continuous superstructure was split to make room for the steam catapult amidships at deck level. The rear turrets eventually found their final places on a separate superstructure that would also carry the secondary mast and the crane for the floatplane, and I mounted the last two turrets in lateral positions (again somewhat inspired by the Atlanta-class arrangement with similar positions), above the Kuma-class’ openings for the rear torpedo launch tubes. These did not make sense at this position anymore, so that the OOB openings were closed/filled and moved further forward, under the new “flight deck”. Some PSR had to be done, too, in order to blend some disparate donor parts and fill the worst gaps. Therefore, the finish is certainly not as crisp as an OOB model – but I think that these flaws remained on an acceptable level.
Once the general deck layout had been settled, detail work began. This included a re-arrangement of bridge, masts and funnels, and the main deck had to offer enough space for the re-located catapult, together with the turrets in the side positions, lifeboats and AA stations, which found their place at deck level and in two twin alcoves in higher positions. Fiddly stuff, and I must admit that “creating” such a battleship is conceptually not easy.
The aircraft on board is actually the OOB Kawanishi E7K floatplane from the Kuma-class cruiser kit – but it looks similar enough to a Swordfish that this illusion could be easily supported with a suitable paint scheme.
Painting and markings:
I used the opportunity to apply another typical Royal Navy paint scheme, a so-called “Alexandria-style” pattern. This was a high-contrast scheme, sometimes described as consisting of black and white, but it was typically made up from 507a (Dark Grey) and 507c (Light Grey). It had been christened after the dockyard where it had been initially applied, and it was actually not a defined pattern (like the Admiralty schemes, which had been designed at offices by people who frequently had no practical naval experience!), but rather a common but individual application of standard paints that had been in ample supply at most dockyards! The ships had to be painted with what was at hand, and so the disruptive scheme caught on and was applied, like Mountbatten Pink, to a considerable number of British ships operating in the MTO. This two-tone scheme was not intended to conceal the ships, but rather to confuse the observer concerning speed, direction and what the ship actually was.
The pattern I applied to the model was loosely based on what the cruiser H.M.S. Devonshire carried in 1941, a kind of zebra pattern with wide, well-defined block stripes. As a visual gimmick these stripes were kind of “mirrored” along a line on the hull, as if reflected by the water and therefore making assessing size or distance even more difficult.
The paints are Humbrol 147 (Light Grey, FS 36495) and 27 (Sea Grey). The deck was painted as if the wooden areas had not been overpainted yet and allowed to weather, so that the once-holystoned, yellow-ish light wood had become dull and rather grey-ish. I used Humbrol 168 (RAF Hemp) and Revell 87 (Beige) as basis, and some light shading with thinned sepia ink was done to enhance the wooden look – and it’s nice contrast to the rather cold, grey camouflage. Metal decks, turret tops and the bow area were painted with Revell 47, simulating 507b (Medium Grey). Areas around the bridge were painted with Humbrol 62 (Leather) to simulate Corticene coating.
I originally wanted to paint the model in separate elements before final assembly, but this was not possible due to the many adjustments. The model was slightly weathered with a highly thinned black ink wash. Some Sienna Brown water paint was used for rust stains here and there. Portholes along the hull and on the superstructures were created with a thin black felt tip pen. The same tool was used to paint the muzzles of the guns. The crisp black boot topping was easy to create through the kit’s separate waterline bottom – OOB it comes in red, and it just had to be re-painted.
The kit’s segments were sealed with a coat of acrylic matt varnish before final assembly. Finally, rigging with heated and extended dark grey sprue material was done and paper flags were added.
It is not obvious, but the fictional H.M.S. “Tyne” took more scratchwork and mods than one would expect – it was/is almost a scratch build on the basis of a stock cruiser hull. More or less, the whole superstructure was re-arranged and the whole armament is new, but I think that the outcome looks quite plausible. The camouflage – even though only consisting of two shades of grey - looks interesting, too, and I think that the confusing effect becomes obvious in some of the beauty pics.
A LA NAVE
¿Qué nuevas esperanzas
al mar te llevan? Torna,
torna, atrevida nave,
a la nativa costa.
Aún ves de la pasada
tormenta mil memorias,
¿y ya a correr fortuna
segunda vez te arrojas?
Sembrada está de sirtes
aleves tu derrota,
do tarde los peligros
avisará la sonda.
¡Ah! Vuelve, que aún es tiempo,
mientras el mar las conchas
de la ribera halaga
con apacibles olas.
Presto erizando cerros
vendrá a batir las rocas,
y náufragas reliquias
hará a Neptuno alfombra.
De flámulas de seda
la presumida pompa
no arredra los insultos
de tempestad sonora.
¿Qué valen contra el Euro,
tirano de las ondas,
las barras y leones
de tu dorada popa?
¿Qué tu nombre, famoso
en reinos de la aurora,
y donde al sol recibe
su cristalina alcoba?
Ayer por estas aguas,
segura de sí propia,
desafiaba al viento
otra arrogante proa;
Y ya, padrón infausto
que al navegante asombra,
en un desnudo escollo
está cubierta de ovas.
¡Qué! ¿No me oyes? ¿El rumbo
no tuerces? ¿Orgullosa
descoges nuevas velas,
y sin pavor te engolfas?
¿No ves, ¡oh malhadada!
que ya el cielo se entolda,
y las nubes bramando
relámpagos abortan?
¿No ves la espuma cana,
que hinchada se alborota,
ni el vendaval te asusta,
que silba en las maromas?
¡Vuelve, objeto querido
de mi inquietud ansiosa;
vuelve a la amiga playa,
antes que el sol se esconda!
Andrés Bello (1781-1865)
MÚSICA: Great Big Sea and the Chieftans - Lukey
A model of the Dido Class Light Cruiser HMS Scylla at the Glasgow Transport Museum, 2 March 2007.
Eleven Dido Class cruisers were launched in 1939-41 and completed in 1940-42 and five Modified Dido (or Bellona) Class vessels were launched in 1942 and completed in 1943-44. Although often described as AA cruisers, in fact they were conceived as trade protection cruisers to complement the larger 12x6” gunned 8,500 ton Crown Colony Class of fleet cruisers then being built at the same time. They were based on the 6x6” gunned 5,250 ton Arethusa Class of 1935-37 which had been regarded as too small to be regarded as effective fleet cruisers (although in fact they turned out to be very effective); instead of 6” guns, it was planned that the Didos would be armed with a new design of 5.25” guns and turret which, though optimised for surface use, could be used as an AA weapon and were therefore a dual purpose weapon. 5.25” was considered the largest practicable AA gun, although in service the turret’s training and elevating speed proved somewhat slow in tracking fast moving aircraft. On the other hand, their air-burst was considered devastating.
The Didos emerged as a very innovative design with an unprecedented five twin turrets for its main armament with three stacked in the fore positions of A, B and C (and two in X & Y). Although this potentially raised the centre of gravity of the ship, this was counterbalanced by the first use of aluminium in considerable parts of the forward superstructure and bridge. The Didos measured 512 ft x 50.6 ft x 16.6 ft, with a displacement of 5,600 tons and a designed armament of 10x5.25”DP guns, 8x2 pdr AA pom poms guns (2x4), 8x0.5” mg AA and 8x18” TT (2x4). Their 62,000 shp turbines and 4 screws gave them a speed of 32 kts (although there is a claim that one ship reached 39 kts on trial!).
The outbreak of WWII led to a shortage of bauxite imports whilst what aluminium was produced was prioritised to aircraft production. This resulted to some ships having an all steel superstructure. This, together with delays building the complex 5.25” gun turrets, led to three ships being completed with only four 5.25” turrets and a 4” gun, although the fifth turret was later added on some ships. However, subsequently several ships had a 5.25” turret removed and replaced by various combinations of 1-3 twin/quadruple 40mm and/or 1-3 quadruple pom poms AA guns plus single/twin 20mm AA guns. Moreover, two ships –HMS Scylla and HMS Charybdis - were completed with a completely different armament of 8x4.5” DP (4x2) guns (which, if less hard-hitting in the surface role, was a more effective AA weapon that the 5.25” guns), 1x4” gun, 24x2 pdr AA pom poms (3x4), 8x0.5” mg AA (2x4), 6x21” TT (2x3). By the end of the war Scylla’s armament was 8x4.5” DP (4x2), 8x2 pdr AA pom poms (2x4), 20x20mm AA (6x2 + 8x1) guns, 6x21” TT (2x3).
The Modified Dido or Bellona Class were redesigned with just four 5.25” turrets, upgraded and radar-guided, and a much lower superstructure to improve stability. Their role was also somewhat different to the main class in that they were intended to be escort ships for carrier task forces and also act as picket ships for amphibious operations. Their armament comprised 8x5.25” DP guns (2x4), 12x2 pdrs AA (3x4) guns, 12x20mm AA (6x2) guns and 6x21” TT (2x3).
Interestingly, although designed as trade protection cruisers or carrier escorts, in the Mediterranean the Didos and Bellonas were often used as fleet cruisers (with the Arethusas), participating, for example, in the Battle of Cape Matapan and the Second Battle of Sirte where they successfully held off larger and more powerful Italian cruisers. They were also at the Allied Invasion of North Africa, Salerno, D-Day and Okinawa. Their action-packed lives inevitably led to high losses, six being lost in WWII. So highly thought of was the class that, with the outbreak of the Korean war, there was a scheme to replace the 5.25” turrets with four or five automatic, radar-controlled, twin 3” AA turrets with an extremely high rate of fire but in the event it was found too difficult (and costly) to fit-in all the necessary equipment into a relatively small hull. The survivors were scrapped in 1955-68, although one sold to Pakistan survived until 1985.
HMS Scylla herself was built by Scotts Shipbuilding, Greenock, being launched in 1940 and completed in 1942. She had a very active service in WWII including escorting Russian convoys, taking part in the North African Landings, sinking the German blockade runner Rhakotis and taking part in the 1943 Salerno Landings as part of the Support Carrier Force. After that the Scylla was refitted as an Escort Carrier Flagship with the innovation of an Action Information Centre (AIO) – as was the Modified Dido HMS Royalist – to coordinate radar and interception information.
Because of this highly valuable capability, the Scylla was made the RN flagship at the Normandy landings, co-ordinating all RN shipping and warship movements but particularly RN MTB’s and MGB’s defending the Eastern Task Force against attacking German E-Boats. However, on 23 June Scylla hit a mine; she survived and was towed back to Portsmouth only to be found to be so seriously damaged that she was declared a constructive total loss. She was then used as a target until 1950 when she was scrapped.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Tyne was the second of the five River-class light cruisers in the Royal Navy, which were introduced during the interwar period and played, after modifications, an active role in World War II, especially in the Mediterranean theatre of operations.
After the construction of the Danae-class cruiser, the demerits of the small cruiser concept became apparent. At the end of 1917, plans for an additional six C-class vessels, plus three new-design 7,200 ton-class scouting cruisers were shelved, in favor of an intermediate 5,500 ton-class vessel which could be used as both a long-range, high speed scout ship, and also as a command vessel for destroyer or submarine flotillas. The resulting River-class vessels were essentially enlarged versions of the Danae-class cruisers, with greater speed, range, and weaponry. With improvements in geared-turbine engine technology, the River-class vessels were capable of the high speed of 36 knots (67 km/h), and a range of 9,000 nmi (17,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h). The number of BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) L/45 Mark XII guns was increased from only three to seven in single mounts and provision was made for 48 naval mines. However, the four triple torpedo launchers on the Danae-class were reduced to just two double launchers, and the River-class remained highly deficient in anti-aircraft protection, with only two QF 3 in 20 cwt L/45 Mk. I and two QF 2-pounder L/39 Mk. II guns. A total of eight ships were ordered, but, with less pressure after the end of WWI, only five were built and finished.
The first River-class ship, H.M.S. “Trent”, was laid down in December 1918 and launched in August 1919. H.M.S. “Tyne” was the second cruiser of this new class, laid down 8 July 1919, launched 24 September 1920 and completed at Chatham Royal Dockyard 2 June 1922. Completed too late to see action in the First World War, “Tyne” was initially assigned to operate in the Baltic Sea against the Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia. She was then on detached service in the West Indies. Following this assignment, she was attached to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet for the following five years. 1923/24, “Tyne” became a member of the Cruise of the Special Service Squadron, also known as the “Empire Cruise”. Following this tour, she went with the squadron to the Mediterranean for the next few years.
In May 1928 “Tyne” was assigned to the North America and West Indies Station, based at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda. She ran aground on 2 July 1928 on the Thrum Cap Shoal, 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was badly damaged, suffering the breach of her engine room and of one of her boiler rooms. She was abandoned by most of her 445 crew, the officers remaining on board. Subsequently, all her guns and torpedo tubes and much of her other equipment had to be removed to lighten her. She was finally refloated on 11 July 1928 and towed off by H.M.S. “Despatch” and several tugs. She was repaired throughout 1929 and then reduced to the reserve.
In 1930, however, due to a shortage of ships at foreign theatres of operation, she was reactivated and transferred back to the America and West Indies Station. During 1931-1933 she served with the South American Division, and in 1934 she relieved the cruiser “Curlew” in the Mediterranean and was reassigned to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron. In 1935 she returned to Britain to be paid off into the reserve, but “Tyne” was kept active in British coastal waters for cadet training.
On the outbreak of the Second World War, “Tyne” was recommissioned and thoroughly modernized, since the original armament and other equipment had become obsolete by 1939. All five River-class ships were re-designed as light trade protection cruisers and were outfitted with new, state-of-the-art equipment and armament, including six new and very compact turrets. Pairs were placed at the bow and at the stern each, with another two placed singly at port and starboard amidships. Each was armed with twin 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns in high angle mountings. These new, quick-firing weapons were primarily surface weapons, but it was intended to fire the heaviest shell suitable for anti-aircraft defense, so that the ships could be used for convoy protection from aerial attacks.
The ballistic performance of the QF 5.25 was very good, with a maximum range of 24,070 yd (22,010 m) at 45 degrees with an 80 lb (36.3 kg) HE shell. In comparison, the contemporary French 138 mm (5.4 in) Mle 1934 guns as used on the Mogador-class destroyers had a maximum range of 21,872 yards (20,000 m) at 30 degrees with an 88 lb (39.9 kg) SAP shell, and the Italian 135/45 mm gun as used on the Capitani Romani-class cruisers had a maximum range of 21,435 yards (19,600 m) at 45 degrees with a 72.1 lb (32.7 kg) AP shell.
The new turrets were far more modern in design than previous light cruiser turrets and offered efficient loading up to 70 degrees to provide the intended dual-purpose capability. Furthermore, “Tyne” was, like its revamped sister ships, outfitted with four twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-poms" and a pair of triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tube launchers, mounted under the main deck. The latter carried a steam catapult for a reconnaissance waterplane, initially a Fairey Swordfish on floats but later replaced by a Supermarine Walrus amphibious flying boat. The depth charge racks were augmented by two new launchers.
After her modifications at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, field tests in the Channel and receiving a light disruptive Admiralty paint scheme, “Tyne” joined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, escorting convoys to Scandinavia and engaged in the hunt for the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. After the Norwegian Campaign she participated in the operations hunting the German battleship Bismarck and, together with the cruiser “Kenya”, intercepted one of the German supply ships, “Belchen”, on 3 June 1941.
Between July and August 1941, as part of Force K with the Home Fleet, she was involved in “Operation Gauntlet”, with operations to Spitzbergen and Bear Island. After one of these sorties, in company with the cruiser “Nigeria”, she intercepted a German troop convoy off Northern Norway, and the German ship “Bremse” was sunk. Later that year she was transferred to the Mediterranean and arrived in Alexandria on 21 October 1941 to join a new Force K, where the ship received a new high-contrast paint scheme, typical for this theatre of operations.
On 9 November 1941, Force K, consisting of “Tyne”,”Aurora”, “Penelope”, “Lance” and “Lively”, she was involved in the destruction of the Beta Convoy. In the resulting battle the Italian destroyer “Fulmine” was sunk, as well as the German transports “Duisburg” and “San Marco”, the Italian transports “Maria”, “Sagitta” and “Rina Corrado”, and the Italian “Conte di Misurata” and “Minatitlan”. The Italian destroyers “Grecale” and “Euro” were damaged.
On 24 November Force K, intercepted an Axis convoy about 100 nautical miles west of Crete. The Axis convoy was bound from the Aegean to Benghazi. The two German transports in the convoy, “Maritza” and “Procida”, were both sunk by H.M.S. “Penelope” and H.M.S. “Lively” despite the presence of the Italian torpedo boats “Lupo” and “Cassiopea”. On 1 December 1941 Force K, with “Tyne”, “Penelope” and ”Lively”, attacked the Mantovani Convoy. The Italian destroyer “Alvise Da Mosto” and the sole cargo ship “Mantovani” were sunk. H.M.S. “Tyne” next participated in the First Battle of Sirte on 17 December 1941. On 19 December, while steaming off Tripoli, she was heavily damaged in a mine field and was forced to retire to Malta for hull repairs.
After repairs, which lasted several months into summer 1942, she returned to service in the MTO and joined Force H. In November she became part of the Centre Task Force for the Landings in North Africa, Operation Torch. Off Oran, she engaged the Vichy French destroyers “Tramontane” and “Tornad”e on 8 November 1942, damaging the former so badly that it had to be beached. The following day she badly damaged the destroyer “Épervier” and drove it ashore. By early December 1942 she was operating as part of Force Q at Bône against the Axis evacuation and supply convoys between Trapani and Tunis.
However, “Tyne” was hit on 20 December 1942 off Trapani (Sicily) by an air-dropped torpedo. She caught fire, had two of her turrets out of action and was badly flooded. Later that day she was attacked once more by German dive-bombers, and a fatal bomb hit at the ship’s stern eventually led to her loss the following day. 115 men were killed through the attacks, the rest, more than two-thirds of the crew, was rescued.
All River-class ships had a very active war career and proved to be satisfactory in service, even though they were hardly a match for full-fledged battleships and worked best in conjunction with other ships. Especially in the Mediterranean they were very effective in protecting crucial convoys to Malta and even managed to see off some ships of the Italian Royal Navy. However, their outdated WWI machinery became their Achilles heel and limited their potential, and the relatively light main guns lacked range and firepower to take on major enemy ships their own.
From 1940 on the ships were to be replaced by the much more modern and better-equipped new Dido-class cruisers, but a shortage of guns for them, due to difficulties in manufacturing them, delayed their introduction so that the River-class cruisers had to soldier on. Two ships, “Tyne” and “Thames”, were lost, and the three post-war survivors “Trent”, “Severn” and “Mersey”, were immediately put into reserve after the end of hostilities in Europe and quickly broken up.
