The Ford-class seaward defence boats were built for the Royal Navy (with three built for the South African Navy) in the 1950s.
 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 |
|
| Length | |
| Beam | 20 ft (6.1 m) [1] |
| Draught | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) [1] |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)[1] |
| Complement | 19[1] |
| Armament | Depth charge rails with both large and small charges[1] |
Development
editThey 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.[citation needed] HMS Beckford (P3104) was renamed HMS Dee and served as the tender to Liverpool University Royal Naval Unit.[3]
Ships
edit- HMS Shalford (P3101)
- HMS Aberford (P3102) - Transferred to Kenyan Navy as KNS Nyati
- HMS Axford (P3103) - Transferred to Nigerian Navy as NNS Kaduna
- HMS Beckford (P3104)
- HMS Brayford (P3105) - Transferred to South African Navy, initially as HMSAS Gelderland - Renamed to SAS Gelderland
- HMS Bryansford (P3106) - Transferred to Nigerian Navy as NNS Ibadan II.[4]
- HMS Camberford (P3107)
- HMS Desford (P3108) - Transferred to Royal Ceylon Navy as HMCyS Kotiya[5]
- HMS Greatford (P3109)
- HMS Gifford (P3111) - Transferred to Nigerian Navy as NNS Bonny
- HMS Droxford (P3113)
- HMS Mayford (P3114)
- HMS Hinksford (P3115) - Transferred to Nigerian Navy as NNS Benin
- HMS Ickford (P3116)
- HMS Dubford (P3119) - Transferred to Nigerian Navy as NNS Sapele
- HMS Glassford (P3120) - Transferred to South African Navy, initially as HMSAS Nautilus - Renamed to SAS Nautilus
- HMS Kingsford (P3121)
- HMS Marlingford (P3122)
- HMS Tilford (P3123) Sold in Singapore 1967.[6]
- HMS Montford (P3124) - Transferred to Nigerian Navy as NNS Ibadan. Captured by Biafran forces during the Nigerian Civil War and put into Biafran navy as BNS Vigilance. Sunk by Nigerian Navy on 9 October 1967 at Port Harcourt.
- HMSAS Rijger (P3125) - Renamed SAS Rijger
- HMSAS Haerlem (P3126) - Renamed SAS Haerlem
- HMSAS Oosterland (P3127) - Renamed SAS Oosterland
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Jane's Fighting Ships 1983-84. p. 603. ISBN 0-7106-0774-1.
- ^ a b Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 536.
- ^ a b Blackman 1971, p. 369.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "HMS Tilford P3123, Builders - Vosper". TON Class Association. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
- 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.