Whitby class frigate
Encyclopedia
The Type 12 frigates of the Whitby class were a six-ship class
of anti-submarine warfare
(A/S) frigates of the Royal Navy
that entered service late in the 1950s. They were designed as first rate ocean-going convoy escorts in light of experience gained during World War II
. At this time the Royal Navy were designing single-role escorts, and the Whitbys were designed as fast convoy escorts capable of tackling high-speed submarines. However, this made the Whitbys more expensive and sophisticated to produce in large numbers in the event of a major war, and so the Type 14
"Utility" or "2nd rate" A/S frigate was developed to complement the Type 12. Although themselves rapidly outdated, the Type 12 proved to be an excellent basis for a series of frigate designs used by the British and Commonwealth navies for the next 20 years.
form was devised, which despite appearance, was totally unrelated to that of the earlier Type 41 / Type 61 design. The hull showed the fine lines more typical of a destroyer, but had a raised forecastle with considerable flare. The fo'c'sle deck was level to maintain maximum freeboard
aft of the stem where it is most likely that waves will break across the deck. These two features meant that the hull not only cut through the water, but that spray was thrown upwards and outwards, away from the bridge
and gun turret. This was especially important in high latitudes where war experience had shown that spray could cause rapid and undesirable ice build-up on the forecastle. The deck edges and hull also met at a curve rather than an angle, the anchors were recessed, and protrusions were kept to a minimum to limit the potential sources of ice build-up and spray generation. The Mark 6 gunhouse was large and heavy, so had to be carried low to maintain stability and give a good view over it from the bridge. The forecastle therefore had a very distinctive kink, allowing the position of the guns to be lowered. This had the added benefit of moving the bridge aft, where there was considerably less motion, improving the lot of the watchkeeper. The excellent hull form, coupled with a twin-shaft double-reduction geared steam turbine plant (the Y-100) that operated at high temperature and pressure (for efficiency) and low revolutions, with new five-bladed low-cavitation
propellers (for efficiency and quietness) lent themselves to the perfect hull for a high-speed, all-weather A/S vessel.
Experience with the Type 15 frigate
program, rebuilding wartime destroyers into fast A/S frigates had led to the adoption of a bridge
design characteristic of Royal Navy
escorts up to the Leander class
of 1969. The covered bridge, where the ship was conned, was located above the operations room where the ship was fought, and there was a small pilot's position located to the front of the bridge, giving the indicative "T" shape when viewed from above. Whitby was unique in that her bridge face was vertical, her sisters having the windows mounted at an angle to the face, to cut down on internal reflections inside the bridge in low-light. There was also an open navigation bridge located above and behind the enclosed one.
The original funnel was a straight, cylindrical affair that was designed to resist a nuclear blast, but this was prone to down-draughting and did not clear the hot exhaust gasses particularly well. It was replaced by a heightened, raked, streamlined version with a characteristic domed top. This was incorporated in later build vessels, and in all of the subsequent Rothesay
class.
A/S mortars. This allowed a three-bomb salvo to be placed both above and below the target, creating a convergent pressure wave more likely to assure a kill. The Limbos were mounted in a well on the quarterdeck, with a 360° arc of fire. Again, wartime experience had shown that the quarterdeck, perhaps not an obvious location for an ahead throwing weapon, was indeed the best location for such weapons where they were out of the spray towards the front of the vessel. The Limbo mortars were controlled by three sonars, the Type 174 search set, Type 162 target classification set and the Type 170 'pencil beam' targeting set. The lattice foremast carried the radar Type 293Q target indication set and the Type 974 navigation set, and a Type 277Q height finder was carried on a stump mast between the bridge and the mainmast. These sets were all derived from units of second world war vintage.
