HMS Tuscan (R56)

HMS Tuscan was a T-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that served during the Second World War and was scrapped in 1966.

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

HMS Tuscan in 1946
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Tuscan
Ordered14 March 1941
BuilderSwan Hunter
Laid down6 September 1941
Launched28 May 1942
Commissioned11 March 1943
ReclassifiedConverted to Type 16 frigate 1952
IdentificationPennant number R56/F156
MottoI hold what I take
FateScrapped 26 May 1966
General characteristics as T–class
Class and typeT-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 1,710 long tons (1,737 t) - 1,730 long tons (1,758 t) (standard nominal)
  • 1,780 long tons (1,809 t) - 1,810 long tons (1,839 t) (actual)
  • 2,505 long tons (2,545 t) - 2,545 long tons (2,586 t) (deep load)
Length
  • 339 ft 6 in (103.48 m) pp
  • 362 ft 9 in (110.57 m) oa
Beam35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
Draught14 ft 2 in (4.32 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 shaft Parsons geared turbines
  • 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
  • 40,000 shp (30,000 kW)
Speed36.75 knots (42.29 mph; 68.06 km/h)
Complement180-225
Armament
General characteristics as Type 16
Class and typeType 16 frigate
Displacement
  • 1,800 long tons (1,800 t) standard
  • 2,300 long tons (2,300 t) full load
Length362 ft 9 in (110.57 m) o/a
Beam37 ft 9 in (11.51 m)
Draught14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers
  • Steam turbines, 40,000 shp
  • 2 shafts
Speed32 knots (37 mph; 59 km/h) full load
Complement175
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Type 293Q target indication Radar
  • Type 974 navigation Radar
  • Type 1010 Cossor Mark 10 IFF
  • Type 146B search Sonar
  • Type 147 depth finder Sonar
  • Type 162 target classification Sonar
  • Type 174 attack Sonar
Armament
  • 1 × twin 4 in gun Mark 19
  • 1 × twin 40 mm Bofors gun Mk.5
  • 5 × single 40 mm Bofors gun Mk.9
  • 2 × Squid A/S mortar
  • 1 × quad 21 in (533 mm) tubes for Mk.9 torpedoes

Second World War service

On 7 October 1944, she and the destroyer Termagant sank the German torpedo boat TA37, the subchaser UJ210 and the harbour patrol boat GK32.[1]

Post-war service

Between 1946 and 1952, Tuscan was held as part of the reserve fleet in Portsmouth. In 1949 and 1950, she had a refit at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead. Between May 1952 and September 1953, she was converted into a Type 16 fast anti-submarine frigate by Mount Stuart Dry Docks, Cardiff and was allocated the new pennant number F156.[2]

In 1953, she was held as part of the Devonport Reserve, and in 1954 the Portsmouth Reserve. In 1960, she was part of the Chatham reserve and between 1961 and 1963 was part of the Portsmouth Operational Reserve. She was eventually sold to McLellan for scrap and arrived at Bo'ness for breaking up on 26 March 1966.

References
  1. Rohwer & Hümmelchen 1992, p. 305
  2. Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. p. 58. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.

Publications


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.