General characteristics:
Displacement: 5,100 long tons (5,200 t) (standard)
Length: 500 ft (152.4 m)
Beam: 47 ft (14.2 m)
Draft: 16 ft (4.8 m)
Draught: 12 ft 6 in (3.8 m) (deep)
Armor: Belt: 64 mm (3 in), Deck: 29 mm (1 in)
Complement: 450
Propulsion:
12× Admiralty boilers with 4× geared steam turbines, developing 90,000 shp (67,000 kW)
and driving four shafts
Performance:
Top speed: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Armament (after conversion):
12× 5.25 guns (133 mm) 50 caliber guns in six twin turrets
4× twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" AA guns in powered mounts
2× triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
2× throwers and 2× racks astern with 48 depth charges
The kit and its assembly:
The Royal Navy’s River-class light cruisers never existed. These fictional interwar ships were based on the Dido-class cruisers’ concept, just placed in an earlier generation and realized on the basis of an old/outdated ship. Inspiration came with an aftermarket set of six 1:700 white metal turrets that I came across recently, and I wanted to use it to build something like the American Atlanta-class light cruisers with a specialized AA armament.
However, this armament called for a suitable and bigger hull than my former destroyer builds, and I was eventually able to hunt down a cheap Tamiya kit of a Japanese Kuma-class light cruiser as starting point. It was perfect in size (almost exactly as big as a Dido-class cruiser!), shape and time frame, even though I I basically only used the kit’s single-piece hull as starting point. I had to modify the superstructures thoroughly to adapt the Japanese ship to the new role and also to a more Western layout and silhouette.
For instance, the typically Japanese tall “pagoda” bridge/command section of that era had to disappear, and I changed the superstructures almost completely, because the new twin turrets needed much more space than the small single guns of the Kuma cruiser. I also wanted to place them at different levels, and this called for suitable staggered platforms, too.
Initially there was the plan to mount the six turrets in groups of three at both bow and stern, but it was soon clear that this would not work – this arrangement would have been too long and too high, too, so that I went with two staggered pairs. I also wanted to give the ship – unlike the American Atlanta-class ships – a catapult for an on-board aircraft, and this required some free space on deck.
With this framework I scratched new/additional superstructures, using leftover pieces from the two recently built Matchbox K-class destroyers and from a Revell H.M.S. Ark Royal carrier. Everything evolved through trial-and error, in an attempt to find a plausible layout for all the deck equipment. The lowered hull section for the Kuma-class’ front torpedo tubes was filled with a cabin and re-purposed for lifeboats. Then the initially continuous superstructure was split to make room for the steam catapult amidships at deck level. The rear turrets eventually found their final places on a separate superstructure that would also carry the secondary mast and the crane for the floatplane, and I mounted the last two turrets in lateral positions (again somewhat inspired by the Atlanta-class arrangement with similar positions), above the Kuma-class’ openings for the rear torpedo launch tubes. These did not make sense at this position anymore, so that the OOB openings were closed/filled and moved further forward, under the new “flight deck”. Some PSR had to be done, too, in order to blend some disparate donor parts and fill the worst gaps. Therefore, the finish is certainly not as crisp as an OOB model – but I think that these flaws remained on an acceptable level.
Once the general deck layout had been settled, detail work began. This included a re-arrangement of bridge, masts and funnels, and the main deck had to offer enough space for the re-located catapult, together with the turrets in the side positions, lifeboats and AA stations, which found their place at deck level and in two twin alcoves in higher positions. Fiddly stuff, and I must admit that “creating” such a battleship is conceptually not easy.
The aircraft on board is actually the OOB Kawanishi E7K floatplane from the Kuma-class cruiser kit – but it looks similar enough to a Swordfish that this illusion could be easily supported with a suitable paint scheme.
Painting and markings:
I used the opportunity to apply another typical Royal Navy paint scheme, a so-called “Alexandria-style” pattern. This was a high-contrast scheme, sometimes described as consisting of black and white, but it was typically made up from 507a (Dark Grey) and 507c (Light Grey). It had been christened after the dockyard where it had been initially applied, and it was actually not a defined pattern (like the Admiralty schemes, which had been designed at offices by people who frequently had no practical naval experience!), but rather a common but individual application of standard paints that had been in ample supply at most dockyards! The ships had to be painted with what was at hand, and so the disruptive scheme caught on and was applied, like Mountbatten Pink, to a considerable number of British ships operating in the MTO. This two-tone scheme was not intended to conceal the ships, but rather to confuse the observer concerning speed, direction and what the ship actually was.
The pattern I applied to the model was loosely based on what the cruiser H.M.S. Devonshire carried in 1941, a kind of zebra pattern with wide, well-defined block stripes. As a visual gimmick these stripes were kind of “mirrored” along a line on the hull, as if reflected by the water and therefore making assessing size or distance even more difficult.
The paints are Humbrol 147 (Light Grey, FS 36495) and 27 (Sea Grey). The deck was painted as if the wooden areas had not been overpainted yet and allowed to weather, so that the once-holystoned, yellow-ish light wood had become dull and rather grey-ish. I used Humbrol 168 (RAF Hemp) and Revell 87 (Beige) as basis, and some light shading with thinned sepia ink was done to enhance the wooden look – and it’s nice contrast to the rather cold, grey camouflage. Metal decks, turret tops and the bow area were painted with Revell 47, simulating 507b (Medium Grey). Areas around the bridge were painted with Humbrol 62 (Leather) to simulate Corticene coating.
I originally wanted to paint the model in separate elements before final assembly, but this was not possible due to the many adjustments. The model was slightly weathered with a highly thinned black ink wash. Some Sienna Brown water paint was used for rust stains here and there. Portholes along the hull and on the superstructures were created with a thin black felt tip pen. The same tool was used to paint the muzzles of the guns. The crisp black boot topping was easy to create through the kit’s separate waterline bottom – OOB it comes in red, and it just had to be re-painted.
The kit’s segments were sealed with a coat of acrylic matt varnish before final assembly. Finally, rigging with heated and extended dark grey sprue material was done and paper flags were added.
It is not obvious, but the fictional H.M.S. “Tyne” took more scratchwork and mods than one would expect – it was/is almost a scratch build on the basis of a stock cruiser hull. More or less, the whole superstructure was re-arranged and the whole armament is new, but I think that the outcome looks quite plausible. The camouflage – even though only consisting of two shades of grey - looks interesting, too, and I think that the confusing effect becomes obvious in some of the beauty pics.
Kitty is sirted for the night!
I just want to wish everyone a wonderful happy and healthy new year and that you get everything that you wish for and more!
Also hurrah this is the last pic for my ADAD 2011 I have had an awesome time doing it and loved seeing everybodys pictures, thank you so much for looking
xxx
Eu sei donde móran,
Eu sei donde están;
Ó sesgo das augas,
As vin fulgurar.
Conozo o seu golfo,
Sua sirte natal;
Aló nos profundos,
Abismos do mar.
Mui bellas, mui grandes,
De tamaño igual;
Das testas ceibando mil íris sobérbios,
Color verdemar.
Eu sei donde móran,
Eu sei donde están.
lréi en leve góndola,
Con amoroso afan;
Rastrearéi con redes,
Sua praya maternal:
E s' inda así non podo,
Meu deseo alcanzar,
Improvisado buzo,
Novo tritón audaz,
Penso ó fondo Oceáno,
Seu tesouro arrancar.
Se na luita sucumbo,
A miña insánia intrépida escusá.
Eduardo Pondal, Queixumes dos pinos, 1886.
MÚSICA: Julie Fowlis - Danns' A Luideagan Odhar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Littorio
History
Italy
Name:Littorio
Namesake:The Lictor, a symbol of Italian Fascism[1]
Operator:Regia Marina
Ordered:10 June 1934
Builder:Ansaldo, Genova-Sestri Ponente
Laid down:28 October 1934
Launched:22 August 1937
Sponsored by:Signora Teresa Ballerino Cabella
Commissioned:6 May 1940
Decommissioned:1 June 1948
Renamed:Italia
Struck:1 June 1948
Fate:Scrapped at La Spezia 1952–54
General characteristics
Class and type:Littorio-class battleship
Displacement:
Standard: 40,723 long tons (41,376 t)
Full load:45,237 long tons (45,963 t)
Length:237.76 m (780.1 ft)
Beam:32.82 m (107.7 ft)
Draft:9.6 m (31 ft)
Installed power:
8 × Yarrow boilers
128,000 shp (95,000 kW)
Propulsion:4 × steam turbines, 4 × shafts
Speed:30 kn (35 mph; 56 km/h)
Range:3,920 mi (6,310 km; 3,410 nmi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement:1,830 to 1,950
Sensors and
processing systems:EC 3 ter 'Gufo' radar
Armament:
3 × 3 381 mm (15.0 in)/50 cal guns
4 × 3 152 mm (6.0 in)/55 cal guns
4 × 1 120 mm (4.7 in)/40 guns for illumination
12 × 1 90 mm (3.5 in)/50 anti-aircraft guns
20 × 37 mm (1.5 in)/54 guns (8 × 2; 4 × 1)
10 × 2 20 mm (0.79 in)/65 guns
Armor:
Main belt: 350 mm (14 in)
Deck: 162 mm (6.4 in)
Turrets: 350 mm
Conning tower: 260 mm (10 in)
Aircraft carried:3 aircraft (IMAM Ro.43 or Reggiane Re.2000)
Aviation facilities:1 stern catapult
Littorio was the lead ship of her class of battleship; she served in the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) during World War II. She was named after the Lictor ("Littorio" in Italian), in ancient times the bearer of the Roman fasces, which was adopted as the symbol of Italian Fascism. Littorio and her sister Vittorio Veneto were built in response to the French battleships Dunkerque and Strasbourg. They were Italy's first modern battleships, and the first 35,000-ton capital ships of any nation to be laid down under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty. Littorio was laid down in October 1934, launched in August 1937, and completed in May 1940.
Shortly after her commissioning, Littorio was badly damaged during the British air raid on Taranto on 11 November 1940, which put her out of action until the following March. Littorio thereafter took part in several sorties to catch the British Mediterranean Fleet, most of which failed to result in any action, the notable exception being the Second Battle of Sirte in March 1942, where she damaged several British warships. Littorio was renamed Italia in July 1943 after the fall of the Fascist government. On 9 September 1943, the Italian fleet was attacked by German bombers while it was on its way to internment. During this action, which saw the destruction of her sister Roma, Italia herself was hit by a Fritz X radio-controlled bomb, causing significant damage to her bow. As part of the armistice agreement, Italia was interned at Malta, Alexandria, and finally in the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal, where she remained until 1947. Italia was awarded to the United States as a war prize and scrapped at La Spezia in 1952–54.
Littorio-class battleship
Line-drawing of the Littorio class
Littorio and her sister Vittorio Veneto were designed in response to the French Dunkerque-class battleships.[2] Littorio was 237.76 meters (780.1 ft) long overall, had a beam of 32.82 m (107.7 ft) and a draft of 9.6 m (31 ft). She was designed with a standard displacement of 40,724 long tons (41,377 t), a violation of the 35,000-long-ton (36,000 t) restriction of the Washington Naval Treaty; at full combat loading, she displaced 45,236 long tons (45,962 t). The ship was powered by four Belluzo geared steam turbines rated at 128,000 shaft horsepower (95,000 kW). Steam was provided by eight oil-fired Yarrow boilers. The engines provided a top speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) and a range of 3,920 mi (6,310 km; 3,410 nmi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph). Littorio had a crew of 1,830 to 1,950 over the course of her career.[3][4]
Littorio's main armament consisted of nine 381-millimeter (15.0 in) 50-caliber Model 1934 guns in three triple turrets; two turrets were placed forward in a superfiring arrangement and the third was located aft. Her secondary anti-surface armament consisted of twelve 152 mm (6.0 in) /55 Model 1934/35 guns in four triple turrets amidships. These were supplemented by four 120 mm (4.7 in) /40 Model 1891/92 guns in single mounts; these guns were old weapons and were primarily intended to fire star shells. Littorio was equipped with an anti-aircraft battery that comprised twelve 90 mm (3.5 in) /50 Model 1938 guns in single mounts, twenty 37 mm (1.5 in)/54 /54 guns in eight twin and four single mounts, and sixteen 20 mm (0.79 in) /65 guns in eight twin mounts.[5] A further twelve 20 mm guns in twin mounts were installed in 1942. She received an EC 3 bis radar set in August 1941, an updated version in April 1942—which proved to be unsuccessful in service—and finally the EC 3 ter model in September 1942.[6]
The ship was protected by a main armored belt that was 280 mm (11 in) thick with a second layer of steel that was 70 mm (2.8 in) thick. The main deck was 162 mm (6.4 in) thick in the central area of the ship and reduced to 45 mm (1.8 in) in less critical areas. The main battery turrets were 350 mm (14 in) thick and the lower turret structure was housed in barbettes that were also 350 mm thick. The secondary turrets had 280 mm thick faces and the conning tower had 260 mm (10 in) thick sides.[4] Littorio was fitted with a catapult on her stern and equipped with three IMAM Ro.43 reconnaissance float planes or Reggiane Re.2000 fighters.[7]
Service history
Littorio was laid down at the Ansaldo shipyards in Genoa on 28 October 1934 to commemorate the Fascist Party's March on Rome in 1922. Her sister Vittorio Veneto was laid down the same day.[8] Changes to the design and a lack of armor plating led to delays in the building schedule, causing a three-month slip in the launch date from the original plan of May 1937. Littorio was launched on 22 August 1937, during a ceremony attended by many Italian dignitaries. She was sponsored by Signora Teresa Ballerino Cabella, the wife on an Ansaldo employee.[9] After her launch, the fitting out period lasted until early 1940. During this time, Littorio's bow was modified to lessen vibration and reduce wetness over the bow. Littorio ran a series of sea trials over a period of two months between 23 October 1939 and 21 December 1939. She was commissioned on 6 May 1940, and after running additional trials that month, she transferred to Taranto where she—along with Vittorio Veneto—joined the 9th Division under the command of Rear Admiral Carlo Bergamini.[10]
On 31 August – 2 September 1940, Littorio sortied as part of an Italian force of five battleships, ten cruisers, and thirty-four destroyers to intercept British naval forces taking part in Operation Hats and Convoy MB.3, but contact was not made with either group due to poor reconnaissance and no action occurred.[6][11] A similar outcome resulted from the movement against British Operation "MB.5" on 29 September - 1 October; Littorio, four other battleships, eleven cruisers, and twenty-three destroyers had attempted to intercept the convoy carrying troops to Malta.[6][12]
Attack on Taranto
Battle of Taranto
On the night of 10–11 November, the British Mediterranean Fleet launched an air raid on the harbor in Taranto. Twenty-one Swordfish torpedo bombers launched from the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious attacked the Italian fleet in two waves.[13] The Italian base was defended by twenty-one 90 mm anti-aircraft guns and dozens of smaller 37 mm and 20 mm guns, along with twenty-seven barrage balloons. The defenders did not possess radar, however, and so were caught by surprise when the Swordfishes arrived. Littorio and the other battleships were also not provided with sufficient anti-torpedo nets. The first wave struck at 20:35, followed by the second about an hour later.[14]
Damaged Littorio
The planes scored three hits on Littorio, one hit on Caio Duilio, and one on Conte di Cavour.[13] Of the torpedoes that struck Littorio, two hit in the bow and one struck the stern; the stern hit destroyed the rudder and shock from the explosion damaged the ship's steering gear. The two forward hits caused major flooding and led her to settle by the bows, with her decks awash up to her main battery turrets. She could not be brought into dock until 11 December due to a fourth, unexploded torpedo discovered under her keel; removing the torpedo proved to be a painstaking task, as any shift in the magnetic field around the torpedo might detonate its magnetic detonator.[15] Repairs lasted until 11 March 1941.[16]
Convoy operations
After repairs were completed, Littorio participated in an unsuccessful sortie to intercept British forces on 22–25 August. A month later, she led the attack on the Allied convoy in Operation Halberd on 27 September 1941.[16] The British force escorting the convoy included the battleships Rodney, Nelson, and Prince of Wales; Italian reconnaissance reported the presence of a powerful escort, and the Italian commander, under orders not to engage unless he possessed a strong numerical superiority, broke off the operation and returned to port.[17] On 13 December, she participated in another sweep to catch a convoy to Malta, but the attempt was broken off after Vittorio Veneto was torpedoed by a British submarine. Three days later, she steamed out to escort Operation M42, a supply convoy to Italian and German forces in North Africa.[16] By late 1941, British success at breaking the Enigma code made it increasingly difficult for Axis convoys to reach North Africa. The Italians therefore committed their battle fleet to the convoy effort to better protect the transports.[17] The next day, she took part in the First Battle of Sirte. Littorio, along with the rest of the distant covering force, engaged the escort of a British convoy heading for Malta that happened to run into the M42 convoy late in the day.[16] Littorio opened fire at extreme range, around 35,000 yards (32,000 m), but she scored no hits. Nevertheless, the heavy Italian fire forced the British force to withdraw under cover of a smokescreen and the M42 convoy reached North Africa without damage.[18][19]
On 3 January 1942, Littorio was again tasked with convoy escort, in support of Operation M43; she was back in port by 6 January. On 22 March, she participated in the Second Battle of Sirte, as the flagship for an Italian force attempting to destroy a British convoy bound for Malta.[16] After the fall of darkness, several British destroyers made a close-range attack on Littorio, but heavy fire from her main and secondary guns forced the destroyers to retreat.[20] As the destroyers withdrew, one of them hit Littorio with a single 4.7-inch (120 mm) shell, which caused minor damage to the ship's fantail.[21] During the battle, Littorio hit and seriously damaged the destroyers HMS Havock and Kingston. She also hit the cruiser Euryalus but did not inflict significant damage. Kingston returned to Malta for repairs, where she was later destroyed during a bombing raid.[22] Muzzle blast from Littorio's rear turret set one of her floatplanes on fire, though no serious damage to the ship resulted.[20] She fired a total of 181 shells from her main battery in the course of the engagement. Though the Italian fleet was unable to directly attack the convoy, it forced the transports to scatter and many were sunk the next day by air attack.[23]
Three months later, on 14 June, Littorio participated in the interception of the Operation Vigorous convoy to Malta from Alexandria. Littorio, Vittorio Veneto, four cruisers and twelve destroyers were sent to attack the convoy.[24] The British quickly located the approaching Italian fleet and launched several night air strikes in an attempt to prevent them from reaching the convoy, though the aircraft scored no hits.[25] While searching for the convoy the next day, Littorio was hit by a bomb dropped by a B-24 Liberator; the bomb hit the roof of turret no. 1 but caused negligible damage to the rangefinder hood and barbette, along with splinter damage to the deck. The turret nevertheless remained serviceable and Littorio remained with the fleet. The threat from Littorio and Vittorio Veneto forced the British convoy to abort the mission.[24][26] At 14:00, the Italians broke off the chase and returned to port; shortly before midnight that evening, Littorio was struck by a torpedo dropped by a British Wellington bomber, causing some 1,500 long tons (1,500 t) of water to flood the ship's bow. Her crew counter-flooded 350 long tons (360 t) of water to correct the list.[27] The ship was able to return to port for repairs, that lasted until 27 August.[27][24][26] She remained in Taranto until 12 December, when the fleet was moved to La Spezia.[26]
Fate
Littorio was inactive for the first six months of 1943 due to severe fuel shortages in the Italian Navy.[28] Only enough fuel was available for Littorio, Vittorio Veneto and their recently commissioned sister Roma, but even then the fuel was only enough for emergencies.[29] On 19 June 1943, an American bombing raid targeted the harbor at La Spezia and hit Littorio with three bombs. She was renamed Italia on 30 July after the government of Benito Mussolini fell from power. On 3 September, Italy signed an armistice with the Allies, ending her active participation in World War II. Six days later, Italia and the rest of the Italian fleet sailed for Malta, where they would be interned for the remainder of the war. While en route, the German Luftwaffe (Air Force) attacked the Italian fleet using Dornier Do 217s armed with Fritz X radio-controlled bombs. One Fritz X hit Italia just forward of turret no. 1; it passed through the ship and exited the hull, exploding in the water beneath and causing serious damage. Roma was meanwhile sunk in the attack.[26][30]
Italia and Vittorio Veneto were then moved, first to Alexandria, Egypt, and then to the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal in Egypt on 14 September; they remained there until the end of the war. On 5 February 1947, Italia was finally permitted to return to Italy. In the Treaty of Peace with Italy, signed five days later on 10 February, Italia was allocated as a war prize to the United States. She was stricken from the naval register on 1 June 1948 and broken up for scrap at La Spezia.[31]
Weathered Tertiary olivine basalt of the Jabal al Sawda (Jebel es Soda), Tripolitania Province, Libya. This shot was taken along the highway from Sirte to Sabah (Sebha), a little south of Hun. At the time this was taken, this road was the only paved highway in Libya that led into the desert. It was a long ways between stops. It was also before vehicles had the cooling systems of today's vehicles, hence the hoods up.