Carrying the Limbos aft allowed the forecastle to be left clear for the twin 4.5in Mark 6 gun for anti-surface and limited anti-aircraft fire, controlled by a Mark 6M director with radar Type 285 mounted behind the bridge. Further anti-submarine capability was to be afforded by twelve 21 inch Mark 20E "Bidder"
A/S homing torpedo
es, carried in fixed tubes; Four pairs were fixed firing forward on either beam, with a trainable pair behind these on each side. Ultimately the E version of the Mark 20 torpedo was a failure as it was not nearly fast enough to catch its intended target, and the tubes were removed (where they were fitted at all) and the torpedoes never deployed.
Self defence against aircraft was provided by the elaborate STAAG weapon, a complex and ultimately failed exercise in engineering. The STAAG, or Stabilised Tachymetric Anti-Aircraft Gun, consisted of a two Bofors 40 mm L/60 guns
, the radar Type 262 fire control set and a tachymetric computer (predictor
). All this was carried on a common, stabilised, powered-operated gun mounting. Intended to function much as the modern CIWS does, this weapon was ahead of the limits of technology at the time and was overweight, overly complex and its sensitive valve electronics were a maintenance nightmare. Ultimately STAAG would be replaced by a simple and ubiquitous Bofors 40 mm gun on the single Mark 7 mounting.
, while they waited for the delivery of , a Leander class frigate. It would remain in New Zealand service until 1971 when it returned to the RN, and decommissioned that same year. All other ships, except the Eastbourne and Torquay
, were decommissioned in the 1970s. The latter two ships were decommissioned in 1984 and 1985 respectively. HM ships Scarborough and Tenby were intended to have been sold to Pakistan
, however, the country could not afford the refits required for the two ships, and thus the sale was aborted. Blackpool was decommissioned for use as a target vessel in the Firth of Forth
, Eastbourne became an engine room training ship alongside at HMS Caledonia
at Rosyth
and Torquay
was modified and fitted with CAAIS (Computer Assisted Action Information System) for use as a trials and training ship.
Ship class
A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....
of anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
(A/S) frigates of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
that entered service late in the 1950s. They were designed as first rate ocean-going convoy escorts in light of experience gained during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. At this time the Royal Navy were designing single-role escorts, and the Whitbys were designed as fast convoy escorts capable of tackling high-speed submarines. However, this made the Whitbys more expensive and sophisticated to produce in large numbers in the event of a major war, and so the Type 14
Blackwood class frigate
The Type 14, Blackwood, class were a twelve ship class of "second rate" anti-submarine warfare frigates of the Royal Navy, designed and built during the increasing threat from the Soviet Union's large fleet of submarines that roamed the Atlantic Ocean.-Design:They were designed to be cheaper and...
"Utility" or "2nd rate" A/S frigate was developed to complement the Type 12. Although themselves rapidly outdated, the Type 12 proved to be an excellent basis for a series of frigate designs used by the British and Commonwealth navies for the next 20 years.
Design
Critical to the design of the Type 12 was the requirement to be able to steam for long periods of time in heavy seas, economically and at high speed. For this reason a novel hullHull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
form was devised, which despite appearance, was totally unrelated to that of the earlier Type 41 / Type 61 design. The hull showed the fine lines more typical of a destroyer, but had a raised forecastle with considerable flare. The fo'c'sle deck was level to maintain maximum freeboard
Freeboard (nautical)
In sailing and boating, freeboardmeans the distance from the waterline to the upper deck level, measured at the lowest point of sheer where water can enter the boat or ship...
aft of the stem where it is most likely that waves will break across the deck. These two features meant that the hull not only cut through the water, but that spray was thrown upwards and outwards, away from the bridge
Bridge (ship)
The bridge of a ship is the room or platform from which the ship can be commanded. When a ship is underway the bridge is manned by an OOW aided usually by an AB acting as lookout...
