HMS Minerva (F45)
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History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | HMS Minerva |
Builder | Vickers Armstrong |
Laid down | 25 July 1963 |
Launched | 19 December 1964 |
Commissioned | 14 May 1966 |
Decommissioned | March 1992 |
Identification | Pennant number F45 |
Nickname(s) | "Fighting 45"[1] |
Fate | Sold for scrap July 1993 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Leander-class frigate |
Displacement | 3,200 long tons (3,251 t) full load |
Length | 113.4 m (372 ft) |
Beam | 12.5 m (41 ft) |
Draught | 5.8 m (19 ft) |
Propulsion | 2 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers supplying steam to two sets of White-English Electric double-reduction geared turbines to two shafts |
Speed | 28 knots (52 km/h) |
Range | 4,600 nautical miles (8,500 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h) |
Complement | 223 |
Armament |
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Aircraft carried |
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HMS Minerva (F45) was a
Construction and design
Minerva was ordered during 1962 as the 13th ship of the Leander-class.[2] The ship was laid down at Devonport Dockyard on 25 July 1963, was launched on 19 December 1964 and commissioned with the Pennant number F45 on 14 May 1966.[3][4]
Minerva was 372 feet (113.4 m) long
A twin
As built, Minerva was fitted with a large Type 965 long range air search
From 1975 to 1979, Minerva was refitted at
Service
In 1968, Minerva deployed to the West Indies during some troubles there, operating from Bermuda. Island hopping was carried out to "show the flag". In 1970, Minerva, like many other British vessels including other Leanders, deployed on Beira Patrol, an operation designed to prevent oil from reaching the landlocked Rhodesia via Mozambique, before visiting various ports around Asia and the Pacific. The following year, Minerva deployed on her second Beira Patrol which proved relatively quiet.
In November 1972,
Between December 1975 and March 1979, Minerva underwent modernisation, including the addition of Exocet missiles. While she was undergoing post refit trials Minerva suffered a starboard boiler explosion which destroyed both boiler uptakes forcing her to be towed to Chatham Dockyard for repairs.[15] Following completion of the repairs and refit, Minerva became leader of the Fifth Frigate Squadron.[16] On 15 December 1979, a 200 feet (61 m) dockyard crane at Devonport Dockyard collapsed in a storm, hitting Minerva and the frigate Ambuscade, which was berthed alongside. Minerva's starboard Seacat launcher was wrecked, and her hangar damaged, while Ambuscade had one of her boats damaged.[15][17] In 1980, Minerva deployed to the Mediterranean where she carried out exercises with other NATO warships. While there Minerva got involved in the Cold War when she shadowed Kiev, the nameship of a three-ship class of large aircraft carriers. Between 1978 and 1980 she was commanded by Benjamin Bathurst.
In 1981, Minerva was involved in further exercises in the Persian Gulf.
In 1982 during the
In November, Minerva accidentally rammed the
Footnotes
References
- ^ "Volume 2113: Nicknames". SMML Online.com. 6 February 2003. Archived from the original on 16 December 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2008.
- ^ Osborne & Sowdon 1990, p. 33
- ^ Osborne & Sowdon 1990, p. 109
- ^ Moore 1985, p. 626
- ^ a b Osborne & Sowdon 1990, p. 111
- ^ a b Osborne & Sowdon 1990, p. 112
- ^ Friedman 2008, p. 252
- ^ Osborne & Sowdon 1990, pp. 33–36
- ^ Osborne & Sowdon 1990, pp. 33, 35–36
- ^ Osborne & Sowdon 1990, pp. 33–34
- ^ Friedman 2008, p. 253
- ^ Osborne & Sowdon 1990, p. 70
- ^ Osborne & Sowdon 1990, pp. 67–69
- ^ Marriott 1983, pp. 82–84
- ^ a b Critchley 1992, p. 122
- ^ "Ships of the Royal Navy No. 284: Minerva takes the lead". Navy News. July 1979. p. 5. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ^ "Knock-Out Blow For Minerva". Navy News. January 1980. p. 40. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed C-130H Hercules TC-63 Pebble Island". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
Bibliography
- ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Critchley, Mike (1992). British Warships Since 1945: Part 5: Frigates. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Press. ISBN 0-907771-13-0.
- Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.
- Marriott, Leo (1983). Royal Navy Frigates 1945–1983. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-1322-5.
- Moore, John, ed. (1985). Jane's Fighting Ships 1985–1986. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0-7106-0814-4.
- Osborne, Richard; Sowdon, David (1990). Leander Class Frigates. Kendal, UK: World Ships Society. ISBN 0-905617-56-8.