Originally taken with a Pentax camera, using Kodachrome 35mm film (ISO 10), in February 1963. Scanned at 2400 dpi.
IMG_0008e-1: Scanned slides Libya 2017-01-07.
Libya, 2012: Boys play football in an area of Sirte that was once contaminated with unexploded ordinance. Much of the city, the final stronghold of former government forces, was destroyed during Libya’s civil war. The 10-month conflict displaced more than 200,000 Libyans and forced over 660,000 to seek refuge abroad before ending in October 2011. Recovery efforts are ongoing.
©UNICEF/Giovanni Diffidenti
To see more: www.unicef.org/photography
Also download the UNICEF Photography iPhone app here
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Tyne was the second of the five River-class light cruisers in the Royal Navy, which were introduced during the interwar period and played, after modifications, an active role in World War II, especially in the Mediterranean theatre of operations.
After the construction of the Danae-class cruiser, the demerits of the small cruiser concept became apparent. At the end of 1917, plans for an additional six C-class vessels, plus three new-design 7,200 ton-class scouting cruisers were shelved, in favor of an intermediate 5,500 ton-class vessel which could be used as both a long-range, high speed scout ship, and also as a command vessel for destroyer or submarine flotillas. The resulting River-class vessels were essentially enlarged versions of the Danae-class cruisers, with greater speed, range, and weaponry. With improvements in geared-turbine engine technology, the River-class vessels were capable of the high speed of 36 knots (67 km/h), and a range of 9,000 nmi (17,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h). The number of BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) L/45 Mark XII guns was increased from only three to seven in single mounts and provision was made for 48 naval mines. However, the four triple torpedo launchers on the Danae-class were reduced to just two double launchers, and the River-class remained highly deficient in anti-aircraft protection, with only two QF 3 in 20 cwt L/45 Mk. I and two QF 2-pounder L/39 Mk. II guns. A total of eight ships were ordered, but, with less pressure after the end of WWI, only five were built and finished.
The first River-class ship, H.M.S. “Trent”, was laid down in December 1918 and launched in August 1919. H.M.S. “Tyne” was the second cruiser of this new class, laid down 8 July 1919, launched 24 September 1920 and completed at Chatham Royal Dockyard 2 June 1922. Completed too late to see action in the First World War, “Tyne” was initially assigned to operate in the Baltic Sea against the Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia. She was then on detached service in the West Indies. Following this assignment, she was attached to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet for the following five years. 1923/24, “Tyne” became a member of the Cruise of the Special Service Squadron, also known as the “Empire Cruise”. Following this tour, she went with the squadron to the Mediterranean for the next few years.
In May 1928 “Tyne” was assigned to the North America and West Indies Station, based at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda. She ran aground on 2 July 1928 on the Thrum Cap Shoal, 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was badly damaged, suffering the breach of her engine room and of one of her boiler rooms. She was abandoned by most of her 445 crew, the officers remaining on board. Subsequently, all her guns and torpedo tubes and much of her other equipment had to be removed to lighten her. She was finally refloated on 11 July 1928 and towed off by H.M.S. “Despatch” and several tugs. She was repaired throughout 1929 and then reduced to the reserve.
In 1930, however, due to a shortage of ships at foreign theatres of operation, she was reactivated and transferred back to the America and West Indies Station. During 1931-1933 she served with the South American Division, and in 1934 she relieved the cruiser “Curlew” in the Mediterranean and was reassigned to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron. In 1935 she returned to Britain to be paid off into the reserve, but “Tyne” was kept active in British coastal waters for cadet training.
On the outbreak of the Second World War, “Tyne” was recommissioned and thoroughly modernized, since the original armament and other equipment had become obsolete by 1939. All five River-class ships were re-designed as light trade protection cruisers and were outfitted with new, state-of-the-art equipment and armament, including six new and very compact turrets. Pairs were placed at the bow and at the stern each, with another two placed singly at port and starboard amidships. Each was armed with twin 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns in high angle mountings. These new, quick-firing weapons were primarily surface weapons, but it was intended to fire the heaviest shell suitable for anti-aircraft defense, so that the ships could be used for convoy protection from aerial attacks.
The ballistic performance of the QF 5.25 was very good, with a maximum range of 24,070 yd (22,010 m) at 45 degrees with an 80 lb (36.3 kg) HE shell. In comparison, the contemporary French 138 mm (5.4 in) Mle 1934 guns as used on the Mogador-class destroyers had a maximum range of 21,872 yards (20,000 m) at 30 degrees with an 88 lb (39.9 kg) SAP shell, and the Italian 135/45 mm gun as used on the Capitani Romani-class cruisers had a maximum range of 21,435 yards (19,600 m) at 45 degrees with a 72.1 lb (32.7 kg) AP shell.
The new turrets were far more modern in design than previous light cruiser turrets and offered efficient loading up to 70 degrees to provide the intended dual-purpose capability. Furthermore, “Tyne” was, like its revamped sister ships, outfitted with four twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-poms" and a pair of triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tube launchers, mounted under the main deck. The latter carried a steam catapult for a reconnaissance waterplane, initially a Fairey Swordfish on floats but later replaced by a Supermarine Walrus amphibious flying boat. The depth charge racks were augmented by two new launchers.
After her modifications at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, field tests in the Channel and receiving a light disruptive Admiralty paint scheme, “Tyne” joined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, escorting convoys to Scandinavia and engaged in the hunt for the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. After the Norwegian Campaign she participated in the operations hunting the German battleship Bismarck and, together with the cruiser “Kenya”, intercepted one of the German supply ships, “Belchen”, on 3 June 1941.
Between July and August 1941, as part of Force K with the Home Fleet, she was involved in “Operation Gauntlet”, with operations to Spitzbergen and Bear Island. After one of these sorties, in company with the cruiser “Nigeria”, she intercepted a German troop convoy off Northern Norway, and the German ship “Bremse” was sunk. Later that year she was transferred to the Mediterranean and arrived in Alexandria on 21 October 1941 to join a new Force K, where the ship received a new high-contrast paint scheme, typical for this theatre of operations.
On 9 November 1941, Force K, consisting of “Tyne”,”Aurora”, “Penelope”, “Lance” and “Lively”, she was involved in the destruction of the Beta Convoy. In the resulting battle the Italian destroyer “Fulmine” was sunk, as well as the German transports “Duisburg” and “San Marco”, the Italian transports “Maria”, “Sagitta” and “Rina Corrado”, and the Italian “Conte di Misurata” and “Minatitlan”. The Italian destroyers “Grecale” and “Euro” were damaged.
On 24 November Force K, intercepted an Axis convoy about 100 nautical miles west of Crete. The Axis convoy was bound from the Aegean to Benghazi. The two German transports in the convoy, “Maritza” and “Procida”, were both sunk by H.M.S. “Penelope” and H.M.S. “Lively” despite the presence of the Italian torpedo boats “Lupo” and “Cassiopea”. On 1 December 1941 Force K, with “Tyne”, “Penelope” and ”Lively”, attacked the Mantovani Convoy. The Italian destroyer “Alvise Da Mosto” and the sole cargo ship “Mantovani” were sunk. H.M.S. “Tyne” next participated in the First Battle of Sirte on 17 December 1941. On 19 December, while steaming off Tripoli, she was heavily damaged in a mine field and was forced to retire to Malta for hull repairs.
After repairs, which lasted several months into summer 1942, she returned to service in the MTO and joined Force H. In November she became part of the Centre Task Force for the Landings in North Africa, Operation Torch. Off Oran, she engaged the Vichy French destroyers “Tramontane” and “Tornad”e on 8 November 1942, damaging the former so badly that it had to be beached. The following day she badly damaged the destroyer “Épervier” and drove it ashore. By early December 1942 she was operating as part of Force Q at Bône against the Axis evacuation and supply convoys between Trapani and Tunis.
However, “Tyne” was hit on 20 December 1942 off Trapani (Sicily) by an air-dropped torpedo. She caught fire, had two of her turrets out of action and was badly flooded. Later that day she was attacked once more by German dive-bombers, and a fatal bomb hit at the ship’s stern eventually led to her loss the following day. 115 men were killed through the attacks, the rest, more than two-thirds of the crew, was rescued.
All River-class ships had a very active war career and proved to be satisfactory in service, even though they were hardly a match for full-fledged battleships and worked best in conjunction with other ships. Especially in the Mediterranean they were very effective in protecting crucial convoys to Malta and even managed to see off some ships of the Italian Royal Navy. However, their outdated WWI machinery became their Achilles heel and limited their potential, and the relatively light main guns lacked range and firepower to take on major enemy ships their own.
From 1940 on the ships were to be replaced by the much more modern and better-equipped new Dido-class cruisers, but a shortage of guns for them, due to difficulties in manufacturing them, delayed their introduction so that the River-class cruisers had to soldier on. Two ships, “Tyne” and “Thames”, were lost, and the three post-war survivors “Trent”, “Severn” and “Mersey”, were immediately put into reserve after the end of hostilities in Europe and quickly broken up.
General characteristics:
Displacement: 5,100 long tons (5,200 t) (standard)
Length: 500 ft (152.4 m)
Beam: 47 ft (14.2 m)
Draft: 16 ft (4.8 m)
Draught: 12 ft 6 in (3.8 m) (deep)
Armor: Belt: 64 mm (3 in), Deck: 29 mm (1 in)
Complement: 450
Propulsion:
12× Admiralty boilers with 4× geared steam turbines, developing 90,000 shp (67,000 kW)
and driving four shafts
Performance:
Top speed: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Armament (after conversion):
12× 5.25 guns (133 mm) 50 caliber guns in six twin turrets
4× twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" AA guns in powered mounts
2× triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
2× throwers and 2× racks astern with 48 depth charges
The kit and its assembly:
The Royal Navy’s River-class light cruisers never existed. These fictional interwar ships were based on the Dido-class cruisers’ concept, just placed in an earlier generation and realized on the basis of an old/outdated ship. Inspiration came with an aftermarket set of six 1:700 white metal turrets that I came across recently, and I wanted to use it to build something like the American Atlanta-class light cruisers with a specialized AA armament.
However, this armament called for a suitable and bigger hull than my former destroyer builds, and I was eventually able to hunt down a cheap Tamiya kit of a Japanese Kuma-class light cruiser as starting point. It was perfect in size (almost exactly as big as a Dido-class cruiser!), shape and time frame, even though I I basically only used the kit’s single-piece hull as starting point. I had to modify the superstructures thoroughly to adapt the Japanese ship to the new role and also to a more Western layout and silhouette.
For instance, the typically Japanese tall “pagoda” bridge/command section of that era had to disappear, and I changed the superstructures almost completely, because the new twin turrets needed much more space than the small single guns of the Kuma cruiser. I also wanted to place them at different levels, and this called for suitable staggered platforms, too.
Initially there was the plan to mount the six turrets in groups of three at both bow and stern, but it was soon clear that this would not work – this arrangement would have been too long and too high, too, so that I went with two staggered pairs. I also wanted to give the ship – unlike the American Atlanta-class ships – a catapult for an on-board aircraft, and this required some free space on deck.
With this framework I scratched new/additional superstructures, using leftover pieces from the two recently built Matchbox K-class destroyers and from a Revell H.M.S. Ark Royal carrier. Everything evolved through trial-and error, in an attempt to find a plausible layout for all the deck equipment. The lowered hull section for the Kuma-class’ front torpedo tubes was filled with a cabin and re-purposed for lifeboats. Then the initially continuous superstructure was split to make room for the steam catapult amidships at deck level. The rear turrets eventually found their final places on a separate superstructure that would also carry the secondary mast and the crane for the floatplane, and I mounted the last two turrets in lateral positions (again somewhat inspired by the Atlanta-class arrangement with similar positions), above the Kuma-class’ openings for the rear torpedo launch tubes. These did not make sense at this position anymore, so that the OOB openings were closed/filled and moved further forward, under the new “flight deck”. Some PSR had to be done, too, in order to blend some disparate donor parts and fill the worst gaps. Therefore, the finish is certainly not as crisp as an OOB model – but I think that these flaws remained on an acceptable level.
Once the general deck layout had been settled, detail work began. This included a re-arrangement of bridge, masts and funnels, and the main deck had to offer enough space for the re-located catapult, together with the turrets in the side positions, lifeboats and AA stations, which found their place at deck level and in two twin alcoves in higher positions. Fiddly stuff, and I must admit that “creating” such a battleship is conceptually not easy.
The aircraft on board is actually the OOB Kawanishi E7K floatplane from the Kuma-class cruiser kit – but it looks similar enough to a Swordfish that this illusion could be easily supported with a suitable paint scheme.
Painting and markings:
I used the opportunity to apply another typical Royal Navy paint scheme, a so-called “Alexandria-style” pattern. This was a high-contrast scheme, sometimes described as consisting of black and white, but it was typically made up from 507a (Dark Grey) and 507c (Light Grey). It had been christened after the dockyard where it had been initially applied, and it was actually not a defined pattern (like the Admiralty schemes, which had been designed at offices by people who frequently had no practical naval experience!), but rather a common but individual application of standard paints that had been in ample supply at most dockyards! The ships had to be painted with what was at hand, and so the disruptive scheme caught on and was applied, like Mountbatten Pink, to a considerable number of British ships operating in the MTO. This two-tone scheme was not intended to conceal the ships, but rather to confuse the observer concerning speed, direction and what the ship actually was.
The pattern I applied to the model was loosely based on what the cruiser H.M.S. Devonshire carried in 1941, a kind of zebra pattern with wide, well-defined block stripes. As a visual gimmick these stripes were kind of “mirrored” along a line on the hull, as if reflected by the water and therefore making assessing size or distance even more difficult.
The paints are Humbrol 147 (Light Grey, FS 36495) and 27 (Sea Grey). The deck was painted as if the wooden areas had not been overpainted yet and allowed to weather, so that the once-holystoned, yellow-ish light wood had become dull and rather grey-ish. I used Humbrol 168 (RAF Hemp) and Revell 87 (Beige) as basis, and some light shading with thinned sepia ink was done to enhance the wooden look – and it’s nice contrast to the rather cold, grey camouflage. Metal decks, turret tops and the bow area were painted with Revell 47, simulating 507b (Medium Grey). Areas around the bridge were painted with Humbrol 62 (Leather) to simulate Corticene coating.
I originally wanted to paint the model in separate elements before final assembly, but this was not possible due to the many adjustments. The model was slightly weathered with a highly thinned black ink wash. Some Sienna Brown water paint was used for rust stains here and there. Portholes along the hull and on the superstructures were created with a thin black felt tip pen. The same tool was used to paint the muzzles of the guns. The crisp black boot topping was easy to create through the kit’s separate waterline bottom – OOB it comes in red, and it just had to be re-painted.
The kit’s segments were sealed with a coat of acrylic matt varnish before final assembly. Finally, rigging with heated and extended dark grey sprue material was done and paper flags were added.
It is not obvious, but the fictional H.M.S. “Tyne” took more scratchwork and mods than one would expect – it was/is almost a scratch build on the basis of a stock cruiser hull. More or less, the whole superstructure was re-arranged and the whole armament is new, but I think that the outcome looks quite plausible. The camouflage – even though only consisting of two shades of grey - looks interesting, too, and I think that the confusing effect becomes obvious in some of the beauty pics.
My very latest picture. To read my reaction to to the death of Colonel Gaddafi, please follow the link below to my blog.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Littorio
History
Italy
Name:Littorio
Namesake:The Lictor, a symbol of Italian Fascism[1]
Operator:Regia Marina
Ordered:10 June 1934
Builder:Ansaldo, Genova-Sestri Ponente
Laid down:28 October 1934
Launched:22 August 1937
Sponsored by:Signora Teresa Ballerino Cabella
Commissioned:6 May 1940
Decommissioned:1 June 1948
Renamed:Italia
Stricken:1 June 1948
Fate:Scrapped at La Spezia 1952–54
General characteristics
Class and type:Littorio-class battleship
Displacement:
Standard: 40,723 long tons (41,376 t)
Full load:45,237 long tons (45,963 t)
Length:237.76 m (780.1 ft)
Beam:32.82 m (107.7 ft)
Draft:9.6 m (31 ft)
Installed power:
8 × Yarrow boilers
128,000 shp (95,000 kW)
Propulsion:4 × steam turbines, 4 × shafts
Speed:30 kn (35 mph; 56 km/h)
Range:3,920 mi (6,310 km; 3,410 nmi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement:1,830 to 1,950
Sensors and
processing systems:EC 3 ter 'Gufo' radar
Armament:
3 × 3 381 mm (15.0 in)/50 cal guns
4 × 3 152 mm (6.0 in)/55 cal guns
4 × 1 120 mm (4.7 in)/40 guns for illumination
12 × 1 90 mm (3.5 in)/50 anti-aircraft guns
20 × 37 mm (1.5 in)/54 guns (8 × 2; 4 × 1)
10 × 2 20 mm (0.79 in)/65 guns
Armor:
Main belt: 350 mm (14 in)
Deck: 162 mm (6.4 in)
Turrets: 350 mm
Conning tower: 260 mm (10 in)
Aircraft carried:3 aircraft (IMAM Ro.43 or Reggiane Re.2000)
Aviation facilities:1 stern catapult
Littorio was the lead ship of her class of battleship; she served in the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) during World War II. She was named after the Lictor ("Littorio" in Italian), in ancient times the bearer of the Roman fasces, which was adopted as the symbol of Italian Fascism. Littorio and her sister Vittorio Veneto were built in response to the French battleships Dunkerque and Strasbourg. They were Italy's first modern battleships, and the first 35,000-ton capital ships of any nation to be laid down under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty. Littorio was laid down in October 1934, launched in August 1937, and completed in May 1940.