and gun turret. This was especially important in high latitudes where war experience had shown that spray could cause rapid and undesirable ice build-up on the forecastle. The deck edges and hull also met at a curve rather than an angle, the anchors were recessed, and protrusions were kept to a minimum to limit the potential sources of ice build-up and spray generation. The Mark 6 gunhouse was large and heavy, so had to be carried low to maintain stability and give a good view over it from the bridge. The forecastle therefore had a very distinctive kink, allowing the position of the guns to be lowered. This had the added benefit of moving the bridge aft, where there was considerably less motion, improving the lot of the watchkeeper. The excellent hull form, coupled with a twin-shaft double-reduction geared steam turbine plant (the Y-100) that operated at high temperature and pressure (for efficiency) and low revolutions, with new five-bladed low-cavitation
Cavitation
Cavitation is the formation and then immediate implosion of cavities in a liquidi.e. small liquid-free zones that are the consequence of forces acting upon the liquid...
propellers (for efficiency and quietness) lent themselves to the perfect hull for a high-speed, all-weather A/S vessel.
Experience with the Type 15 frigate
Type 15 frigate
The Type 15 frigate was a class of British anti-submarine frigates of the Royal Navy. They were conversions based on the hulls of World War II-era destroyers built to the standard War Emergency Programme "utility" design.-History:...
program, rebuilding wartime destroyers into fast A/S frigates had led to the adoption of a bridge
Bridge (ship)
The bridge of a ship is the room or platform from which the ship can be commanded. When a ship is underway the bridge is manned by an OOW aided usually by an AB acting as lookout...
design characteristic of Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
escorts up to the Leander class
Leander class frigate
The Leander class, or Type 12I frigates, comprising twenty-six vessels, was among the most numerous and long-lived classes of frigate in the Royal Navy's modern history. The class was built in three batches between 1959 and 1973...
of 1969. The covered bridge, where the ship was conned, was located above the operations room where the ship was fought, and there was a small pilot's position located to the front of the bridge, giving the indicative "T" shape when viewed from above. Whitby was unique in that her bridge face was vertical, her sisters having the windows mounted at an angle to the face, to cut down on internal reflections inside the bridge in low-light. There was also an open navigation bridge located above and behind the enclosed one.
The original funnel was a straight, cylindrical affair that was designed to resist a nuclear blast, but this was prone to down-draughting and did not clear the hot exhaust gasses particularly well. It was replaced by a heightened, raked, streamlined version with a characteristic domed top. This was incorporated in later build vessels, and in all of the subsequent Rothesay
Rothesay class frigate
The Rothesay class, or Type 12M frigates were a class of frigates serving with the Royal Navy, South African Navy and the New Zealand Navy....
class.
Armament
The armament was based around two Limbo Mark 10Limbo (weapon)
Limbo, or Anti Submarine Mortar Mark 10 , was the final British development of a forward-throwing anti-submarine weapon originally designed during the Second World War. Limbo, a three-barreled mortar similar to the earlier Squid that it superseded, was developed by the Admiralty Underwater Weapons...
A/S mortars. This allowed a three-bomb salvo to be placed both above and below the target, creating a convergent pressure wave more likely to assure a kill. The Limbos were mounted in a well on the quarterdeck, with a 360° arc of fire. Again, wartime experience had shown that the quarterdeck, perhaps not an obvious location for an ahead throwing weapon, was indeed the best location for such weapons where they were out of the spray towards the front of the vessel. The Limbo mortars were controlled by three sonars, the Type 174 search set, Type 162 target classification set and the Type 170 'pencil beam' targeting set. The lattice foremast carried the radar Type 293Q target indication set and the Type 974 navigation set, and a Type 277Q height finder was carried on a stump mast between the bridge and the mainmast. These sets were all derived from units of second world war vintage.
Carrying the Limbos aft allowed the forecastle to be left clear for the twin 4.5in Mark 6 gun for anti-surface and limited anti-aircraft fire, controlled by a Mark 6M director with radar Type 285 mounted behind the bridge. Further anti-submarine capability was to be afforded by twelve 21 inch Mark 20E "Bidder"
British 21 inch torpedo
There have been several British 21-inch diameter torpedoes used by the Royal Navy since their first development just before the First World War.They were the largest size of torpedo in common use in the RN...
