FLAGSTAFF gun hydrofoil (1968)

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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

COASTAL FORCES

Photo

Flagstaff 1970, foils retracted

Ships

Names	Builders	Commissioned	Losses	Transfers	Discarding
PGH1, 11.1974- WPBH1, 2.1975- PGH1, 9.1976- WPBH1 Flagstaff	Grumman, Stuart: PGH1 Flagstaff	9/1968: PGH1 Flagstaff	none	none	9.1978: WPBH1 Flagstaff

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	57
Displacement full, t	67
Length, m	22.7
Breadth, m	6.50
Draught, m	4.10 (foils extended) / 1.30 (foils retracted)
No of shafts	1 shaft (for foil-borne) / 2 water-jets (for hull-borne)
Machinery	CODOG: 1 Rolls-Royce Tyne gas turbine (foil-borne) / 2 General Motors diesels (hull-borne)
Power, h. p.	3620 / 300
Max speed, kts	48 / 8
Fuel, t	diesel oil
Endurance, nm(kts)
Armament	1 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3, 2 x 2 - 12.7/90, 1 x 1 - 81/12 M29 mortar
Electronic equipment	radar
Complement	13

Graphics

Flagstaff 1970, foils retracted

Project history

By the early 1960s interest had shifted towards the fast gunboat role, and it appeared that a relatively small hydrofoil could duplicate many of the qualities of the larger Asheville class fast gunboat. Two competitive prototypes were built under the FY66 (SCB 252) programme; the Grumman Flagstaff and the Boeing Tucumcari. At one time a follow-on class of thirty-four hydrofoils was planned, with features borrowed from both. They differed largely in propulsion, Grumman using a geared propeller with the main lifting surface forward; Boeing, water-jets with the main foil surfaces aft. Both were tested in Vietnam, returning home in 1970. Originally armed with 40mm gun forward.

Modernizations

1971 (temporarily for tests): - 1 x 1 - 40/60; + 1 x 1 -152/12 M81E1 tank gun

1974: armament consisted from small arms only