Shortly after her commissioning, Littorio was badly damaged during the British air raid on Taranto on 11 November 1940, which put her out of action until the following March. Littorio thereafter took part in several sorties to catch the British Mediterranean Fleet, most of which failed to result in any action, the notable exception being the Second Battle of Sirte in March 1942, where she damaged several British warships. Littorio was renamed Italia in July 1943 after the fall of the Fascist government. On 9 September 1943, the Italian fleet was attacked by German bombers while it was on its way to internment. During this action, which saw the destruction of her sister Roma, Italia herself was hit by a Fritz X radio-controlled bomb, causing significant damage to her bow. As part of the armistice agreement, Italia was interned at Malta, Alexandria, and finally in the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal, where she remained until 1947. Italia was awarded to the United States as a war prize and scrapped at La Spezia in 1952–54.
Littorio and her sister Vittorio Veneto were designed in response to the French Dunkerque-class battleships.[2] Littorio was 237.76 meters (780.1 ft) long overall, had a beam of 32.82 m (107.7 ft) and a draft of 9.6 m (31 ft). She was designed with a standard displacement of 40,724 long tons (41,377 t), a violation of the 35,000-long-ton (36,000 t) restriction of the Washington Naval Treaty; at full combat loading, she displaced 45,236 long tons (45,962 t). The ship was powered by four Belluzo geared steam turbines rated at 128,000 shaft horsepower (95,000 kW). Steam was provided by eight oil-fired Yarrow boilers. The engines provided a top speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) and a range of 3,920 mi (6,310 km; 3,410 nmi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph). Littorio had a crew of 1,830 to 1,950 over the course of her career.[3][4]
Littorio's main armament consisted of nine 381-millimeter (15.0 in) 50-caliber Model 1934 guns in three triple turrets; two turrets were placed forward in a superfiring arrangement and the third was located aft. Her secondary anti-surface armament consisted of twelve 152 mm (6.0 in) /55 Model 1934/35 guns in four triple turrets placed at the corners of the superstructure. These were supplemented by four 120 mm (4.7 in) /40 Model 1891/92 guns in single mounts; these guns were old weapons and were primarily intended to fire star shells. Littorio was equipped with an anti-aircraft battery that comprised twelve 90 mm (3.5 in) /50 Model 1938 guns in single mounts, twenty 37 mm (1.5 in)/54 /54 guns in eight twin and four single mounts, and sixteen 20 mm (0.79 in) /65 guns in eight twin mounts.[5] A further twelve 20 mm guns in twin mounts were installed in 1942. She received an EC 3 bis radar set in August 1941, an updated version in April 1942—which proved to be unsuccessful in service—and finally the EC 3 ter model in September 1942.[6]
The ship was protected by a main armored belt that was 280 mm (11 in) thick with a second layer of steel that was 70 mm (2.8 in) thick. The main deck was 162 mm (6.4 in) thick in the central area of the ship and reduced to 45 mm (1.8 in) in less critical areas. The main battery turrets were 350 mm (14 in) thick and the lower turret structure was housed in barbettes that were also 350 mm thick. The secondary turrets had 280 mm thick faces and the conning tower had 260 mm (10 in) thick sides.[4] Littorio was fitted with a catapult on her stern and equipped with three IMAM Ro.43 reconnaissance float planes or Reggiane Re.2000 fighters.[7]
Service history
Littorio was laid down at the Ansaldo shipyards in Genoa on 28 October 1934 to commemorate the Fascist Party's March on Rome in 1922. Her sister Vittorio Veneto was laid down the same day.[8] Changes to the design and a lack of armor plating led to delays in the building schedule, causing a three-month slip in the launch date from the original plan of May 1937. Littorio was launched on 22 August 1937, during a ceremony attended by many Italian dignitaries. She was sponsored by Signora Teresa Ballerino Cabella, the wife on an Ansaldo employee.[9] After her launch, the fitting out period lasted until early 1940. During this time, Littorio's bow was modified to lessen vibration and reduce wetness over the bow. Littorio ran a series of sea trials over a period of two months between 23 October 1939 and 21 December 1939. She was commissioned on 6 May 1940, and after running additional trials that month, she transferred to Taranto where she—along with Vittorio Veneto—joined the 9th Division under the command of Rear Admiral Carlo Bergamini.[10]
On 31 August – 2 September 1940, Littorio sortied as part of an Italian force of five battleships, ten cruisers, and thirty-four destroyers to intercept British naval forces taking part in Operation Hats and Convoy MB.3, but contact was not made with either group due to poor reconnaissance and no action occurred.[6][11] A similar outcome resulted from the movement against British Operation "MB.5" on 29 September - 1 October; Littorio, four other battleships, eleven cruisers, and twenty-three destroyers had attempted to intercept the convoy carrying troops to Malta.[6][12]
On the night of 10–11 November, the British Mediterranean Fleet launched an air raid on the harbor in Taranto. Twenty-one Swordfish torpedo bombers launched from the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious attacked the Italian fleet in two waves.[13] The Italian base was defended by twenty-one 90 mm anti-aircraft guns and dozens of smaller 37 mm and 20 mm guns, along with twenty-seven barrage balloons. The defenders did not possess radar, however, and so were caught by surprise when the Swordfish arrived. Littorio and the other battleships were also not provided with sufficient anti-torpedo nets. The first wave struck at 20:35, followed by the second about an hour later.[14]
Damaged Littorio
The planes scored three hits on Littorio, one hit on Caio Duilio, and one on Conte di Cavour.[13] Of the torpedoes that struck Littorio, two hit in the bow and one struck the stern; the stern hit destroyed the rudder and shock from the explosion damaged the ship's steering gear. The two forward hits caused major flooding and led her to settle by the bows, with her decks awash up to her main battery turrets. She could not be brought into dock until 11 December due to a fourth, unexploded torpedo discovered under her keel; removing the torpedo proved to be a painstaking task, as any shift in the magnetic field around the torpedo might detonate its magnetic detonator.[15] Repairs lasted until 11 March 1941.[16]
Convoy operations
After repairs were completed, Littorio participated in an unsuccessful sortie to intercept British forces on 22–25 August. A month later, she led the attack on the Allied convoy in Operation Halberd on 27 September 1941.[16] The British force escorting the convoy included the battleships Rodney, Nelson, and Prince of Wales; Italian reconnaissance reported the presence of a powerful escort, and the Italian commander, under orders not to engage unless he possessed a strong numerical superiority, broke off the operation and returned to port.[17] On 13 December, she participated in another sweep to catch a convoy to Malta, but the attempt was broken off after Vittorio Veneto was torpedoed by a British submarine. Three days later, she steamed out to escort Operation M42, a supply convoy to Italian and German forces in North Africa.[16] By late 1941, British success at breaking the Enigma code made it increasingly difficult for Axis convoys to reach North Africa. The Italians therefore committed their battle fleet to the convoy effort to better protect the transports.[17] The next day, she took part in the First Battle of Sirte. Littorio, along with the rest of the distant covering force, engaged the escort of a British convoy heading for Malta that happened to run into the M42 convoy late in the day.[16] Littorio opened fire at extreme range, around 35,000 yards (32,000 m), but she scored no hits. Nevertheless, the heavy Italian fire forced the British force to withdraw under cover of a smokescreen and the M42 convoy reached North Africa without damage.[18][19]
On 3 January 1942, Littorio was again tasked with convoy escort, in support of Operation M43; she was back in port by 6 January. On 22 March, she participated in the Second Battle of Sirte, as the flagship for an Italian force attempting to destroy a British convoy bound for Malta.[16] After the fall of darkness, several British destroyers made a close-range attack on Littorio, but heavy fire from her main and secondary guns forced the destroyers to retreat.[20] As the destroyers withdrew, one of them hit Littorio with a single 4.7-inch (120 mm) shell, which caused minor damage to the ship's fantail.[21] During the battle, Littorio hit and seriously damaged the destroyers HMS Havock and Kingston. She also hit the cruiser Euryalus but did not inflict significant damage. Kingston limped to Malta for repairs, where she was later destroyed during an airstrike while in drydock.[22] Muzzle blast from Littorio's rear turret set one of her floatplanes on fire, though no serious damage to the ship resulted.[20] She fired a total of 181 shells from her main battery in the course of the engagement. Though the Italian fleet was unable to directly attack the convoy, it forced the transports to scatter and many were sunk the next day by air attack.[23]
Three months later, on 14 June, Littorio participated in the interception of the Operation Vigorous convoy to Malta from Alexandria. Littorio, Vittorio Veneto, four cruisers and twelve destroyers were sent to attack the convoy.[24] The British quickly located the approaching Italian fleet and launched several night air strikes in an attempt to prevent them from reaching the convoy, though the aircraft scored no hits.[25] While searching for the convoy the next day, Littorio was hit by a bomb dropped by a B-24 Liberator; the bomb hit the roof of turret no. 1 but caused negligible damage to the rangefinder hood and barbette, along with splinter damage to the deck. The turret nevertheless remained serviceable and Littorio remained with the fleet. The threat from Littorio and Vittorio Veneto forced the British convoy to abort the mission.[24][26] At 14:00, the Italians broke off the chase and returned to port; shortly before midnight that evening, Littorio was struck by a torpedo dropped by a British Wellington bomber, causing some 1,500 long tons (1,500 t) of water to flood the ship's bow. Her crew counter-flooded 350 long tons (360 t) of water to correct the list.[27] The ship was able to return to port for repairs, that lasted until 27 August.[27][24][26] She remained in Taranto until 12 December, when the fleet was moved to La Spezia.[26]
Fate
Littorio was inactive for the first six months of 1943 due to severe fuel shortages in the Italian Navy.[28] Only enough fuel was available for Littorio, Vittorio Veneto and their recently commissioned sister Roma, but even then the fuel was only enough for emergencies.[29] On 19 June 1943, an American bombing raid targeted the harbor at La Spezia and hit Littorio with three bombs. She was renamed Italia on 30 July after the government of Benito Mussolini fell from power. On 3 September, Italy signed an armistice with the Allies, ending her active participation in World War II. Six days later, Italia and the rest of the Italian fleet sailed for Malta, where they would be interned for the remainder of the war. While en route, the German Luftwaffe (Air Force) attacked the Italian fleet using Dornier Do 217s armed with Fritz X radio-controlled bombs. One Fritz X hit Italia just forward of turret no. 1; it passed through the ship and exited the hull, exploding in the water beneath and causing serious damage. Roma was meanwhile sunk in the attack.[26][30]
Italia and Vittorio Veneto were then moved, first to Alexandria, Egypt, and then to the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal in Egypt on 14 September; they remained there until the end of the war. On 5 February 1947, Italia was finally permitted to return to Italy. In the Treaty of Peace with Italy, signed five days later on 10 February, Italia was allocated as a war prize to the United States. She was stricken from the naval register on 1 June 1948 and broken up for scrap at La Spezia.[31]
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Thorpe St Andrew 1939 - 45
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C G N Aldred
Name: ALDRED, CHARLES NOEL GEORGE
Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Royal Norfolk Regiment Unit Text: 5th Bn.
Age: 27 Date of Death: 15/02/1942
Service No: 5771491
Additional information: Son of Charles Aldred, and of Gertrude Aldred, of Thorpe, Norwich.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave 17. D. 4-11. Cemetery: KRANJI WAR CEMETERY
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2052866
This was the day on which Singapore surrendered.
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L G Aldred
Name: ALDRED, LESLIE GORDON
Rank: Stoker 1st Class
Service: Royal Navy Unit Text: H.M.S. Cleopatra
Age: 22 Date of Death: 16/07/1943
Service No: C/KX 95885
Additional information: Son of Charlotte Alfred, of Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: 72, 1. Memorial: CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2464269
HMS Cleopatra July 1943
16th Hit amidships by torpedo from Italian submarine
Sustained major damage to structure with flooding of machinery compartments.
Only 'Local' control of armament was possible.
30 of ship's company were killed or missing with 23 wounded,
(Note: Submarine probably DANDALO but another source claims ALAGI)
17th Returned to Malta at 10 knots screened by HM Destroyers QUIBERON and QUAIL
with AA cover by HMS EURYALUS.
www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Cleopatra.htm
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E W Allaway
Name: ALLAWAY, EDWARD WILSON
Rank: Corporal
Regiment: Royal Norfolk Regiment Unit Text: 4th Bn.
Age: 25 Date of Death: 13/02/1942
Service No: 5778638
Additional information: Husband of W. Allaway, of Thorpe, Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 47. Memorial: SINGAPORE MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2529835
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K A Amond
Name: AMOND, KENNETH ALFRED
Rank: Sergeant
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 139 Sqdn.
Age: 20
Date of Death: 03/03/1943
Service No: 1392604
Additional information: Son of Alfred and Vivien May Amond, of Thorpe, Norwich. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Memorial Reference: Panel 140. RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1082754
Probably this incident although Navigator is referred to Sgt F A Amond
Type Mosquito
Serial Number...........................................DZ463
Squadron....................................................139
X1D..............................................................XD-O
Operation...................................................Knaben
Date ...........................................................3rd March 1943
Further Information
" Airborne 1200 3Mar43 from Marham to bomb a molybdenum mine. Homebound, intercepted by Fw190s and shot down off the Norwegian coast. F/O Bulpitt is buried in the seaport town of Egersund; Sgt Amond has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memeorial. F/O A.N.Bulpitt KIA Sgt F.A.Amond KIA "
Lost Bombers; www.lostbombers.co.uk/bomber.php?id=8268
There is one plane claimed as a Mosquito shot down on this date, but it was subsequently amended to a Blenheim. Pilot was Uffz. Schmid of 7./JG 1. Combat was at 50m, over the sea at 14.42 Central European Time.
www.rafandluftwaffe.info/lists/luftwaffe_b1.htm
www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/tony/tonywood.htm
03/03/43: 10 Mosquitoes from 139 Sqd., led by W/C Shand DFC, fly low level to attack the molybdenum mines at Knaben in Norway. This precision raid was highly successful.
www.mossie.org/squadrons/139_squadron.htm
3 March 1943
10 Mosquitos of No 139 Squadron carried out a long-range raid on the important molybdenum mine at Knaben in Norway. The target was successfully bombed but 1 Mosquito was shot down by FW 190s
www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/mar43.html
NORWAY: 10 Mosquitoes of RAF No. 139 Sqdn carried out a long range raid on the important molybdenum mine at Knaben in Norway. The target was successfully bombed but 1 Mosquito was shot down by Fw 190s, claimed by Uffz. Schmid of 7./JG 1 for his first kill.
www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-war-europe-65-y...
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W G Armiger
Name: ARMIGER, WILLIAM CHARLES
Rank: Private
Regiment: Royal Norfolk Regiment
Unit Text: 5th Bn.
Age: 24 Date of Death: 15/02/1942
Service No: 5775370
Additional information: Son of William and Ethel Ada Armiger; husband of Daisy Rosa Jessie Armiger, of Thorpe, Norwich, Norfolk.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 49. Memorial: SINGAPORE MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2530218
This was the day on which Singapore surrendered.
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W G Artis
Name: ARTIS, WILLIAM GEORGE Initials: W G
Rank: Private
Regiment: Royal Norfolk Regiment Unit Text: 6th Bn.
Age: 26
Date of Death: 17/08/1943
Service No: 5775682
Additional information: Son of William George and Gladis Artis; husband of Irene Mary Artis, of Thorpe, Norfolk.
Grave Reference: 2. G. 65.
Cemetery: KANCHANABURI WAR CEMETERY
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2664993
The notorious Burma-Siam railway, built by Commonwealth, Dutch and American prisoners of war, was a Japanese project driven by the need for improved communications to support the large Japanese army in Burma. During its construction, approximately 13,000 prisoners of war died and were buried along the railway. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 civilians also died in the course of the project, chiefly forced labour brought from Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, or conscripted in Siam (Thailand) and Burma (Myanmar). Two labour forces, one based in Siam and the other in Burma worked from opposite ends of the line towards the centre. The Japanese aimed at completing the railway in 14 months and work began in October 1942. The line, 424 kilometres long, was completed by December 1943. The graves of those who died during the construction and maintenance of the Burma-Siam railway (except for the Americans, whose remains were repatriated) were transferred from camp burial grounds and isolated sites along the railway into three cemeteries at Chungkai and Kanchanaburi in Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar
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D A Bryant
Name: BRYANT, DEREK ARTHUR
Rank: Flight Sergeant
Service: Royal Air Force
Age: 27
Date of Death: 28/04/1942
Service No: 565225
Additional information: Son of Albert James Bryant and Amy lsabel Bryant, of Thorpe St. Andrew.
Cemetery: THORPE-NEXT-NORWICH (ST. ANDREW) CHURCH CEMETERY
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2764503
Derek was killed in the “Baedekker” raid on Norwich on this day. His address is given as “Upways” Thorpe Next Norwich.
www.norfolkroots24.co.uk/norfolkRoots/content/features/20...
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J A Burr
Name: BURR, JOSEPH
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 5/3 Maritime Regt.
Age: 20 Date of Death: 10/03/1943
Service No: 5774299
Additional information: Son of Joseph and Margaret Burr, of Thorpe, Norfolk.
Memorial Reference: 74, 2., CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2465502
The Maritime regiment were soldiers put onto Merchant Ships to man Anti-Aircraft Guns. It was something the British Government kept quiet at the time, so it can be difficult to trace which ships they served on.
Convoy SC121 lost several ships on the 9th, having been broken up by several days of Force 10 Gales they fell easy prey to a wolfpack.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convoy_SC-121
I can’t be certain whether Joseph Burr was on one of those, but the ship lost on this day was the 4,946 tons SS Nailsea . 45 out of 49 crew were lost , including 9 gunners according to one source,
uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2753.html
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C L Caston
Name: CASTON, CYRIL LEON
Rank: Sergeant
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 166 Sqdn.
Age: 20
Date of Death: 24/09/1944
Service No: 1627211
Additional information: Son of Robert and Emily Emma Caston, of Thorpe, Norfolk.
Memorial Reference: Panel 226.,RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1084160
Lancaster LM722 Information
Type...................................................................Lancaster
Serial Number.................................................LM722
Squadron..........................................................166
X1D.....................................................................AS-D
Operation.........................................................Neuss
Date 1................................................................23rd September 1944
Date 2...............................................................24th September 1944
Further Information
"LM722 was delivered to 166 Sqdn 2Sep44. It is believed that this aircraft was lost on its first Raid. When lost this aircraft had a total of 46 hours. LM722 was one of two 166 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. See: PB242
Airborne 1840 23Sep44 from Kirmington. Lost without trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. F/O J.G.Davies KIA Sgt C.L.Caston KIA Sgt A.Rollinson KIA F/O F.Cameron KIA F/S J.McK Dillon RAAF KIA Sgt R.B.Ward KIA Sgt R.Leigh KIA "
www.lostbombers.co.uk/bomber.php?id=2244
23/24 September 1944
549 aircraft - 378 Lancasters, 154 Halifaxes, 17 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups to Neuss. 5 Lancasters and 2 Halifaxes lost. Bomber Command's report states that most of the bombing fell in the dock and factory areas.
www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/sep44.html
There were other raids the same night on the Dortmund Emms Canal, and in total 22 planes were lost. The night fighter claims for that night are 7 Lancasters and 8 x 4 engined bombers. No flak claims are recorded.
www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/tony/tonywood.htm
August 2016 - updated - see comments below.