A/S homing torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es, carried in fixed tubes; Four pairs were fixed firing forward on either beam, with a trainable pair behind these on each side. Ultimately the E version of the Mark 20 torpedo was a failure as it was not nearly fast enough to catch its intended target, and the tubes were removed (where they were fitted at all) and the torpedoes never deployed.
Self defence against aircraft was provided by the elaborate STAAG weapon, a complex and ultimately failed exercise in engineering. The STAAG, or Stabilised Tachymetric Anti-Aircraft Gun, consisted of a two Bofors 40 mm L/60 guns
Bofors 40 mm gun
The Bofors 40 mm gun is an anti-aircraft autocannon designed by the Swedish defence firm of Bofors Defence...
, the radar Type 262 fire control set and a tachymetric computer (predictor
Predictor
Predictor may refer to:* a predictor variable, also known as an independent variable* the Kerrison Predictor, a military fire-control computer* something which makes a prediction* a branch predictor, a part of many modern processors...
). All this was carried on a common, stabilised, powered-operated gun mounting. Intended to function much as the modern CIWS does, this weapon was ahead of the limits of technology at the time and was overweight, overly complex and its sensitive valve electronics were a maintenance nightmare. Ultimately STAAG would be replaced by a simple and ubiquitous Bofors 40 mm gun on the single Mark 7 mounting.
Service
The Whitbys served up until the 1970s, when increasing age and defence economies led to their gradual withdrawal or re-assignment. In 1966, HMS Blackpool was loaned to the Royal New Zealand NavyRoyal New Zealand Navy
The Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
, while they waited for the delivery of , a Leander class frigate. It would remain in New Zealand service until 1971 when it returned to the RN, and decommissioned that same year. All other ships, except the Eastbourne and Torquay
HMS Torquay (F43)
HMS Torquay was a Type 12 Whitby class frigate of the Royal Navy. They were the first frigate to have the "V" form hull. This evolutionary design made it possible to be driven in head sea without the usual slamming which occurs with conventional destroyers of the time...
, were decommissioned in the 1970s. The latter two ships were decommissioned in 1984 and 1985 respectively. HM ships Scarborough and Tenby were intended to have been sold to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, however, the country could not afford the refits required for the two ships, and thus the sale was aborted. Blackpool was decommissioned for use as a target vessel in the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
, Eastbourne became an engine room training ship alongside at HMS Caledonia
HMS Caledonia
Five ships and three shore establishments of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Caledonia after the Latin name for Scotland:Ships was a 3-gun brig launched in 1807. She was captured by the Americans in 1812, and burnt several days later. was a 120-gun first rate ship of the line launched in 1808...
at Rosyth
Rosyth
Rosyth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 12,790....
and Torquay
HMS Torquay (F43)
HMS Torquay was a Type 12 Whitby class frigate of the Royal Navy. They were the first frigate to have the "V" form hull. This evolutionary design made it possible to be driven in head sea without the usual slamming which occurs with conventional destroyers of the time...
was modified and fitted with CAAIS (Computer Assisted Action Information System) for use as a trials and training ship.
