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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
UNITED KINGDOM
ESCORTS
"BAY" frigates (LARGO BAY) (22(5), 1945 - 1949)
Photo
Mounts Bay 1949
Ships
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bigbury Bay (ex-Loch Carloway) | K606, 1948- F06 | 775 | Hall Russell, Aberdeen | 5/1944 | 16.11.1944 | 7.1945 | to Portugal 5.1959 (Pacheco de Pereira) |
| Burghead Bay (ex-Loch Harport) | K622, 1948- F622 | Hill, Bristol | 9/1944 | 3.3.1945 | 9.1945 | to Portugal 5.1959 (Álvares Cabral) | |
| Cardigan Bay (ex-Loch Laxford) | K630, 1948- F630 | 348 | Robb, Leith | 4/1944 | 28.12.1944 | 6.1945 | BU 3.1962 |
| Carnarvon Bay (ex-Loch Maddy) | K636, 1948- F636 | 349 | Robb, Leith | 6/1944 | 15.3.1945 | 9.1945 | BU 8.1959 |
| Cawsand Bay (ex-Loch Roan) | K644, 1948- F644 | Blyth | 4/1944 | 26.2.1945 | 11.1945 | BU 9.1959 | |
| Enard Bay (ex-Loch Bracadale) | K435, 1948- F35 | 1131 | Smiths Dock, South Bank | 5/1944 | 31.10.1944 | 4.1946 | BU 11.1957 |
| Hollesley Bay (ex-Loch Fannich) | K614 | Smiths Dock, South Bank | --- | --- | --- | cancelled | |
| Largo Bay (ex-Loch Fionn) | K423, 1948- F423 | 264 | Pickersgill, Sunderland | 2/1944 | 3.10.1944 | 1.1946 | BU 7.1958 |
| Morecambe Bay (ex-Loch Heilen) | K624, 1948- F624 | 266 | Pickersgill, Sunderland / White, Cowes | 3/1944 | 1.11.1944 | 2.1949 | to Portugal 5.1961 (D. Francisco de Almeida) |
| Mounts Bay (ex-Loch Kilbirnie) | K627, 1948- F627 | 267 | Pickersgill, Sunderland / Thornycroft, Woolston | 10/1944 | 8.6.1945 | 4/1946 | to Portugal 5.1961 (Vasco da Gama) |
| Padstow Bay (ex-Loch Coulside) | K608, 1948- F608 | 350 | Robb, Leith | 9/1944 | 24.8.1945 | 3.1946 | BU 8.1959 |
| Porlock Bay (ex-Loch Seaforth, ex-Loch Muick) | K650, 1948- F650 | Hill, Bristol | 11/1944 | 14.6.1945 | 3.1946 | to Finland 3.1962 (Matti Kurki) | |
| St. Austell Bay (ex-Loch Lydoch) | K634, 1948- F634 | 1249 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | 5/1944 | 18.11.1944 | 5.1945 | BU 7.1959 |
| St. Brides Bay (ex-Loch Achilty) | K600, 1948- F600 | 1250 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | 5/1944 | 16.1.1945 | 6.1945 | BU 9.1962 |
| Start Bay (ex-Loch Arklet) | K604, 1948- F604 | 1252 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | 8/1944 | 15.2.1945 | 9.1945 | BU 7.1958 |
| Tremadoc Bay (ex-Loch Arnish) | K605, 1948- F605 | 1253 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | 8/1944 | 29.3.1945 | 10.1945 | BU 9.1959 |
| Veryan Bay (ex-Loch Swannay) | K651, 1948- F651 | Hill, Bristol | 6/1944 | 11.11.1944 | 5.1945 | BU 7.1959 | |
| Whitesand Bay (ex-Loch Lubnaig) | K633, 1948- F633 | 1261 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | 8/1944 | 16.12.1944 | 7.1945 | BU 2.1956 |
| Widemouth Bay (ex-Loch Frisa) | K615, 1948- F615 | 1259 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | 4/1944 | 19.10.1944 | 4.1945 | BU 11.1957 |
| Wigtown Bay (ex-Loch Garasdale) | K616, 1948- F616 | 1260 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | 10/1944 | 26.4.1945 | 1.1946 | BU 4.1959 |
| Alert (ex-Dundrum Bay, ex-Loch Scamadale) | K647, 1948- F647 | Blyth | 7.1944 | 10.7.1945 | 10.1946 | dispatch vessel, BU 10.1971 | |
| Surprise (ex-Gerrans Bay, ex-Loch Carron) | K436, 1948- F436 | 1132 | Smiths Dock, South Bank | 4.1944 | 14.3.1945 | 9.1945 | dispatch vessel, BU 6.1965 |
| Cook (ex-Pegwell Bay, ex-Loch Mochrum) | K638 | 269 | Pickersgill, Sunderland / Devonport DYd | 11/1944 | 24.9.1945 | 7.1950 // --- | completed as survey vessel |
| Dalrymple (ex-Luce Bay, ex-Loch Glass) | K427 | 265 | Pickersgill, Sunderland / Devonport DYd | 4/1944 | 12.4.1945 | 9.1949 // --- | completed as survey vessel |
| Dampier (ex-Herne Bay, ex-Loch Eil) | K611 | 1133 | Smiths Dock, South Bank / Chatham DYd | 8/1944 | 15.5.1945 | 6.1948 // --- | completed as survey vessel |
| Owen (ex-Thurso Bay, ex-Loch Muick) | K640 | 779 | Hall Russell, Aberdeen / Chatham DYd | 9/1944 | 19.10.1945 | 9.1949 // --- | completed as survey vessel |
Technical data
| Displacement standard, t | 1600 |
|---|---|
| Displacement full, t | 2420 |
| Length, m | 87.2 pp 93.7 oa |
| Breadth, m | 11.8 |
| Draught, m | 3.89 deep load |