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A E Chance
(Possibly)
Name: CHANCE, ALBERT EDWARD
Rank: Pilot Officer
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 37
Date of Death: 23/12/1943
Service No: 147544
Additional information: Son of Edward and Margaret Pearson Chance; husband of Olive Mary Chance, of Twickenham, Middlesex.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave Reference: 1. O. 1. Cemetery: COLOMBO (LIVERAMENTU) CEMETERY
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2154986
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J Clark
Possible
Name: CLARK, JAMES
Rank: Serjeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 65 (The Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regt
Date of Death: 01/12/1942
Service No: 826396
Grave Reference: 2. D. 19. Cemetery: BENGHAZI WAR CEMETERY
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2063782
Otherwise lots of J Clark’s with no details in the additional information field, so can’t be eliminated.
Another casualty of the costly but ultimately successful attempt to relieve Tobruk, Operation Crusader.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Crusader
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E E Crane
Name: CRANE, ERIC EDWARD
Rank: Private
Regiment: Suffolk Regiment, 4th Bn.
Age: 34
Date of Death: 21/09/1944
Service No: 5835478
Additional information: Husband of E. A. Crane, of Thorpe, Norwich.
Memorial Reference: Column 55, SINGAPORE MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=4017414
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J S Curl
Name: CURL, JOHN SMETHURST
Rank: Pilot Officer
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 23 Date of Death: 30/06/1941
Service No: 87051
Additional information: Son of Percy Edward and Janet Elsie Curl, of Eaton, Norwich.
Memorial Reference: Panel 32, RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=231661
Not readily traceable - however, one crew member of Wellington BL-P from 40 Squadron is down as not known on the Lost Bombers site.
www.lostbombers.co.uk/bomber.php?id=9282
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R H Curtis
Possibles
Name: CURTIS, RONALD HENRY Initials: R H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lieutenant Regiment/Service: Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery Unit Text: 2 H.A.A. Regt.
Age: 30 Date of Death: 05/03/1943
Service No: 190959
Additional information: Son of Edward George and Edith Curtis; husband of D. J. Curtis, of Risely, Berkshire.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 3. Memorial: SINGAPORE MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=4017509
A subsequent check of the Military Genealogy site revealed that its Ronald H who came from Norwich. As the other possibles were all Reginalds, I've deleted them
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T A Cutler
Name: CUTLER, THOMAS ALEC
Rank: Sub-Lieutenant (A)
Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: H.M.S. Victorious.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 24/08/1944
Additional information: Son of Thomas Henry and Frances Mary Cutler, of Norwich.
Memorial Reference: Bay 5, Panel 5., LEE-ON-SOLENT MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2974117
Sub Lt Cutler was missing, presumed kill during air operations from HMS Victorious.
www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1944-08AUG.htm
During August 1944, HMS Victorious was in the Far East.
August
23rd Covered Eastern Fleet units providing air-sea rescue facilities during series
of attacks by US Army aircraft on Sumatra (Operations BOOMERANG).
29th Carried out air strikes on Padang, Indaroeng and Emmahaven with HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and HMS INDOMITABLE escorted by HMS HOWE and Eastern Fleet units. (Operation BANQUET).
See also
www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Ships/Victorious.html
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H F Davis
Name: DAVIS, HENRY FRANCIS
Rank: Private
Regiment: The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey), 1/5th Bn.
Age: 31
Date of Death: 30/09/1942
Service No: 6092118
Additional information: Son of William Henry and Margaret Anne M. Davis; husband of Hilda May Davis, of Thorpe, Norwich.
Grave Reference: X. J. 7. Cemetery: EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2093374
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D J Dowe
Name: DOWE, DAVID JESSE
Rank: Sergeant (Flt. Engr.)
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 463 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn.
Age: 19 Date of Death: 25/06/1944
Service No: 1725436
Additional information: Son of David N. Dowe and Alice E. Dowe, of Thorpe St. Andrew, Norfolk.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 2. Row D. Grave 13. Cemetery: ST. PIERRE CEMETERY, AMIENS
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2847199
Lancaster LM574 Information
Type....................................................................Lancaster
Serial Number..................................................LM574
Squadron..........................................................463
X1D....................................................................JO-J
Operation..........................................................Prouville
Date 1...............................................................24th June 1944
Date 2...............................................................25th June 1944
Further Information
" LM574 was delivered to No.463 Sqdn 15May44. Incomplete operational history. However, it is recorded that LM574 took part in the Key Operation against Duisburg 21/22May44 and when lost had a total of 82 hours. LM574 was one of three No.463 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. See: LM571; LM597
Airborne 2244 24Jun44 to attack a flying-bomb site. Intercepted at 13,000 feet by a Ju88 whose cannon-fire caused an explosion, throwing clear F/O Syddall. Debris from the Lancaster fell at Longuevillette (Somme), 3 km SW of Doullens. Those killed are buried at amiens in St-Pierre Cemetery.
P/O J.M.Tilbrook RAAF KIA
Sgt D.J.Dove KIA
w/O H.G.Carlyle RAAF KIA
P/O A.Syddall PoW
W/O A.C.Mineeff KIA
Sgt C.F.Penn KIA
F/S M.M.Lack RAAF KIA
P/O A.Sydall was interned in Camp L3, PoW No.6509. Promoted to F/O during captivity. "
www.lostbombers.co.uk/bomber.php?id=1114
Lancaster Mk111 LM574 JO-J Target Prouville France
www.467463raafsquadrons.com/L02Pgs/ROH/463roh.htm
There are some wonderful pictures of the crews on the squadron web-site. I don’t think Sgt Dowe was amongst them, but he would have known many of these faces, have lived the same life and grieved for those lost earlier in the war.
www.467463raafsquadrons.com/CrewsPics/crew_photos.htm
There were at least 5 four engined bombers claimed as shot down on this night in the Amiens area.
www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/tony/tonywood.htm
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M W Downing
(Possibly)
Name: DOWNING, MAXWELL WILLIAM
Rank: Lieutenant Regiment/Service: Glider Pilot Regiment, A.A.C. Unit Text: 2nd Wing Date of Death: 22/09/1944
Service No: 156901
Grave/Memorial Reference: 27. B. 4. Cemetery: ARNHEM OOSTERBEEK WAR CEMETERY
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2644568
Update Military Genealogy has Maxwell down as born NW London, but resident Norwich.
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W J Dye
(Possibly)
Name: DYE, WALTER JAMES Initials: W J
Rank: Stoker 1st Class
Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M. Submarine Turbulent
Age: 24 Date of Death: 23/03/1943
Service No: P/KX 90571
Awards: Mentioned in Despatches
Additional information: Son of Walter George and Elsie May Dye; husband of Kathleen Dye, of West Hampstead, London.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 78, Column 1. Memorial: PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2669177
On completion of work-up in early 1942 she was deployed in the Mediterranean for interception of supply traffic to and from North African ports. The most impressive record of sinkings began during April 1942 when she sank two supply ships off Brindisi followed by three more off North Africa the next month. On 29th May she torpedoed the Italian destroyer EMANUELE PESSAGNO which sank almost immediately off Benghazi. On her next patrol in the Gulf of Sirte during June she sank another freighter but came under heavy attack from the destroyer PEGASO when attacking a convoy of three transports on 4th July. Although she sank the hulk of the Italian destroyer STRALE which had been stranded near Cape Bon after an air attack in June, her record was marred on 17th of that month when she torpedoed the Italian mercantile NINO BIXIO off Navarino. This ship was unmarked but was carrying 2,921 allied prisoners of war including many New Zealand and Indian soldiers from Benghazi to Brindisi. Over 400 were reported killed and the ship was remained afloat. It is not known whether the intended passage of this ship was known by decrypted signals.
During further patrols in the rest of the year three more supply ships were sunk and the submarine also took part in the allied landings in North Africa (Operation TORCH) when deployed to prevent any Italian intervention during passage of the assault convoys. Early in 1943 whilst based at Algiers for duty in the western Mediterranean she carried out a patrol in the Tyrrhenian Sea and added another three mercantiles to her list of successful sinkings. During her next patrol in this area on 14th March she was attacked and sunk by Italian torpedo boats. Her sinkings totalled 35,000 tons in nine months and her Commanding Officer, Commander J W Linton, RN was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.
www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-12SS-07T-Turbulent.htm
HMS Turbulent (Cdr. John Wallace Linton, DSO, DSC, RN) sailed from Algiers on 23 February 1943. She was sunk off Maddalena, north east Sardinia by depth charges from Italian motor torpedo boats on 12 March 1943. HMS Turbulent was declared overdue on 23 March 1943 when she failed to return to base.
Citation:
Commander Linton has been in command of submarines throughout the War. He has been responsible for the destruction of 1 cruiser, 1 destroyer, 20 merchant vessels, 6 schooners and 2 trains. A total of 81,000 tons of enemy shipping sunk. From 1st January 1942 to 1st January 1943 he spent 254 days at sea, including 2,970 hours diving. During this period he was hunted 13 times and had 250 depth charges dropped on him. His career has been one of conspicuous gallantry and extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.
uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3505.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Turbulent_(N98)
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7295160.stm
www.sportesport.it/wrecksSA028.htm
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A Eyre
Name: EYRE, ALAN
Rank: Corporal
Regiment/Service: Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Age: 33 Date of Death: 24/07/1944
Service No: 1654330
Additional information: Son of Alfred Charles and Annie Eyre, of Norwich; husband of Ruth Eyre, of Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. 54. Grave 156. Cemetery: NORWICH CEMETERY, Norfolk
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2764177
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C D G Garland
Name: GARLAND, CYRIL DOUGLAS GUTHRIE
Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve Unit Text: 80 Sqdn.
Age: 38 Date of Death: 28/11/1942
Service No: 62058
Additional information: Son of Frank and Henrietta Garland, of Norwich; husband of Catherine Garland, of Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: 3. A. 22. Cemetery: HELIOPOLIS WAR CEMETERY
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2208978
Re-equipment with Hurricanes began in February 1941 but when British forces were compelled to evacuate the country, the squadron was still equipped with Gladiators as well.
On its return from Greece the squadron was sent to Syria, from where it operated detachments in Palestine and Cyprus before moving totally to Cyprus in July 1941 and then back to Syria in August. The squadron finally joined the fighting in the Western Desert in October 1941 and following the breakout at El Alamein it was tasked with covering the lines of communication, remaining in North Africa until January 1944. A move to Italy was short-lived as in April the squadron was sent back to Britain in preparation for Operation 'Overlord'.
General Headquarters, Middle East Command was set up in Cairo shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, remaining there throughout the war years. In January 1941, a Royal Air Force Sector Headquarters for Fighter Defence Canal Zone was established. Cairo was also a significant hospital centre during the Second World War, as well as a leave centre with many social clubs and hostels. The cemetery at Heliopolis was opened in October 1941 for burials from the many hospitals in the area coping with the wounded and sick, mainly from the Western Desert campaigns
www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=201870...
There are no Hurricanes recorded as shot down in North Africa on the 28/11, but there are two on the 27th . Previous claim was the 14th.
www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/tony/tonywood.htm
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W J Germany
Name: GERMANY, WILLIAM JOHN Initials: W J
Rank: Able Seaman
Service: Royal Navy Unit Text: H.M.S. Leda
Age: 39 Date of Death: 20/09/1942
Service No: C/J 111937
Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. William J. Germany; husband of Gladys H. Germany, of Thorpe St. Andrew, Norfolk.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 54, 1. Memorial: CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2467669
1942
September Nominated for return to UK for refit with HMS BRAMBLE.
13th Joined return convoy QP14 with HMS BRAMBLE as part of Ocean Escort
for return to UK. Other ships of Ocean Escort were :
(Note :HM Cruiser SCYLLA, HM Escort Aircraft Carrier AVENGER,
HM Destroyers ASHANTI, ESKIMO, FAULKNOR, FURY,
INTREPID, MARNE, METOER, MILNE, OFFA, ONSLAUGHT,
ONSLOW, OPPORTUNE, SOMALI, TARTAR, WHEATLAND,
WILTON, BLANKNEY, MIDDLETON, HM Trawlers AYRSHIRE,
LORD AUSTIN, LORD MIDDLETON, NORTHERN GEM, HM
Auxiliary AA Ships ALYNBANK, PALOMARES and POZARICA
Distant Cover was provided by ships of Home Fleet in view of any
attack by German heavy warships.
This convoy was also carrying survivors from the ill fated PQ17.)
14th Passage in heavy weather with no immediate threat of interference.
20th Under attack by seven U-Boats. See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR, Volume 2
by C Blair.
Whilst in position astern of convoy in poor weather, hit by two torpedoes
fired by U435.
Ship sank one and a half hours later in position 756.48N 06.00E with the loss of 14 lives
86 of the ship's company were rescued but six of these died later.
(Note : In the continuing submarine attacks, ss SILVER SWORD, which had survived
PQ17 was sunk. The destroyer HMS SOMALI was hit by U703 and
disabled. Taken in tow by sister HMS ASHANTI the stricken ship
sank in heavy weather on 24th.)
www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-22MS-Halc-Leda.htm
www.halcyon-class.co.uk/leda/hms_leda.htm#ledahome
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C C Grant
Name: GRANT, CHARLES CLIFFORD
Rank: Driver Regiment/Service: Royal Army Service Corps
Age: 35 Date of Death: 05/06/1942
Service No: T/240241
Additional information: Son of William Henry and Ann Charlotte Grant; husband of Florence Ann Grant. of Norwich.
Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 8. C. 6. Cemetery: KNIGHTSBRIDGE WAR CEMETERY, ACROMA
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2162205
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L A Hadder
Name: HADDER, LESLIE ARNOLD
Rank: Flight Sergeant (Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 214 Sqdn.
Age: 20 Date of Death: 04/03/1945
Service No: 1804649
Additional information: Son of George Henry and Elizabeth Annie Hadder, of Thorpe.
Cemetery: THORPE-NEXT-NORWICH (ST. ANDREW) CHURCH CEMETERY
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2764504
I came across the grave of one of crew mates of Leslie Hadder in the church cemetery at Blickling, and after some initial false trails, I’ve written up what I found out there.
214 squadron were equipped with Flying Fortresses at this stage, and were engaged on what are now known as Electronic Counter Measures - jamming radar and radio’s etc to protect the bomber stream.
Returning from a mission, the plane was shot down by a German night fighter that was laying in wait in the air above RAF Oulton.
Craft HB815 03-04/03/45 (Pilot Officer H Bennett) Badly damaged following a night-fighter attack during the Nachtjagd Operation “Gisela”. Attack was probably made by Lt Arnold Doring of 10/NJG.3. On return to Oulton, a\c crash-landed at Lodge Farm on the Oulton airfield boundary at 00.51 hrs.
214squadron.atspace.com/fortress.htm
There is a personal memoir of the war of one of the normal crew of this plane, who missed this particular mission because of illness.
“Hadder, the mid-upper gunner, was the first to be buried. The doctor wouldn’t let Frank attend his funeral because of the state of his health…..As Frank hadn’t attended Hadder’s funeral, Frank went as soon as he was able, to visit Hadder’s family. His mother made a big fuss of Frank. She had heard Frank was dead, and was convinced that if Frank was still alive then Les must be alive as well. She took a lot of convincing that it was otherwise. This was a very unnerving experience, and Frank really had to steel himself to visit other relatives in similar circumstances after this.”
www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/19/a1073819.shtml
******************************************************************************************
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999 : visite initiatique au coeur de la Demeure du Chaos insufflée par l'Esprit de la Salamandre
Film HD d'Etienne PERRONE selon un scénario original de thierry Ehrmann.
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©2011 www.AbodeofChaos.org
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Tyne was the second of the five River-class light cruisers in the Royal Navy, which were introduced during the interwar period and played, after modifications, an active role in World War II, especially in the Mediterranean theatre of operations.
After the construction of the Danae-class cruiser, the demerits of the small cruiser concept became apparent. At the end of 1917, plans for an additional six C-class vessels, plus three new-design 7,200 ton-class scouting cruisers were shelved, in favor of an intermediate 5,500 ton-class vessel which could be used as both a long-range, high speed scout ship, and also as a command vessel for destroyer or submarine flotillas. The resulting River-class vessels were essentially enlarged versions of the Danae-class cruisers, with greater speed, range, and weaponry. With improvements in geared-turbine engine technology, the River-class vessels were capable of the high speed of 36 knots (67 km/h), and a range of 9,000 nmi (17,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h). The number of BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) L/45 Mark XII guns was increased from only three to seven in single mounts and provision was made for 48 naval mines. However, the four triple torpedo launchers on the Danae-class were reduced to just two double launchers, and the River-class remained highly deficient in anti-aircraft protection, with only two QF 3 in 20 cwt L/45 Mk. I and two QF 2-pounder L/39 Mk. II guns. A total of eight ships were ordered, but, with less pressure after the end of WWI, only five were built and finished.
The first River-class ship, H.M.S. “Trent”, was laid down in December 1918 and launched in August 1919. H.M.S. “Tyne” was the second cruiser of this new class, laid down 8 July 1919, launched 24 September 1920 and completed at Chatham Royal Dockyard 2 June 1922. Completed too late to see action in the First World War, “Tyne” was initially assigned to operate in the Baltic Sea against the Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia. She was then on detached service in the West Indies. Following this assignment, she was attached to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet for the following five years. 1923/24, “Tyne” became a member of the Cruise of the Special Service Squadron, also known as the “Empire Cruise”. Following this tour, she went with the squadron to the Mediterranean for the next few years.
In May 1928 “Tyne” was assigned to the North America and West Indies Station, based at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda. She ran aground on 2 July 1928 on the Thrum Cap Shoal, 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was badly damaged, suffering the breach of her engine room and of one of her boiler rooms. She was abandoned by most of her 445 crew, the officers remaining on board. Subsequently, all her guns and torpedo tubes and much of her other equipment had to be removed to lighten her. She was finally refloated on 11 July 1928 and towed off by H.M.S. “Despatch” and several tugs. She was repaired throughout 1929 and then reduced to the reserve.
In 1930, however, due to a shortage of ships at foreign theatres of operation, she was reactivated and transferred back to the America and West Indies Station. During 1931-1933 she served with the South American Division, and in 1934 she relieved the cruiser “Curlew” in the Mediterranean and was reassigned to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron. In 1935 she returned to Britain to be paid off into the reserve, but “Tyne” was kept active in British coastal waters for cadet training.
On the outbreak of the Second World War, “Tyne” was recommissioned and thoroughly modernized, since the original armament and other equipment had become obsolete by 1939. All five River-class ships were re-designed as light trade protection cruisers and were outfitted with new, state-of-the-art equipment and armament, including six new and very compact turrets. Pairs were placed at the bow and at the stern each, with another two placed singly at port and starboard amidships. Each was armed with twin 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns in high angle mountings. These new, quick-firing weapons were primarily surface weapons, but it was intended to fire the heaviest shell suitable for anti-aircraft defense, so that the ships could be used for convoy protection from aerial attacks.
