NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Skipjack 1940

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate	Modification
Halcyon	J42	536	John Brown, Clydebank	3.1933	20.12.1933	4.1934	sold 4.1950	1st group (compound engine)
Harrier	J71		Thornycroft, Woolston	7.1933	17.4.1934	11.1934	sold 6.1950	1st group (compound engine)
Hussar	J82		Thornycroft, Woolston	8.1933	27.8.1934	1.1935	sunk 27.8.1944	1st group (compound engine)
Skipjack	J38	537	John Brown, Clydebank	4.1933	18.1.1934	5.1934	sunk 1.6.1940	1st group (compound engine)
Speedwell	J87	419	Hamilton, Glasgow	6.1934	21.3.1935	9.1935	sold 12.1946	1st group (compound engine)
Niger	J73		White, Cowes	4.1935	29.1.1936	6.1936	sunk 5.7.1942	2nd group (VTE engine)
Salamander	J86		White, Cowes	4.1935	24.3.1936	7.1936	CTL 27.8.1944	2nd group (VTE engine)
Franklin	J84	426	Ailsa, Troon	12.1936	22.12.1937	8.1938 // 1939	completed as survey vessel, minesweeper 1939, survey vessel 1945, BU 2.1956	3rd group (turbine)
Gleaner	J83	1069	Gray, Tees	6.1936	10.6.1937	8.1938 // 1939	completed as survey vessel, minesweeper 1939, sold 5.1950	3rd group (turbine)
Gossamer	J63	431	Hamilton, Glasgow	11.1936	5.10.1937	3.1938 // 1939	completed as survey vessel, minesweeper 1939, sunk 24.6.1942	3rd group (turbine)
Hazard	J02	1068	Gray, Tees	5.1936	26.2.1937	11.1937	sold 4.1949	3rd group (turbine)
Hebe	J24		Devonport DYd	4.1936	28.10.1936	10.1937	sunk 22.11.1943	3rd group (turbine)
Jason	J99	425	Ailsa, Troon	12.1936	6.10.1937	6.1938 // 1939	completed as survey vessel, minesweeper 1939, sold 9.1946	3rd group (turbine)
Leda	J93		Devonport DYd	11.1936	8.6.1937	5.1938	sunk 20.9.1942	3rd group (turbine)
Seagull	J85		Devonport DYd	2.1937	28.10.1937	5.1938	survey vessel 1945, BU 5.1965	3rd group (turbine)
Sharpshooter, 1953- Shackleton	J68		Devonport DYd	6.1936	10.12.1936	12.1937	survey vessel 1945, sold 1960	3rd group (turbine)
Bramble	J11		Devonport DYd	11.1937	12.7.1938	6.1939	sunk 31.12.1942	4th group (turbine)
Britomart	J22		Devonport DYd	6.1938	23.8.1938	8.1939	sunk 27.8.1944	4th group (turbine)
Scott	J79	375	Caledon, Dundee	1/1937	23.8.1938	2.1939 // 1939	completed as survey vessel, minesweeper 1939, survey vessel 1945, BU 6.1965	4th group (turbine)
Speedy	J17	435	Hamilton, Glasgow	12.1937	23.11.1938	4.1939	sold 11.1946	4th group (turbine)
Sphinx	J69	436	Hamilton, Glasgow	1.1938	7.2.1939	7.1939	sunk 3.2.1940	4th group (turbine)

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	785 - 815
Displacement full, t	VC- and VTE-engined: 1088 turbine-engined: 1150 - 1190 later all: 1330
Length, m	74.8
Breadth, m	10.2
Draught, m	3.12 deep load
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 sets geared steam turbines, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers Halcyon, Harrier, Hussar, Skipjack, Speedwell: 2 VC, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers Niger, Salamander: 2 VTE, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Power, h. p.	1750 Halcyon, Harrier, Hussar, Skipjack, Speedwell: 1770 Niger, Salamander: 2000
Max speed, kts	17 Halcyon, Harrier, Hussar, Skipjack, Speedwell: 16.5
Fuel, t	oil 264 Halcyon, Harrier, Hussar, Skipjack, Speedwell, Niger, Salamander:: oil 223
Endurance, nm(kts)	4200(15)
Armament	VC- and VTE-engined: 2 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V (1-HA), mechanical minesweeping gear turbine-engined: 2 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V (HA), 1 x 4 - 12.7/62, mechanical minesweeping gear
Complement	80

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Halcyon class ships became the first purpose-built minesweepers of the Royal Navy, designed after the First World war. The decision to share a class of sloops on specialised escort and minesweeping ships had accepted by Admiralty in 1931. New minesweepers (originally classified as minesweeping sloops) basically repeated Shoreham class, a little re-designed, to correspond to new assignment: the hull became shorter, the L/B ratio was moderated. As in case of war it was supposed to complete the ships of the second line with reservists, the part of new minesweepers received conservative steam engines: 5 ships of 1st group had three-cylinder vertical compound engines, 2 minesweepers of 2nd group had vertical  triple expansion engines. Welding was widely used, and one of ships of class, Seagull, became the first all-welded ship of Royal Navy. Artillery under the specification consisted of two 102mm/45 guns from which one was single-purpose. Ships of 3rd group and later had both DP guns. In total under 1931-1938 Programmes 21 minesweepers were built. Five of them: Franklin, Gleaner, Gossamer, Jason and Scott, completed as survey vessels and had no artillery till 1939, when they were reconverted to minesweepers.

Modernizations

1940 - 1941, all survived VC- and VTE-engined ships: - 1 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V; + 1 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V (HA), 1 x 4 - 12.7/62, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (50), type 128 sonar

1940 - 1941, all survived turbine-engined: + 4 DCT, 2 DCR (50), type 128 sonar

1941 - 1942, all survived: + 1 x 4 - 12.7/62

1942 - 1943, all survived: - 1 x 1 - 102/45, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 271 radar

1943 - 1944, many ships: ( - 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV) or (- 4 x 1 - 20/70; + 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV)

Naval service

Sphinx was sunk by German aircraft off coast of England 3.2.1940. Skipjack was sunk by German aircraft at Dunkirk 1.6.1940. Gossamer was sunk by German aircraft in Kola Bay 24.6.1942. Niger was sunk by British magnetic mine off Iceland 6.7.1942. Leda was sunk by German submarine U435 in Greenland Sea 20.9.1942. Bramble was sunk by German destroyers Richard Beitzen, Friedrich Eckoldt and Z29 in Barents Sea 31.12.1942. Hebe was lost on a mine at Bari (Mediterranean) 22.11.1943. Hussar and Britomart were sunk, and Salamander badly damaged by British Typhoon fighters-bombers (by mistake) at Normandy coast 27.8.1944, latter was never repaired and stricken in 1945.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.