Ford-class seaward defence boat

The Ford-class seaward defence boats were built for the Royal Navy (with three built for the South African Navy) in the 1950s.

Ford class
Droxford at Carrick Castle, Loch Goil 1975
Class overview
Name: Ford class
Builders: Various
Operators:
Built: 1950s
In service: 1952-1967
Completed: 23
Preserved: HMS Gifford
General characteristics
Type: Large patrol craft
Displacement:
  • 120 long tons (122 t) standard
  • 140 long tons (142 t) full load[1]
Length:
  • 117 ft 2 in (35.71 m) o/a[1]
  • 110 ft (34 m) p/p
Beam: 20 ft (6.1 m) [1]
Draught: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) [1]
Propulsion:
  • 1 × Foden diesel (centre shaft)[1]
  • 2 × Davey Paxman 12YHAX 550 hp (410 kW) diesels (outer shafts)[1]
  • 23 tons oil fuel[1]
Speed: 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)[1]
Complement: 19[1]
Armament: Depth charge rails with both large and small charges[1]

Development

They were designed to detect and attack hostile submarines, including midget submarines in inshore waters such as the approaches to large ports.[2][3] They were powered by diesel engines and were planned to be armed with a single barreled Squid anti-submarine mortar. This special version of the Squid was a failure however, with the first Ford-class boat, HMS Shalford being fitted with a normal three-barreled Squid and the remaining vessels with a more conventional anti-submarine armament of depth-charge throwers. A single Bofors 40 mm gun completed the armament.[2]

HMS Droxford served for a time as the tender for Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities Royal Naval Unit, and was administered by RNR Clyde.[1] The vessel was used to train Midshipmen who were students of the universities and participated in fishery protection duties along the west coast of Scotland. HMS Beckford (P3104) was renamed HMS Dee and served as the tender to Liverpool University Royal Naval Unit.[3]

Ships

References
  1. Jane's Fighting Ships 1983-84. p. 603. ISBN 0-7106-0774-1.
  2. Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 536.
  3. Blackman 1971, p. 369.
  4. Ivan Gogin. "BENIN seaward defence boats (1961, 1953-1957/1966-1969)". Navypedia. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  5. Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  6. Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. p. 108. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  • Blackman, Raymond V. B. Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1971. ISBN 0-354-00096-9.
  • Gardiner, Robert and Stephen Chumbley. Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland USA: Naval Institute Press, 1995. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
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