The ballistic performance of the QF 5.25 was very good, with a maximum range of 24,070 yd (22,010 m) at 45 degrees with an 80 lb (36.3 kg) HE shell. In comparison, the contemporary French 138 mm (5.4 in) Mle 1934 guns as used on the Mogador-class destroyers had a maximum range of 21,872 yards (20,000 m) at 30 degrees with an 88 lb (39.9 kg) SAP shell, and the Italian 135/45 mm gun as used on the Capitani Romani-class cruisers had a maximum range of 21,435 yards (19,600 m) at 45 degrees with a 72.1 lb (32.7 kg) AP shell.
The new turrets were far more modern in design than previous light cruiser turrets and offered efficient loading up to 70 degrees to provide the intended dual-purpose capability. Furthermore, “Tyne” was, like its revamped sister ships, outfitted with four twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-poms" and a pair of triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tube launchers, mounted under the main deck. The latter carried a steam catapult for a reconnaissance waterplane, initially a Fairey Swordfish on floats but later replaced by a Supermarine Walrus amphibious flying boat. The depth charge racks were augmented by two new launchers.
After her modifications at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, field tests in the Channel and receiving a light disruptive Admiralty paint scheme, “Tyne” joined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, escorting convoys to Scandinavia and engaged in the hunt for the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. After the Norwegian Campaign she participated in the operations hunting the German battleship Bismarck and, together with the cruiser “Kenya”, intercepted one of the German supply ships, “Belchen”, on 3 June 1941.
Between July and August 1941, as part of Force K with the Home Fleet, she was involved in “Operation Gauntlet”, with operations to Spitzbergen and Bear Island. After one of these sorties, in company with the cruiser “Nigeria”, she intercepted a German troop convoy off Northern Norway, and the German ship “Bremse” was sunk. Later that year she was transferred to the Mediterranean and arrived in Alexandria on 21 October 1941 to join a new Force K, where the ship received a new high-contrast paint scheme, typical for this theatre of operations.
On 9 November 1941, Force K, consisting of “Tyne”,”Aurora”, “Penelope”, “Lance” and “Lively”, she was involved in the destruction of the Beta Convoy. In the resulting battle the Italian destroyer “Fulmine” was sunk, as well as the German transports “Duisburg” and “San Marco”, the Italian transports “Maria”, “Sagitta” and “Rina Corrado”, and the Italian “Conte di Misurata” and “Minatitlan”. The Italian destroyers “Grecale” and “Euro” were damaged.
On 24 November Force K, intercepted an Axis convoy about 100 nautical miles west of Crete. The Axis convoy was bound from the Aegean to Benghazi. The two German transports in the convoy, “Maritza” and “Procida”, were both sunk by H.M.S. “Penelope” and H.M.S. “Lively” despite the presence of the Italian torpedo boats “Lupo” and “Cassiopea”. On 1 December 1941 Force K, with “Tyne”, “Penelope” and ”Lively”, attacked the Mantovani Convoy. The Italian destroyer “Alvise Da Mosto” and the sole cargo ship “Mantovani” were sunk. H.M.S. “Tyne” next participated in the First Battle of Sirte on 17 December 1941. On 19 December, while steaming off Tripoli, she was heavily damaged in a mine field and was forced to retire to Malta for hull repairs.
After repairs, which lasted several months into summer 1942, she returned to service in the MTO and joined Force H. In November she became part of the Centre Task Force for the Landings in North Africa, Operation Torch. Off Oran, she engaged the Vichy French destroyers “Tramontane” and “Tornad”e on 8 November 1942, damaging the former so badly that it had to be beached. The following day she badly damaged the destroyer “Épervier” and drove it ashore. By early December 1942 she was operating as part of Force Q at Bône against the Axis evacuation and supply convoys between Trapani and Tunis.
However, “Tyne” was hit on 20 December 1942 off Trapani (Sicily) by an air-dropped torpedo. She caught fire, had two of her turrets out of action and was badly flooded. Later that day she was attacked once more by German dive-bombers, and a fatal bomb hit at the ship’s stern eventually led to her loss the following day. 115 men were killed through the attacks, the rest, more than two-thirds of the crew, was rescued.
All River-class ships had a very active war career and proved to be satisfactory in service, even though they were hardly a match for full-fledged battleships and worked best in conjunction with other ships. Especially in the Mediterranean they were very effective in protecting crucial convoys to Malta and even managed to see off some ships of the Italian Royal Navy. However, their outdated WWI machinery became their Achilles heel and limited their potential, and the relatively light main guns lacked range and firepower to take on major enemy ships their own.
From 1940 on the ships were to be replaced by the much more modern and better-equipped new Dido-class cruisers, but a shortage of guns for them, due to difficulties in manufacturing them, delayed their introduction so that the River-class cruisers had to soldier on. Two ships, “Tyne” and “Thames”, were lost, and the three post-war survivors “Trent”, “Severn” and “Mersey”, were immediately put into reserve after the end of hostilities in Europe and quickly broken up.
General characteristics:
Displacement: 5,100 long tons (5,200 t) (standard)
Length: 500 ft (152.4 m)
Beam: 47 ft (14.2 m)
Draft: 16 ft (4.8 m)
Draught: 12 ft 6 in (3.8 m) (deep)
Armor: Belt: 64 mm (3 in), Deck: 29 mm (1 in)
Complement: 450
Propulsion:
12× Admiralty boilers with 4× geared steam turbines, developing 90,000 shp (67,000 kW)
and driving four shafts
Performance:
Top speed: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Armament (after conversion):
12× 5.25 guns (133 mm) 50 caliber guns in six twin turrets
4× twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" AA guns in powered mounts
2× triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
2× throwers and 2× racks astern with 48 depth charges
The kit and its assembly:
The Royal Navy’s River-class light cruisers never existed. These fictional interwar ships were based on the Dido-class cruisers’ concept, just placed in an earlier generation and realized on the basis of an old/outdated ship. Inspiration came with an aftermarket set of six 1:700 white metal turrets that I came across recently, and I wanted to use it to build something like the American Atlanta-class light cruisers with a specialized AA armament.
However, this armament called for a suitable and bigger hull than my former destroyer builds, and I was eventually able to hunt down a cheap Tamiya kit of a Japanese Kuma-class light cruiser as starting point. It was perfect in size (almost exactly as big as a Dido-class cruiser!), shape and time frame, even though I I basically only used the kit’s single-piece hull as starting point. I had to modify the superstructures thoroughly to adapt the Japanese ship to the new role and also to a more Western layout and silhouette.
For instance, the typically Japanese tall “pagoda” bridge/command section of that era had to disappear, and I changed the superstructures almost completely, because the new twin turrets needed much more space than the small single guns of the Kuma cruiser. I also wanted to place them at different levels, and this called for suitable staggered platforms, too.
Initially there was the plan to mount the six turrets in groups of three at both bow and stern, but it was soon clear that this would not work – this arrangement would have been too long and too high, too, so that I went with two staggered pairs. I also wanted to give the ship – unlike the American Atlanta-class ships – a catapult for an on-board aircraft, and this required some free space on deck.
With this framework I scratched new/additional superstructures, using leftover pieces from the two recently built Matchbox K-class destroyers and from a Revell H.M.S. Ark Royal carrier. Everything evolved through trial-and error, in an attempt to find a plausible layout for all the deck equipment. The lowered hull section for the Kuma-class’ front torpedo tubes was filled with a cabin and re-purposed for lifeboats. Then the initially continuous superstructure was split to make room for the steam catapult amidships at deck level. The rear turrets eventually found their final places on a separate superstructure that would also carry the secondary mast and the crane for the floatplane, and I mounted the last two turrets in lateral positions (again somewhat inspired by the Atlanta-class arrangement with similar positions), above the Kuma-class’ openings for the rear torpedo launch tubes. These did not make sense at this position anymore, so that the OOB openings were closed/filled and moved further forward, under the new “flight deck”. Some PSR had to be done, too, in order to blend some disparate donor parts and fill the worst gaps. Therefore, the finish is certainly not as crisp as an OOB model – but I think that these flaws remained on an acceptable level.
Once the general deck layout had been settled, detail work began. This included a re-arrangement of bridge, masts and funnels, and the main deck had to offer enough space for the re-located catapult, together with the turrets in the side positions, lifeboats and AA stations, which found their place at deck level and in two twin alcoves in higher positions. Fiddly stuff, and I must admit that “creating” such a battleship is conceptually not easy.
The aircraft on board is actually the OOB Kawanishi E7K floatplane from the Kuma-class cruiser kit – but it looks similar enough to a Swordfish that this illusion could be easily supported with a suitable paint scheme.
Painting and markings:
I used the opportunity to apply another typical Royal Navy paint scheme, a so-called “Alexandria-style” pattern. This was a high-contrast scheme, sometimes described as consisting of black and white, but it was typically made up from 507a (Dark Grey) and 507c (Light Grey). It had been christened after the dockyard where it had been initially applied, and it was actually not a defined pattern (like the Admiralty schemes, which had been designed at offices by people who frequently had no practical naval experience!), but rather a common but individual application of standard paints that had been in ample supply at most dockyards! The ships had to be painted with what was at hand, and so the disruptive scheme caught on and was applied, like Mountbatten Pink, to a considerable number of British ships operating in the MTO. This two-tone scheme was not intended to conceal the ships, but rather to confuse the observer concerning speed, direction and what the ship actually was.
The pattern I applied to the model was loosely based on what the cruiser H.M.S. Devonshire carried in 1941, a kind of zebra pattern with wide, well-defined block stripes. As a visual gimmick these stripes were kind of “mirrored” along a line on the hull, as if reflected by the water and therefore making assessing size or distance even more difficult.
The paints are Humbrol 147 (Light Grey, FS 36495) and 27 (Sea Grey). The deck was painted as if the wooden areas had not been overpainted yet and allowed to weather, so that the once-holystoned, yellow-ish light wood had become dull and rather grey-ish. I used Humbrol 168 (RAF Hemp) and Revell 87 (Beige) as basis, and some light shading with thinned sepia ink was done to enhance the wooden look – and it’s nice contrast to the rather cold, grey camouflage. Metal decks, turret tops and the bow area were painted with Revell 47, simulating 507b (Medium Grey). Areas around the bridge were painted with Humbrol 62 (Leather) to simulate Corticene coating.
I originally wanted to paint the model in separate elements before final assembly, but this was not possible due to the many adjustments. The model was slightly weathered with a highly thinned black ink wash. Some Sienna Brown water paint was used for rust stains here and there. Portholes along the hull and on the superstructures were created with a thin black felt tip pen. The same tool was used to paint the muzzles of the guns. The crisp black boot topping was easy to create through the kit’s separate waterline bottom – OOB it comes in red, and it just had to be re-painted.
The kit’s segments were sealed with a coat of acrylic matt varnish before final assembly. Finally, rigging with heated and extended dark grey sprue material was done and paper flags were added.
It is not obvious, but the fictional H.M.S. “Tyne” took more scratchwork and mods than one would expect – it was/is almost a scratch build on the basis of a stock cruiser hull. More or less, the whole superstructure was re-arranged and the whole armament is new, but I think that the outcome looks quite plausible. The camouflage – even though only consisting of two shades of grey - looks interesting, too, and I think that the confusing effect becomes obvious in some of the beauty pics.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Tyne was the second of the five River-class light cruisers in the Royal Navy, which were introduced during the interwar period and played, after modifications, an active role in World War II, especially in the Mediterranean theatre of operations.
After the construction of the Danae-class cruiser, the demerits of the small cruiser concept became apparent. At the end of 1917, plans for an additional six C-class vessels, plus three new-design 7,200 ton-class scouting cruisers were shelved, in favor of an intermediate 5,500 ton-class vessel which could be used as both a long-range, high speed scout ship, and also as a command vessel for destroyer or submarine flotillas. The resulting River-class vessels were essentially enlarged versions of the Danae-class cruisers, with greater speed, range, and weaponry. With improvements in geared-turbine engine technology, the River-class vessels were capable of the high speed of 36 knots (67 km/h), and a range of 9,000 nmi (17,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h). The number of BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) L/45 Mark XII guns was increased from only three to seven in single mounts and provision was made for 48 naval mines. However, the four triple torpedo launchers on the Danae-class were reduced to just two double launchers, and the River-class remained highly deficient in anti-aircraft protection, with only two QF 3 in 20 cwt L/45 Mk. I and two QF 2-pounder L/39 Mk. II guns. A total of eight ships were ordered, but, with less pressure after the end of WWI, only five were built and finished.
The first River-class ship, H.M.S. “Trent”, was laid down in December 1918 and launched in August 1919. H.M.S. “Tyne” was the second cruiser of this new class, laid down 8 July 1919, launched 24 September 1920 and completed at Chatham Royal Dockyard 2 June 1922. Completed too late to see action in the First World War, “Tyne” was initially assigned to operate in the Baltic Sea against the Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia. She was then on detached service in the West Indies. Following this assignment, she was attached to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet for the following five years. 1923/24, “Tyne” became a member of the Cruise of the Special Service Squadron, also known as the “Empire Cruise”. Following this tour, she went with the squadron to the Mediterranean for the next few years.
In May 1928 “Tyne” was assigned to the North America and West Indies Station, based at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda. She ran aground on 2 July 1928 on the Thrum Cap Shoal, 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was badly damaged, suffering the breach of her engine room and of one of her boiler rooms. She was abandoned by most of her 445 crew, the officers remaining on board. Subsequently, all her guns and torpedo tubes and much of her other equipment had to be removed to lighten her. She was finally refloated on 11 July 1928 and towed off by H.M.S. “Despatch” and several tugs. She was repaired throughout 1929 and then reduced to the reserve.
In 1930, however, due to a shortage of ships at foreign theatres of operation, she was reactivated and transferred back to the America and West Indies Station. During 1931-1933 she served with the South American Division, and in 1934 she relieved the cruiser “Curlew” in the Mediterranean and was reassigned to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron. In 1935 she returned to Britain to be paid off into the reserve, but “Tyne” was kept active in British coastal waters for cadet training.
On the outbreak of the Second World War, “Tyne” was recommissioned and thoroughly modernized, since the original armament and other equipment had become obsolete by 1939. All five River-class ships were re-designed as light trade protection cruisers and were outfitted with new, state-of-the-art equipment and armament, including six new and very compact turrets. Pairs were placed at the bow and at the stern each, with another two placed singly at port and starboard amidships. Each was armed with twin 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns in high angle mountings. These new, quick-firing weapons were primarily surface weapons, but it was intended to fire the heaviest shell suitable for anti-aircraft defense, so that the ships could be used for convoy protection from aerial attacks.
The ballistic performance of the QF 5.25 was very good, with a maximum range of 24,070 yd (22,010 m) at 45 degrees with an 80 lb (36.3 kg) HE shell. In comparison, the contemporary French 138 mm (5.4 in) Mle 1934 guns as used on the Mogador-class destroyers had a maximum range of 21,872 yards (20,000 m) at 30 degrees with an 88 lb (39.9 kg) SAP shell, and the Italian 135/45 mm gun as used on the Capitani Romani-class cruisers had a maximum range of 21,435 yards (19,600 m) at 45 degrees with a 72.1 lb (32.7 kg) AP shell.
The new turrets were far more modern in design than previous light cruiser turrets and offered efficient loading up to 70 degrees to provide the intended dual-purpose capability. Furthermore, “Tyne” was, like its revamped sister ships, outfitted with four twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-poms" and a pair of triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tube launchers, mounted under the main deck. The latter carried a steam catapult for a reconnaissance waterplane, initially a Fairey Swordfish on floats but later replaced by a Supermarine Walrus amphibious flying boat. The depth charge racks were augmented by two new launchers.
After her modifications at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, field tests in the Channel and receiving a light disruptive Admiralty paint scheme, “Tyne” joined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, escorting convoys to Scandinavia and engaged in the hunt for the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. After the Norwegian Campaign she participated in the operations hunting the German battleship Bismarck and, together with the cruiser “Kenya”, intercepted one of the German supply ships, “Belchen”, on 3 June 1941.
Between July and August 1941, as part of Force K with the Home Fleet, she was involved in “Operation Gauntlet”, with operations to Spitzbergen and Bear Island. After one of these sorties, in company with the cruiser “Nigeria”, she intercepted a German troop convoy off Northern Norway, and the German ship “Bremse” was sunk. Later that year she was transferred to the Mediterranean and arrived in Alexandria on 21 October 1941 to join a new Force K, where the ship received a new high-contrast paint scheme, typical for this theatre of operations.
On 9 November 1941, Force K, consisting of “Tyne”,”Aurora”, “Penelope”, “Lance” and “Lively”, she was involved in the destruction of the Beta Convoy. In the resulting battle the Italian destroyer “Fulmine” was sunk, as well as the German transports “Duisburg” and “San Marco”, the Italian transports “Maria”, “Sagitta” and “Rina Corrado”, and the Italian “Conte di Misurata” and “Minatitlan”. The Italian destroyers “Grecale” and “Euro” were damaged.
On 24 November Force K, intercepted an Axis convoy about 100 nautical miles west of Crete. The Axis convoy was bound from the Aegean to Benghazi. The two German transports in the convoy, “Maritza” and “Procida”, were both sunk by H.M.S. “Penelope” and H.M.S. “Lively” despite the presence of the Italian torpedo boats “Lupo” and “Cassiopea”. On 1 December 1941 Force K, with “Tyne”, “Penelope” and ”Lively”, attacked the Mantovani Convoy. The Italian destroyer “Alvise Da Mosto” and the sole cargo ship “Mantovani” were sunk. H.M.S. “Tyne” next participated in the First Battle of Sirte on 17 December 1941. On 19 December, while steaming off Tripoli, she was heavily damaged in a mine field and was forced to retire to Malta for hull repairs.
After repairs, which lasted several months into summer 1942, she returned to service in the MTO and joined Force H. In November she became part of the Centre Task Force for the Landings in North Africa, Operation Torch. Off Oran, she engaged the Vichy French destroyers “Tramontane” and “Tornad”e on 8 November 1942, damaging the former so badly that it had to be beached. The following day she badly damaged the destroyer “Épervier” and drove it ashore. By early December 1942 she was operating as part of Force Q at Bône against the Axis evacuation and supply convoys between Trapani and Tunis.
However, “Tyne” was hit on 20 December 1942 off Trapani (Sicily) by an air-dropped torpedo. She caught fire, had two of her turrets out of action and was badly flooded. Later that day she was attacked once more by German dive-bombers, and a fatal bomb hit at the ship’s stern eventually led to her loss the following day. 115 men were killed through the attacks, the rest, more than two-thirds of the crew, was rescued.
All River-class ships had a very active war career and proved to be satisfactory in service, even though they were hardly a match for full-fledged battleships and worked best in conjunction with other ships. Especially in the Mediterranean they were very effective in protecting crucial convoys to Malta and even managed to see off some ships of the Italian Royal Navy. However, their outdated WWI machinery became their Achilles heel and limited their potential, and the relatively light main guns lacked range and firepower to take on major enemy ships their own.
From 1940 on the ships were to be replaced by the much more modern and better-equipped new Dido-class cruisers, but a shortage of guns for them, due to difficulties in manufacturing them, delayed their introduction so that the River-class cruisers had to soldier on. Two ships, “Tyne” and “Thames”, were lost, and the three post-war survivors “Trent”, “Severn” and “Mersey”, were immediately put into reserve after the end of hostilities in Europe and quickly broken up.