| No of shafts | 2 |
| Machinery | 2 VTE, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers |
| Power, h. p. | 5500 |
| Max speed, kts | 19.5 |
| Fuel, t | oil 730 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 7000(15) |
| Armament | Bigbury Bay, Widemouth Bay: 2 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 2 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors Mk XI, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk IV, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (50) Burghead Bay, Cardigan Bay, St. Brides Bay, Veryan Bay: 2 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 2 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors Mk XI, 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk III, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk IV, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk IV, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (50) Carnarvon Bay, Cawsand Bay, St. Austell Bay, Start Bay, Tremadoc Bay, Whitesand Bay: 2 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 2 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors Mk XI, 4 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk III, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk IV, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (50) Surprise: 1 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk III Alert: 1 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 4 x 1 - 47/40 Mk I, 2 x 1 - 40/60 Mk VII Enard Bay, Largo Bay, Wigtown Bay: 2 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 2 x 2 - 40/60 RP.50 Mk V, 4 x 1 - 40/60 Mk VII, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog Mk X ASWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (50) Morecambe Bay, Mounts Bay, Padstow Bay, Porlock Bay: 2 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 2 x 2 - 40/60 RP.50 Mk V, 2 x 1 - 40/60 Mk VII, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog Mk X ASWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (50) |
| Electronic equipment | 2x type 282, type 271 or type 291, type 285, type 293 radars, type 144 sonar Surprise, Alert: type 271 or type 291, may be type 293 radars |
| Complement | 177 |
Standard scale images
Alert 1955
Bigbury Bay 1945
Alert 1963
Graphics
Mounts Bay 1949
Project history
In the beginning of 1944 a part of "Loch" class frigates was reoriented on the decision of air defence tasks for operations in Pacific where the basic threat emanated not from submarines but from aircraft, their anti-submarine potential was thus stored (the truth, in a little decreased). The basic weapon of new frigates which have replaced "Loch" names ("Lake" by Scottish) by "Bays", were two twin 102mm DP mounts with radar-tracking control (they were removed from outdated WAIR program destroyers and damaged "Hunt" class escort destroyers). 26 units were scheduled to re-equipment, 21 were completed. 4 more were completed as survey vessels, works on one more have suspended.
Modernizations
None
1/1946, Bigbury Bay, Widemouth Bay: 2 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 2 x 2 - 40/60 RP.50 Mk V, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (50), 2x type 282, type 271 or type 291, type 285, type 293 radars, type 144 sonar
1/1946, Burghead Bay, Cardigan Bay, St. Brides Bay, Veryan Bay: 2 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 2 x 2 - 40/60 RP.50 Mk V, 2 x 1 - 40/60 Mk VII, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (50), 2x type 282, type 271 or type 291, type 285, type 293 radars, type 144 sonar
1/1946, Carnarvon Bay, Cawsand Bay, St. Austel Bay, Start Bay, Tremadoc Bay, Whitesand Bay: 2 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 2 x 2 - 40/60 RP.50 Mk V, 4 x 1 - 40/60 Mk VII, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (50), 2x type 282, type 271 or type 291, type 285, type 293 radars, type 144 sonar
1/1946, Surprise: 1 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 4 x 1 - 47/40 Mk I, 2 x 1 - 40/60 Mk VII, type 271 or type 291, may be type 293 radars
Naval service
Surprise was disarmed in 1953 and used as Royal yacht.
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
