HMS Lowestoft (F103)

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For other ships with the same name, see HMS Lowestoft.

HMS Lowestoft in 1979
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Lowestoft
BuilderAlex Stephens & Sons
Laid down9 June 1958
Launched23 June 1960
Commissioned26 September 1961
Decommissioned1985
IdentificationPennant number: F103
FateSunk as target 8 June 1986
General characteristics
Class and typeRothesay-class frigate
Displacement2,800 tons
Length370 ft (110 m)
Beam41 ft (12 m)
Draught17 ft 4 in (5.28 m)
Propulsion2 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers operating at 550lb sq. in, 850 °F (454 °C) English Electric geared turbines, 2 shafts, 30000 shafts horsepower
Speed30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Complement235
Armament
  • 2 × 4.5-inch dual purpose guns on a Mk VI mounting
  • 1 × 40 mm (1.6 in) on STAGG mounting
  • 1 × Limbo mortar Mk 10 mounting
Aircraft carried1 × Wasp helicopter

HMS Lowestoft was a Rothesay-class or Type 12M class anti-submarine frigate of the British Royal Navy. Lowestoft was reconstructed in the late 1960s to largely the same pattern as the third group of Leander-class frigates, with new radar and fire control and a hangar and pad for a Westland Wasp helicopter for longer range, anti-submarine, engagement. In the late 1970s it was converted as the prototype towed array frigate for the Royal Navy, but retained its full armament. Lowestoft was sunk as a target on 8 June 1986 by HMS Conqueror using a Tigerfish torpedo. She was the last Royal Naval target to be sunk still displaying her pennant number.

Design

The Rothesay class was an improved version of the Whitby-class anti-submarine frigate, with nine Rothesays ordered in the 1954–55 shipbuilding programme for the Royal Navy to supplement the six Whitbys.[1]

Lowestoft was 370 feet 0 inches (112.78 m)

draught of 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 m).[2] The Rothesays were powered by the same Y-100 machinery used by the Whitby-class. Two Babcock & Wilcox water-tube boilers fed steam at 550 pounds per square inch (3,800 kPa) and 850 °F (454 °C) to two sets of geared steam turbines which drove two propeller shafts, fitted with large (2 feet, 0.61 m diameter) slow-turning propellers. The machinery was rated at 30,000 shaft horsepower (22,000 kW), giving a speed of 29.5 knots (54.6 km/h; 33.9 mph).[3][4] Crew was about 212 officers and men.[2][a]

A twin

L/60 40 mm Bofors mount aft as a temporary anti-aircraft armament.[6] The design anti-submarine armament consisted of twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes (eight fixed and two twin rotating mounts) for Mark 20E Bidder homing anti-submarine torpedoes, backed up by two Limbo anti-submarine mortars fitted aft. The Bidder homing torpedoes proved unsuccessful however, being too slow to catch modern submarines, and the torpedo tubes were soon removed.[7]

The ship was fitted with a

foremast, with a Type 277 height-finding radar on a short mast forward of the foremast. A Mark 6M fire control system (including a Type 275 radar) for the 4.5-inch guns was mounted above the ship's bridge, while a Type 974 navigation radar was also fitted.[8][9] The ship's sonar fit consisted of Type 174 search, Type 170 fire control sonar for Limbo and a Type 162 sonar for classifying targets on the sea floor.[9]

Lowestoft was laid down at Alexander Stephen and Sons's Linthouse, Glasgow shipyard on 19 June 1958, was launched on 23 June 1960 and completed on 26 September 1961.[10][11]

Modernisation

From 1967 to 1969 Lowestoft underwent a major modernisation, which brought the ship close in capacity to the Leander class.[12][13] A hangar and flight deck was added aft to allow a Westland Wasp helicopter to be operated, at the expense of one of the Limbo anti-submarine mortars, while a Seacat launcher and the associated GWS20 director was mounted on the hangar roof. Two 20-mm cannons were added either side of the ship's bridge. A MRS3 fire control system replaced the Mark 6M, and its integral Type 903 radar allowed the Type 277 height finder radar to be removed. A Type 993 surface/air-search radar replaced the existing Type 293Q radar, while the ship's defences were enhanced by the addition of the Corvus chaff rocket dispenser.[13][14]

Service

Lowestoft commissioned on 18 October 1961 and joined the 5th Frigate Squadron in March 1962.[12] Between 1961 and 1963 she was commanded by Raymond Lygo.

On 16 November 1962, a

court martial and was reprimanded.[16][17][18]

In January 1971, Lowestoft joined STANAVFORLANT, the NATO Standing Naval Force Atlantic.[19]

From October 1976 to September 1977, Lowestoft was refitted at Portsmouth for her new role as a trials ship for towed array sonar arrays. She was again refitted, at Falmouth in October 1978.[12] In June 1982, as a result of the Falklands War, she was returned to operational service with the 7th Frigate Squadron after a short refit at Portsmouth, serving as guardship at Ascension Island.[12][20]

Lowestoft was

Bahamas on 8 June 1986.[22]

Notes

  1. ^ Conway's states the crew of a Rothesay ranged from 200–235,[1] while Jane's Fighting Ships 1962–63 states a crew of 200 (9 officers and 191 ratings)[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Gardiner & Chumbley 1995, p. 519
  2. ^ a b Friedman 2008, pp. 321–322
  3. ^ Friedman 2008, pp. 206, 208, 322
  4. ^ Marriott 1983, pp. 58, 64
  5. ^ Blackman 1962, p. 265
  6. ^ Friedman 2008, pp. 208–209, 322
  7. ^ Marriott 1983, pp. 55, 58
  8. ^ Gardiner & Chumbley 1995, pp. 484, 519
  9. ^ a b Marriott 1983, p. 55
  10. ^ Friedman 2008, p. 337
  11. ^ Marriott 1983, p. 64
  12. ^ a b c d Critchley 1992, p. 107
  13. ^ a b Marriott 1983, p. 58
  14. ^ Friedman 2008, pp. 208–210
  15. ^ "Ld. Windlesham Missing at Sea". The Times. No. 55551. 17 November 1962. p. 8.
  16. ^ "Cruiser and Frigate in Collision". The Times. No. 56109. 5 September 1964. p. 8.
  17. ^ "Opening of Warship Collision Enquiry". The Times. No. 56112. 9 September 1964. p. 15.
  18. ^ "Officer Hazarded Frigate". The Times. No. 56149. 22 October 1964. p. 7.
  19. ^ "Lowestoft's New Job". Navy News. March 1971. p. 12. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  20. ^ a b "End of trail for pioneer Lowestoft" (PDF). Navy News. May 1985. p. 3. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  21. ^ Moore 1985, p. 612
  22. ^ Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 205

Bibliography

External links
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