General characteristics:
Displacement: 5,100 long tons (5,200 t) (standard)
Length: 500 ft (152.4 m)
Beam: 47 ft (14.2 m)
Draft: 16 ft (4.8 m)
Draught: 12 ft 6 in (3.8 m) (deep)
Armor: Belt: 64 mm (3 in), Deck: 29 mm (1 in)
Complement: 450
Propulsion:
12× Admiralty boilers with 4× geared steam turbines, developing 90,000 shp (67,000 kW)
and driving four shafts
Performance:
Top speed: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Armament (after conversion):
12× 5.25 guns (133 mm) 50 caliber guns in six twin turrets
4× twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" AA guns in powered mounts
2× triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
2× throwers and 2× racks astern with 48 depth charges
The kit and its assembly:
The Royal Navy’s River-class light cruisers never existed. These fictional interwar ships were based on the Dido-class cruisers’ concept, just placed in an earlier generation and realized on the basis of an old/outdated ship. Inspiration came with an aftermarket set of six 1:700 white metal turrets that I came across recently, and I wanted to use it to build something like the American Atlanta-class light cruisers with a specialized AA armament.
However, this armament called for a suitable and bigger hull than my former destroyer builds, and I was eventually able to hunt down a cheap Tamiya kit of a Japanese Kuma-class light cruiser as starting point. It was perfect in size (almost exactly as big as a Dido-class cruiser!), shape and time frame, even though I I basically only used the kit’s single-piece hull as starting point. I had to modify the superstructures thoroughly to adapt the Japanese ship to the new role and also to a more Western layout and silhouette.
For instance, the typically Japanese tall “pagoda” bridge/command section of that era had to disappear, and I changed the superstructures almost completely, because the new twin turrets needed much more space than the small single guns of the Kuma cruiser. I also wanted to place them at different levels, and this called for suitable staggered platforms, too.
Initially there was the plan to mount the six turrets in groups of three at both bow and stern, but it was soon clear that this would not work – this arrangement would have been too long and too high, too, so that I went with two staggered pairs. I also wanted to give the ship – unlike the American Atlanta-class ships – a catapult for an on-board aircraft, and this required some free space on deck.
With this framework I scratched new/additional superstructures, using leftover pieces from the two recently built Matchbox K-class destroyers and from a Revell H.M.S. Ark Royal carrier. Everything evolved through trial-and error, in an attempt to find a plausible layout for all the deck equipment. The lowered hull section for the Kuma-class’ front torpedo tubes was filled with a cabin and re-purposed for lifeboats. Then the initially continuous superstructure was split to make room for the steam catapult amidships at deck level. The rear turrets eventually found their final places on a separate superstructure that would also carry the secondary mast and the crane for the floatplane, and I mounted the last two turrets in lateral positions (again somewhat inspired by the Atlanta-class arrangement with similar positions), above the Kuma-class’ openings for the rear torpedo launch tubes. These did not make sense at this position anymore, so that the OOB openings were closed/filled and moved further forward, under the new “flight deck”. Some PSR had to be done, too, in order to blend some disparate donor parts and fill the worst gaps. Therefore, the finish is certainly not as crisp as an OOB model – but I think that these flaws remained on an acceptable level.
Once the general deck layout had been settled, detail work began. This included a re-arrangement of bridge, masts and funnels, and the main deck had to offer enough space for the re-located catapult, together with the turrets in the side positions, lifeboats and AA stations, which found their place at deck level and in two twin alcoves in higher positions. Fiddly stuff, and I must admit that “creating” such a battleship is conceptually not easy.
The aircraft on board is actually the OOB Kawanishi E7K floatplane from the Kuma-class cruiser kit – but it looks similar enough to a Swordfish that this illusion could be easily supported with a suitable paint scheme.
Painting and markings:
I used the opportunity to apply another typical Royal Navy paint scheme, a so-called “Alexandria-style” pattern. This was a high-contrast scheme, sometimes described as consisting of black and white, but it was typically made up from 507a (Dark Grey) and 507c (Light Grey). It had been christened after the dockyard where it had been initially applied, and it was actually not a defined pattern (like the Admiralty schemes, which had been designed at offices by people who frequently had no practical naval experience!), but rather a common but individual application of standard paints that had been in ample supply at most dockyards! The ships had to be painted with what was at hand, and so the disruptive scheme caught on and was applied, like Mountbatten Pink, to a considerable number of British ships operating in the MTO. This two-tone scheme was not intended to conceal the ships, but rather to confuse the observer concerning speed, direction and what the ship actually was.
The pattern I applied to the model was loosely based on what the cruiser H.M.S. Devonshire carried in 1941, a kind of zebra pattern with wide, well-defined block stripes. As a visual gimmick these stripes were kind of “mirrored” along a line on the hull, as if reflected by the water and therefore making assessing size or distance even more difficult.
The paints are Humbrol 147 (Light Grey, FS 36495) and 27 (Sea Grey). The deck was painted as if the wooden areas had not been overpainted yet and allowed to weather, so that the once-holystoned, yellow-ish light wood had become dull and rather grey-ish. I used Humbrol 168 (RAF Hemp) and Revell 87 (Beige) as basis, and some light shading with thinned sepia ink was done to enhance the wooden look – and it’s nice contrast to the rather cold, grey camouflage. Metal decks, turret tops and the bow area were painted with Revell 47, simulating 507b (Medium Grey). Areas around the bridge were painted with Humbrol 62 (Leather) to simulate Corticene coating.
I originally wanted to paint the model in separate elements before final assembly, but this was not possible due to the many adjustments. The model was slightly weathered with a highly thinned black ink wash. Some Sienna Brown water paint was used for rust stains here and there. Portholes along the hull and on the superstructures were created with a thin black felt tip pen. The same tool was used to paint the muzzles of the guns. The crisp black boot topping was easy to create through the kit’s separate waterline bottom – OOB it comes in red, and it just had to be re-painted.
The kit’s segments were sealed with a coat of acrylic matt varnish before final assembly. Finally, rigging with heated and extended dark grey sprue material was done and paper flags were added.
It is not obvious, but the fictional H.M.S. “Tyne” took more scratchwork and mods than one would expect – it was/is almost a scratch build on the basis of a stock cruiser hull. More or less, the whole superstructure was re-arranged and the whole armament is new, but I think that the outcome looks quite plausible. The camouflage – even though only consisting of two shades of grey - looks interesting, too, and I think that the confusing effect becomes obvious in some of the beauty pics.
Washington - Dulles International (IAD)
Su-22 Fitter silhouette and Sidewinder missile in recognition of the VF-41 F-14 /107 that shot down a Sukhoi Su-22 Fitter of Libyan Air Force. LT Lawrence 'Music' Muczynski/LTJG James 'Amos’ Anderson encountered two Su-22 from Ghurdabiyah Air Base near Sirte. The Libyans fired AA-2 "Atoll" which missed. Then the Su-22s split; the leader turning NW and the wingman turning SW. The Tomcats evaded the missile and fired AIM-9L Sidewinders; the first kill is credited to Fast Eagle 102, the second to Fast Eagle 107. Both Libyan pilots ejected.
Sister ship to G-AOYH in this photostream is G-AOYI of British Air Ferries seen passing the end of Pier A at Manchester. In their days with BAF these Viscounts became almost like tramp steamers, available for hire to all and sundry airlines. Delivered to BEA in 1958 she passed to Cambrian Airways in 1970 but was wfu at Cardiff by 1980 when she joined BAF in 1981 and was immediately overhauled and sent on lease to North Africa to haul oil workers and was employed by Esso, Occidental Oil and finally Sirte before returning to the UK Alan Lord Collection
Street after a devastating violent clashes with the forces of Gaddafi in Sirte .0ct.18, 2011. REUTERS/Esam Al-Fetori (LIBYA)
Jonathan Wright makes the valid point that the US should not intervene to “help” the Libyan people. I wholeheartedly agree! But for different reasons: I understand the US (and EU) to be imperialist powers that strive to dominate the resources of the “3rd world” (to use an imprecise term). Their preferred mode of doing this since World War 2 and the collapse of colonialism, is to use puppet dictatorships which they heavily arm ( a recent posting estimated that the EU has annually sold Libya around a billion $ a year for some time). Now that this system is collapsing, it is “unrealistic” to expect that the puppet master will be of any help. Clearly what Clinton has in mind is to facilitate an “orderly transition” to a “responsible” ruler who will keep the existing structure in place. To expect the power that supports the monarchies in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, and the Gulf to facilitate a democratic transition that would actually transfer power to the people, is to expect the wolf to lie down with the lamb peacefully.
It’s a very bad idea for the United States to intervene in Libya and I have no doubt that no one credible in the Libyan opposition will accept such an offer. “We’ve been reaching out to many different Libyans who are attempting to organize in the east and, as the revolution moves westward, there as well. I think it’s way too soon to tell how this is going to play out, but we’re going to be ready and prepared to offer any kind of assistance that anyone wishes to have from the United States,” said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The last thing any Arab rebellion (and that is what we have in Libya) needs is the kiss of death that any association with the United States would bring. If the US administration is reacting to domestic pressures, as it did in the case of its decision to veto the UN Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements, then it should resist the temptation. Even the vague offer could do damage. Who is giving advice to these US officials, and what is driving them?
By Jonathan Wright
anewworldsinbirth.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/us-hands-off-l...
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Tyne was the second of the five River-class light cruisers in the Royal Navy, which were introduced during the interwar period and played, after modifications, an active role in World War II, especially in the Mediterranean theatre of operations.
After the construction of the Danae-class cruiser, the demerits of the small cruiser concept became apparent. At the end of 1917, plans for an additional six C-class vessels, plus three new-design 7,200 ton-class scouting cruisers were shelved, in favor of an intermediate 5,500 ton-class vessel which could be used as both a long-range, high speed scout ship, and also as a command vessel for destroyer or submarine flotillas. The resulting River-class vessels were essentially enlarged versions of the Danae-class cruisers, with greater speed, range, and weaponry. With improvements in geared-turbine engine technology, the River-class vessels were capable of the high speed of 36 knots (67 km/h), and a range of 9,000 nmi (17,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h). The number of BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) L/45 Mark XII guns was increased from only three to seven in single mounts and provision was made for 48 naval mines. However, the four triple torpedo launchers on the Danae-class were reduced to just two double launchers, and the River-class remained highly deficient in anti-aircraft protection, with only two QF 3 in 20 cwt L/45 Mk. I and two QF 2-pounder L/39 Mk. II guns. A total of eight ships were ordered, but, with less pressure after the end of WWI, only five were built and finished.
The first River-class ship, H.M.S. “Trent”, was laid down in December 1918 and launched in August 1919. H.M.S. “Tyne” was the second cruiser of this new class, laid down 8 July 1919, launched 24 September 1920 and completed at Chatham Royal Dockyard 2 June 1922. Completed too late to see action in the First World War, “Tyne” was initially assigned to operate in the Baltic Sea against the Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia. She was then on detached service in the West Indies. Following this assignment, she was attached to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet for the following five years. 1923/24, “Tyne” became a member of the Cruise of the Special Service Squadron, also known as the “Empire Cruise”. Following this tour, she went with the squadron to the Mediterranean for the next few years.
In May 1928 “Tyne” was assigned to the North America and West Indies Station, based at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda. She ran aground on 2 July 1928 on the Thrum Cap Shoal, 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was badly damaged, suffering the breach of her engine room and of one of her boiler rooms. She was abandoned by most of her 445 crew, the officers remaining on board. Subsequently, all her guns and torpedo tubes and much of her other equipment had to be removed to lighten her. She was finally refloated on 11 July 1928 and towed off by H.M.S. “Despatch” and several tugs. She was repaired throughout 1929 and then reduced to the reserve.
In 1930, however, due to a shortage of ships at foreign theatres of operation, she was reactivated and transferred back to the America and West Indies Station. During 1931-1933 she served with the South American Division, and in 1934 she relieved the cruiser “Curlew” in the Mediterranean and was reassigned to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron. In 1935 she returned to Britain to be paid off into the reserve, but “Tyne” was kept active in British coastal waters for cadet training.
On the outbreak of the Second World War, “Tyne” was recommissioned and thoroughly modernized, since the original armament and other equipment had become obsolete by 1939. All five River-class ships were re-designed as light trade protection cruisers and were outfitted with new, state-of-the-art equipment and armament, including six new and very compact turrets. Pairs were placed at the bow and at the stern each, with another two placed singly at port and starboard amidships. Each was armed with twin 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns in high angle mountings. These new, quick-firing weapons were primarily surface weapons, but it was intended to fire the heaviest shell suitable for anti-aircraft defense, so that the ships could be used for convoy protection from aerial attacks.
The ballistic performance of the QF 5.25 was very good, with a maximum range of 24,070 yd (22,010 m) at 45 degrees with an 80 lb (36.3 kg) HE shell. In comparison, the contemporary French 138 mm (5.4 in) Mle 1934 guns as used on the Mogador-class destroyers had a maximum range of 21,872 yards (20,000 m) at 30 degrees with an 88 lb (39.9 kg) SAP shell, and the Italian 135/45 mm gun as used on the Capitani Romani-class cruisers had a maximum range of 21,435 yards (19,600 m) at 45 degrees with a 72.1 lb (32.7 kg) AP shell.
The new turrets were far more modern in design than previous light cruiser turrets and offered efficient loading up to 70 degrees to provide the intended dual-purpose capability. Furthermore, “Tyne” was, like its revamped sister ships, outfitted with four twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-poms" and a pair of triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tube launchers, mounted under the main deck. The latter carried a steam catapult for a reconnaissance waterplane, initially a Fairey Swordfish on floats but later replaced by a Supermarine Walrus amphibious flying boat. The depth charge racks were augmented by two new launchers.
After her modifications at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, field tests in the Channel and receiving a light disruptive Admiralty paint scheme, “Tyne” joined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, escorting convoys to Scandinavia and engaged in the hunt for the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. After the Norwegian Campaign she participated in the operations hunting the German battleship Bismarck and, together with the cruiser “Kenya”, intercepted one of the German supply ships, “Belchen”, on 3 June 1941.
Between July and August 1941, as part of Force K with the Home Fleet, she was involved in “Operation Gauntlet”, with operations to Spitzbergen and Bear Island. After one of these sorties, in company with the cruiser “Nigeria”, she intercepted a German troop convoy off Northern Norway, and the German ship “Bremse” was sunk. Later that year she was transferred to the Mediterranean and arrived in Alexandria on 21 October 1941 to join a new Force K, where the ship received a new high-contrast paint scheme, typical for this theatre of operations.
On 9 November 1941, Force K, consisting of “Tyne”,”Aurora”, “Penelope”, “Lance” and “Lively”, she was involved in the destruction of the Beta Convoy. In the resulting battle the Italian destroyer “Fulmine” was sunk, as well as the German transports “Duisburg” and “San Marco”, the Italian transports “Maria”, “Sagitta” and “Rina Corrado”, and the Italian “Conte di Misurata” and “Minatitlan”. The Italian destroyers “Grecale” and “Euro” were damaged.
On 24 November Force K, intercepted an Axis convoy about 100 nautical miles west of Crete. The Axis convoy was bound from the Aegean to Benghazi. The two German transports in the convoy, “Maritza” and “Procida”, were both sunk by H.M.S. “Penelope” and H.M.S. “Lively” despite the presence of the Italian torpedo boats “Lupo” and “Cassiopea”. On 1 December 1941 Force K, with “Tyne”, “Penelope” and ”Lively”, attacked the Mantovani Convoy. The Italian destroyer “Alvise Da Mosto” and the sole cargo ship “Mantovani” were sunk. H.M.S. “Tyne” next participated in the First Battle of Sirte on 17 December 1941. On 19 December, while steaming off Tripoli, she was heavily damaged in a mine field and was forced to retire to Malta for hull repairs.
After repairs, which lasted several months into summer 1942, she returned to service in the MTO and joined Force H. In November she became part of the Centre Task Force for the Landings in North Africa, Operation Torch. Off Oran, she engaged the Vichy French destroyers “Tramontane” and “Tornad”e on 8 November 1942, damaging the former so badly that it had to be beached. The following day she badly damaged the destroyer “Épervier” and drove it ashore. By early December 1942 she was operating as part of Force Q at Bône against the Axis evacuation and supply convoys between Trapani and Tunis.
However, “Tyne” was hit on 20 December 1942 off Trapani (Sicily) by an air-dropped torpedo. She caught fire, had two of her turrets out of action and was badly flooded. Later that day she was attacked once more by German dive-bombers, and a fatal bomb hit at the ship’s stern eventually led to her loss the following day. 115 men were killed through the attacks, the rest, more than two-thirds of the crew, was rescued.
All River-class ships had a very active war career and proved to be satisfactory in service, even though they were hardly a match for full-fledged battleships and worked best in conjunction with other ships. Especially in the Mediterranean they were very effective in protecting crucial convoys to Malta and even managed to see off some ships of the Italian Royal Navy. However, their outdated WWI machinery became their Achilles heel and limited their potential, and the relatively light main guns lacked range and firepower to take on major enemy ships their own.
From 1940 on the ships were to be replaced by the much more modern and better-equipped new Dido-class cruisers, but a shortage of guns for them, due to difficulties in manufacturing them, delayed their introduction so that the River-class cruisers had to soldier on. Two ships, “Tyne” and “Thames”, were lost, and the three post-war survivors “Trent”, “Severn” and “Mersey”, were immediately put into reserve after the end of hostilities in Europe and quickly broken up.
General characteristics:
Displacement: 5,100 long tons (5,200 t) (standard)
Length: 500 ft (152.4 m)
Beam: 47 ft (14.2 m)
Draft: 16 ft (4.8 m)
Draught: 12 ft 6 in (3.8 m) (deep)
Armor: Belt: 64 mm (3 in), Deck: 29 mm (1 in)
Complement: 450
Propulsion:
12× Admiralty boilers with 4× geared steam turbines, developing 90,000 shp (67,000 kW)
and driving four shafts
Performance:
Top speed: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Armament (after conversion):
12× 5.25 guns (133 mm) 50 caliber guns in six twin turrets
4× twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" AA guns in powered mounts
2× triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
2× throwers and 2× racks astern with 48 depth charges
The kit and its assembly:
The Royal Navy’s River-class light cruisers never existed. These fictional interwar ships were based on the Dido-class cruisers’ concept, just placed in an earlier generation and realized on the basis of an old/outdated ship. Inspiration came with an aftermarket set of six 1:700 white metal turrets that I came across recently, and I wanted to use it to build something like the American Atlanta-class light cruisers with a specialized AA armament.
However, this armament called for a suitable and bigger hull than my former destroyer builds, and I was eventually able to hunt down a cheap Tamiya kit of a Japanese Kuma-class light cruiser as starting point. It was perfect in size (almost exactly as big as a Dido-class cruiser!), shape and time frame, even though I I basically only used the kit’s single-piece hull as starting point. I had to modify the superstructures thoroughly to adapt the Japanese ship to the new role and also to a more Western layout and silhouette.
For instance, the typically Japanese tall “pagoda” bridge/command section of that era had to disappear, and I changed the superstructures almost completely, because the new twin turrets needed much more space than the small single guns of the Kuma cruiser. I also wanted to place them at different levels, and this called for suitable staggered platforms, too.