Construction Programme
| Pennant Pennant number In the modern Royal Navy, and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth, ships are identified by pennant numbers... |
Name | (a) Hull builder (b) Main machinery manufacturers |
Ordered | Laid down | Launched | Accepted into service | Commissioned | Estimated building cost | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F43 | Torquay HMS Torquay (F43) HMS Torquay was a Type 12 Whitby class frigate of the Royal Navy. They were the first frigate to have the "V" form hull. This evolutionary design made it possible to be driven in head sea without the usual slamming which occurs with conventional destroyers of the time... |
(a) & (b) Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
6 March 1951 | 11 March 1953 | 1 July 1954 | 10 May 1956 | 10 May 1956 | £2,769,000 | Paid off 1985, sold for scrapping 1987 |
| F36 | Whitby HMS Whitby (F36) HMS Whitby was a Whitby-class or Type 12 anti-submarine frigate of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.... |
(a) & (b) Cammell Laird and Co Ltd Cammell Laird Cammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, came about following the merger of Laird, Son & Co. of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co. of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century.- Founding of the business :The Company... , Birkenhead Birkenhead Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool... |
2 February 1951 | 30 September 1952 | 2 July 1954 | 19 July 1956 | 10 July 1956 | £3,081,000 | Paid off 1974, sold for scrapping 1979 |
| F63 | Scarborough HMS Scarborough (F63) HMS Scarborough was a Whitby-class or Type 12 anti-submarine frigate of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. She was named after the town of Scarborough in the county of North Yorkshire.... |
(a) Vickers Armstrongs (Shipbuilders) Ltd, Newcastle-on-Tyne (b) Vickers Armstrongs (Engineers) Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness |
6 March 1951 | 11 September 1953 | 4 April 1955 | May 1957 | 10 May 1957 | £2,737,000 | Paid off 1972, sold for scrapping 1977 |
| F65 | Tenby HMS Tenby (F65) HMS Tenby was a Whitby-class or Type 12 anti-submarine frigate of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.-Use in popular culture:... |
(a) & (b) Cammell Laird and Co Ltd, Birkenhead | 6 March 1951 | 23 June 1953 | 4 October 1955 | December 1957 | 18 December 1957 | £2,822,000 | Paid off 1972, sold for scrapping 1979 |
| F73 | Eastbourne HMS Eastbourne (F73) HMS Eastbourne was a Whitby-class or Type 12 anti-submarine frigate of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.- Harbour training ship :In 1972, Eastbourne replaced as the 'afloat' training ship for the artificer apprentices at HMS Caledonia... |
(a) Vickers Armstrongs (Shipbuilders) Ltd, High Walker, Newcastle-on-Tyne (to launching stage) (a) Vickers Armstrongs (Shipbuilders) Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness (for completion) (b) Vickers Armstrongs (Engineers) Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness |
6 March 1951 | 13 January 1954 | 29 December 1955 | January 1958 | 9 January 1958 | £2,774,000 | Paid off 1984, sold for scrapping 1985 |
| F77 | Blackpool HMS Blackpool (F77) HMS Blackpool was a Whitby-class or Type 12 anti-submarine frigate of the Royal Navy. Blackpool was loaned to the Royal New Zealand Navy between 7 June 1966 and 1971.... |
(a) & (b) Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast | 6 March 1951 | 20 December 1954 | 14 February 1957 | August 1958 | 14 August 1958 | £3,269,000 | Loaned to New Zealand 1966 - 1971, paid off 1971, sold for scrapping 1980 |
| F40 | Talwar | (a) Cammell Laird | 7 June 1957 | 18 July 1958 | 26 April 1959 | Broken up 1992 | |||
| F43 | Trishul | (a) Harland & Wolff | 19 February 1957 | 18 June 1958 | 13 January 1960 | Broken up 1996 ? | |||
See also
- Rothesay class frigateRothesay class frigateThe Rothesay class, or Type 12M frigates were a class of frigates serving with the Royal Navy, South African Navy and the New Zealand Navy....
- a Modified Type 12M form. - Leander class frigateLeander class frigateThe Leander class, or Type 12I frigates, comprising twenty-six vessels, was among the most numerous and long-lived classes of frigate in the Royal Navy's modern history. The class was built in three batches between 1959 and 1973...
- the ultimate Improved Type 12I frigate. - River class destroyer escortRiver class destroyer escortThe River class was a class of six destroyer escorts operated by the Royal Australian Navy . Plans to acquire four vessels, based on the British Type 12M frigate, began in the 1950s. The first two vessels had some slight modifications to the design, while the next two underwent further changes...
- Australian ships based on the Type 12. - St. Laurent class destroyerSt. Laurent class destroyerThe St. Laurent class destroyer was a class of destroyers that served the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces from the mid-1950s to the mid-1990s....
- Canadian ships based on the Type 12.