Initially there was the plan to mount the six turrets in groups of three at both bow and stern, but it was soon clear that this would not work – this arrangement would have been too long and too high, too, so that I went with two staggered pairs. I also wanted to give the ship – unlike the American Atlanta-class ships – a catapult for an on-board aircraft, and this required some free space on deck.
With this framework I scratched new/additional superstructures, using leftover pieces from the two recently built Matchbox K-class destroyers and from a Revell H.M.S. Ark Royal carrier. Everything evolved through trial-and error, in an attempt to find a plausible layout for all the deck equipment. The lowered hull section for the Kuma-class’ front torpedo tubes was filled with a cabin and re-purposed for lifeboats. Then the initially continuous superstructure was split to make room for the steam catapult amidships at deck level. The rear turrets eventually found their final places on a separate superstructure that would also carry the secondary mast and the crane for the floatplane, and I mounted the last two turrets in lateral positions (again somewhat inspired by the Atlanta-class arrangement with similar positions), above the Kuma-class’ openings for the rear torpedo launch tubes. These did not make sense at this position anymore, so that the OOB openings were closed/filled and moved further forward, under the new “flight deck”. Some PSR had to be done, too, in order to blend some disparate donor parts and fill the worst gaps. Therefore, the finish is certainly not as crisp as an OOB model – but I think that these flaws remained on an acceptable level.
Once the general deck layout had been settled, detail work began. This included a re-arrangement of bridge, masts and funnels, and the main deck had to offer enough space for the re-located catapult, together with the turrets in the side positions, lifeboats and AA stations, which found their place at deck level and in two twin alcoves in higher positions. Fiddly stuff, and I must admit that “creating” such a battleship is conceptually not easy.
The aircraft on board is actually the OOB Kawanishi E7K floatplane from the Kuma-class cruiser kit – but it looks similar enough to a Swordfish that this illusion could be easily supported with a suitable paint scheme.
Painting and markings:
I used the opportunity to apply another typical Royal Navy paint scheme, a so-called “Alexandria-style” pattern. This was a high-contrast scheme, sometimes described as consisting of black and white, but it was typically made up from 507a (Dark Grey) and 507c (Light Grey). It had been christened after the dockyard where it had been initially applied, and it was actually not a defined pattern (like the Admiralty schemes, which had been designed at offices by people who frequently had no practical naval experience!), but rather a common but individual application of standard paints that had been in ample supply at most dockyards! The ships had to be painted with what was at hand, and so the disruptive scheme caught on and was applied, like Mountbatten Pink, to a considerable number of British ships operating in the MTO. This two-tone scheme was not intended to conceal the ships, but rather to confuse the observer concerning speed, direction and what the ship actually was.
The pattern I applied to the model was loosely based on what the cruiser H.M.S. Devonshire carried in 1941, a kind of zebra pattern with wide, well-defined block stripes. As a visual gimmick these stripes were kind of “mirrored” along a line on the hull, as if reflected by the water and therefore making assessing size or distance even more difficult.
The paints are Humbrol 147 (Light Grey, FS 36495) and 27 (Sea Grey). The deck was painted as if the wooden areas had not been overpainted yet and allowed to weather, so that the once-holystoned, yellow-ish light wood had become dull and rather grey-ish. I used Humbrol 168 (RAF Hemp) and Revell 87 (Beige) as basis, and some light shading with thinned sepia ink was done to enhance the wooden look – and it’s nice contrast to the rather cold, grey camouflage. Metal decks, turret tops and the bow area were painted with Revell 47, simulating 507b (Medium Grey). Areas around the bridge were painted with Humbrol 62 (Leather) to simulate Corticene coating.
I originally wanted to paint the model in separate elements before final assembly, but this was not possible due to the many adjustments. The model was slightly weathered with a highly thinned black ink wash. Some Sienna Brown water paint was used for rust stains here and there. Portholes along the hull and on the superstructures were created with a thin black felt tip pen. The same tool was used to paint the muzzles of the guns. The crisp black boot topping was easy to create through the kit’s separate waterline bottom – OOB it comes in red, and it just had to be re-painted.
The kit’s segments were sealed with a coat of acrylic matt varnish before final assembly. Finally, rigging with heated and extended dark grey sprue material was done and paper flags were added.
It is not obvious, but the fictional H.M.S. “Tyne” took more scratchwork and mods than one would expect – it was/is almost a scratch build on the basis of a stock cruiser hull. More or less, the whole superstructure was re-arranged and the whole armament is new, but I think that the outcome looks quite plausible. The camouflage – even though only consisting of two shades of grey - looks interesting, too, and I think that the confusing effect becomes obvious in some of the beauty pics.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Tyne was the second of the five River-class light cruisers in the Royal Navy, which were introduced during the interwar period and played, after modifications, an active role in World War II, especially in the Mediterranean theatre of operations.
After the construction of the Danae-class cruiser, the demerits of the small cruiser concept became apparent. At the end of 1917, plans for an additional six C-class vessels, plus three new-design 7,200 ton-class scouting cruisers were shelved, in favor of an intermediate 5,500 ton-class vessel which could be used as both a long-range, high speed scout ship, and also as a command vessel for destroyer or submarine flotillas. The resulting River-class vessels were essentially enlarged versions of the Danae-class cruisers, with greater speed, range, and weaponry. With improvements in geared-turbine engine technology, the River-class vessels were capable of the high speed of 36 knots (67 km/h), and a range of 9,000 nmi (17,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h). The number of BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) L/45 Mark XII guns was increased from only three to seven in single mounts and provision was made for 48 naval mines. However, the four triple torpedo launchers on the Danae-class were reduced to just two double launchers, and the River-class remained highly deficient in anti-aircraft protection, with only two QF 3 in 20 cwt L/45 Mk. I and two QF 2-pounder L/39 Mk. II guns. A total of eight ships were ordered, but, with less pressure after the end of WWI, only five were built and finished.
The first River-class ship, H.M.S. “Trent”, was laid down in December 1918 and launched in August 1919. H.M.S. “Tyne” was the second cruiser of this new class, laid down 8 July 1919, launched 24 September 1920 and completed at Chatham Royal Dockyard 2 June 1922. Completed too late to see action in the First World War, “Tyne” was initially assigned to operate in the Baltic Sea against the Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia. She was then on detached service in the West Indies. Following this assignment, she was attached to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet for the following five years. 1923/24, “Tyne” became a member of the Cruise of the Special Service Squadron, also known as the “Empire Cruise”. Following this tour, she went with the squadron to the Mediterranean for the next few years.
In May 1928 “Tyne” was assigned to the North America and West Indies Station, based at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda. She ran aground on 2 July 1928 on the Thrum Cap Shoal, 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was badly damaged, suffering the breach of her engine room and of one of her boiler rooms. She was abandoned by most of her 445 crew, the officers remaining on board. Subsequently, all her guns and torpedo tubes and much of her other equipment had to be removed to lighten her. She was finally refloated on 11 July 1928 and towed off by H.M.S. “Despatch” and several tugs. She was repaired throughout 1929 and then reduced to the reserve.
In 1930, however, due to a shortage of ships at foreign theatres of operation, she was reactivated and transferred back to the America and West Indies Station. During 1931-1933 she served with the South American Division, and in 1934 she relieved the cruiser “Curlew” in the Mediterranean and was reassigned to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron. In 1935 she returned to Britain to be paid off into the reserve, but “Tyne” was kept active in British coastal waters for cadet training.
On the outbreak of the Second World War, “Tyne” was recommissioned and thoroughly modernized, since the original armament and other equipment had become obsolete by 1939. All five River-class ships were re-designed as light trade protection cruisers and were outfitted with new, state-of-the-art equipment and armament, including six new and very compact turrets. Pairs were placed at the bow and at the stern each, with another two placed singly at port and starboard amidships. Each was armed with twin 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns in high angle mountings. These new, quick-firing weapons were primarily surface weapons, but it was intended to fire the heaviest shell suitable for anti-aircraft defense, so that the ships could be used for convoy protection from aerial attacks.
The ballistic performance of the QF 5.25 was very good, with a maximum range of 24,070 yd (22,010 m) at 45 degrees with an 80 lb (36.3 kg) HE shell. In comparison, the contemporary French 138 mm (5.4 in) Mle 1934 guns as used on the Mogador-class destroyers had a maximum range of 21,872 yards (20,000 m) at 30 degrees with an 88 lb (39.9 kg) SAP shell, and the Italian 135/45 mm gun as used on the Capitani Romani-class cruisers had a maximum range of 21,435 yards (19,600 m) at 45 degrees with a 72.1 lb (32.7 kg) AP shell.
The new turrets were far more modern in design than previous light cruiser turrets and offered efficient loading up to 70 degrees to provide the intended dual-purpose capability. Furthermore, “Tyne” was, like its revamped sister ships, outfitted with four twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-poms" and a pair of triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tube launchers, mounted under the main deck. The latter carried a steam catapult for a reconnaissance waterplane, initially a Fairey Swordfish on floats but later replaced by a Supermarine Walrus amphibious flying boat. The depth charge racks were augmented by two new launchers.
After her modifications at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, field tests in the Channel and receiving a light disruptive Admiralty paint scheme, “Tyne” joined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, escorting convoys to Scandinavia and engaged in the hunt for the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. After the Norwegian Campaign she participated in the operations hunting the German battleship Bismarck and, together with the cruiser “Kenya”, intercepted one of the German supply ships, “Belchen”, on 3 June 1941.
Between July and August 1941, as part of Force K with the Home Fleet, she was involved in “Operation Gauntlet”, with operations to Spitzbergen and Bear Island. After one of these sorties, in company with the cruiser “Nigeria”, she intercepted a German troop convoy off Northern Norway, and the German ship “Bremse” was sunk. Later that year she was transferred to the Mediterranean and arrived in Alexandria on 21 October 1941 to join a new Force K, where the ship received a new high-contrast paint scheme, typical for this theatre of operations.
On 9 November 1941, Force K, consisting of “Tyne”,”Aurora”, “Penelope”, “Lance” and “Lively”, she was involved in the destruction of the Beta Convoy. In the resulting battle the Italian destroyer “Fulmine” was sunk, as well as the German transports “Duisburg” and “San Marco”, the Italian transports “Maria”, “Sagitta” and “Rina Corrado”, and the Italian “Conte di Misurata” and “Minatitlan”. The Italian destroyers “Grecale” and “Euro” were damaged.
On 24 November Force K, intercepted an Axis convoy about 100 nautical miles west of Crete. The Axis convoy was bound from the Aegean to Benghazi. The two German transports in the convoy, “Maritza” and “Procida”, were both sunk by H.M.S. “Penelope” and H.M.S. “Lively” despite the presence of the Italian torpedo boats “Lupo” and “Cassiopea”. On 1 December 1941 Force K, with “Tyne”, “Penelope” and ”Lively”, attacked the Mantovani Convoy. The Italian destroyer “Alvise Da Mosto” and the sole cargo ship “Mantovani” were sunk. H.M.S. “Tyne” next participated in the First Battle of Sirte on 17 December 1941. On 19 December, while steaming off Tripoli, she was heavily damaged in a mine field and was forced to retire to Malta for hull repairs.
After repairs, which lasted several months into summer 1942, she returned to service in the MTO and joined Force H. In November she became part of the Centre Task Force for the Landings in North Africa, Operation Torch. Off Oran, she engaged the Vichy French destroyers “Tramontane” and “Tornad”e on 8 November 1942, damaging the former so badly that it had to be beached. The following day she badly damaged the destroyer “Épervier” and drove it ashore. By early December 1942 she was operating as part of Force Q at Bône against the Axis evacuation and supply convoys between Trapani and Tunis.
However, “Tyne” was hit on 20 December 1942 off Trapani (Sicily) by an air-dropped torpedo. She caught fire, had two of her turrets out of action and was badly flooded. Later that day she was attacked once more by German dive-bombers, and a fatal bomb hit at the ship’s stern eventually led to her loss the following day. 115 men were killed through the attacks, the rest, more than two-thirds of the crew, was rescued.
All River-class ships had a very active war career and proved to be satisfactory in service, even though they were hardly a match for full-fledged battleships and worked best in conjunction with other ships. Especially in the Mediterranean they were very effective in protecting crucial convoys to Malta and even managed to see off some ships of the Italian Royal Navy. However, their outdated WWI machinery became their Achilles heel and limited their potential, and the relatively light main guns lacked range and firepower to take on major enemy ships their own.
From 1940 on the ships were to be replaced by the much more modern and better-equipped new Dido-class cruisers, but a shortage of guns for them, due to difficulties in manufacturing them, delayed their introduction so that the River-class cruisers had to soldier on. Two ships, “Tyne” and “Thames”, were lost, and the three post-war survivors “Trent”, “Severn” and “Mersey”, were immediately put into reserve after the end of hostilities in Europe and quickly broken up.
General characteristics:
Displacement: 5,100 long tons (5,200 t) (standard)
Length: 500 ft (152.4 m)
Beam: 47 ft (14.2 m)
Draft: 16 ft (4.8 m)
Draught: 12 ft 6 in (3.8 m) (deep)
Armor: Belt: 64 mm (3 in), Deck: 29 mm (1 in)
Complement: 450
Propulsion:
12× Admiralty boilers with 4× geared steam turbines, developing 90,000 shp (67,000 kW)
and driving four shafts
Performance:
Top speed: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Armament (after conversion):
12× 5.25 guns (133 mm) 50 caliber guns in six twin turrets
4× twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" AA guns in powered mounts
2× triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
2× throwers and 2× racks astern with 48 depth charges
The kit and its assembly:
The Royal Navy’s River-class light cruisers never existed. These fictional interwar ships were based on the Dido-class cruisers’ concept, just placed in an earlier generation and realized on the basis of an old/outdated ship. Inspiration came with an aftermarket set of six 1:700 white metal turrets that I came across recently, and I wanted to use it to build something like the American Atlanta-class light cruisers with a specialized AA armament.
However, this armament called for a suitable and bigger hull than my former destroyer builds, and I was eventually able to hunt down a cheap Tamiya kit of a Japanese Kuma-class light cruiser as starting point. It was perfect in size (almost exactly as big as a Dido-class cruiser!), shape and time frame, even though I I basically only used the kit’s single-piece hull as starting point. I had to modify the superstructures thoroughly to adapt the Japanese ship to the new role and also to a more Western layout and silhouette.
For instance, the typically Japanese tall “pagoda” bridge/command section of that era had to disappear, and I changed the superstructures almost completely, because the new twin turrets needed much more space than the small single guns of the Kuma cruiser. I also wanted to place them at different levels, and this called for suitable staggered platforms, too.
Initially there was the plan to mount the six turrets in groups of three at both bow and stern, but it was soon clear that this would not work – this arrangement would have been too long and too high, too, so that I went with two staggered pairs. I also wanted to give the ship – unlike the American Atlanta-class ships – a catapult for an on-board aircraft, and this required some free space on deck.
With this framework I scratched new/additional superstructures, using leftover pieces from the two recently built Matchbox K-class destroyers and from a Revell H.M.S. Ark Royal carrier. Everything evolved through trial-and error, in an attempt to find a plausible layout for all the deck equipment. The lowered hull section for the Kuma-class’ front torpedo tubes was filled with a cabin and re-purposed for lifeboats. Then the initially continuous superstructure was split to make room for the steam catapult amidships at deck level. The rear turrets eventually found their final places on a separate superstructure that would also carry the secondary mast and the crane for the floatplane, and I mounted the last two turrets in lateral positions (again somewhat inspired by the Atlanta-class arrangement with similar positions), above the Kuma-class’ openings for the rear torpedo launch tubes. These did not make sense at this position anymore, so that the OOB openings were closed/filled and moved further forward, under the new “flight deck”. Some PSR had to be done, too, in order to blend some disparate donor parts and fill the worst gaps. Therefore, the finish is certainly not as crisp as an OOB model – but I think that these flaws remained on an acceptable level.
Once the general deck layout had been settled, detail work began. This included a re-arrangement of bridge, masts and funnels, and the main deck had to offer enough space for the re-located catapult, together with the turrets in the side positions, lifeboats and AA stations, which found their place at deck level and in two twin alcoves in higher positions. Fiddly stuff, and I must admit that “creating” such a battleship is conceptually not easy.
The aircraft on board is actually the OOB Kawanishi E7K floatplane from the Kuma-class cruiser kit – but it looks similar enough to a Swordfish that this illusion could be easily supported with a suitable paint scheme.
Painting and markings:
I used the opportunity to apply another typical Royal Navy paint scheme, a so-called “Alexandria-style” pattern. This was a high-contrast scheme, sometimes described as consisting of black and white, but it was typically made up from 507a (Dark Grey) and 507c (Light Grey). It had been christened after the dockyard where it had been initially applied, and it was actually not a defined pattern (like the Admiralty schemes, which had been designed at offices by people who frequently had no practical naval experience!), but rather a common but individual application of standard paints that had been in ample supply at most dockyards! The ships had to be painted with what was at hand, and so the disruptive scheme caught on and was applied, like Mountbatten Pink, to a considerable number of British ships operating in the MTO. This two-tone scheme was not intended to conceal the ships, but rather to confuse the observer concerning speed, direction and what the ship actually was.
The pattern I applied to the model was loosely based on what the cruiser H.M.S. Devonshire carried in 1941, a kind of zebra pattern with wide, well-defined block stripes. As a visual gimmick these stripes were kind of “mirrored” along a line on the hull, as if reflected by the water and therefore making assessing size or distance even more difficult.
The paints are Humbrol 147 (Light Grey, FS 36495) and 27 (Sea Grey). The deck was painted as if the wooden areas had not been overpainted yet and allowed to weather, so that the once-holystoned, yellow-ish light wood had become dull and rather grey-ish. I used Humbrol 168 (RAF Hemp) and Revell 87 (Beige) as basis, and some light shading with thinned sepia ink was done to enhance the wooden look – and it’s nice contrast to the rather cold, grey camouflage. Metal decks, turret tops and the bow area were painted with Revell 47, simulating 507b (Medium Grey). Areas around the bridge were painted with Humbrol 62 (Leather) to simulate Corticene coating.
I originally wanted to paint the model in separate elements before final assembly, but this was not possible due to the many adjustments. The model was slightly weathered with a highly thinned black ink wash. Some Sienna Brown water paint was used for rust stains here and there. Portholes along the hull and on the superstructures were created with a thin black felt tip pen. The same tool was used to paint the muzzles of the guns. The crisp black boot topping was easy to create through the kit’s separate waterline bottom – OOB it comes in red, and it just had to be re-painted.
The kit’s segments were sealed with a coat of acrylic matt varnish before final assembly. Finally, rigging with heated and extended dark grey sprue material was done and paper flags were added.
It is not obvious, but the fictional H.M.S. “Tyne” took more scratchwork and mods than one would expect – it was/is almost a scratch build on the basis of a stock cruiser hull. More or less, the whole superstructure was re-arranged and the whole armament is new, but I think that the outcome looks quite plausible. The camouflage – even though only consisting of two shades of grey - looks interesting, too, and I think that the confusing effect becomes obvious in some of the beauty pics.