On 10/31/2018 1:21 AM, wrote:
On Tue, 30 Oct 2018 23:33:33 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 10/30/2018 10:56 PM, wrote:


HMS Surprise is just another marine museum exhibit.
After dragging them around the Midway, the girls were done with boats
so I did not go aboard.

http://gfretwell.com/ftp/california/...rise%20bow.jpg

http://gfretwell.com/ftp/california/...%20gangway.jpg



So the Brits had a HMS Surprise? I was stationed on
the USS Surprise (PG-97) for a while. Little faster
than it's British namesake:

http://funkyimg.com/i/2MEmU.jpg

What is that on the bow? a 3"/50?
I knew they had an autoloader in an enclosed mount but I never saw
one.
This is more what I have dealt with.
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/New%20Mexic...%20in%2050.jpg


Many post WWII Navy ships had enclosed, radar controlled 3"/50 mounts,
either single or twin. Some had more than one. The patrol gunboats
like the USS Surprise had a single in an enclosed mount. It originally
had a Bofors 40 mm on the aft deck as well but it had been removed and
replaced with some missile launchers when I was on it. Only other
armament were four, 50 cal machine guns. Crew was only about 20 people
total (officers and enlisted) and my general quarters station was
manning one of the 50 cal machine guns.

I've described this PG before but what made it unique was it's
propulsion. Two relatively small Cummins diesels for speeds up to about
12 knots and a GE gas turbine for high speed runs. It had a fully
reversible pitch prop that could be engaged at full speed and power,
a procedure they called a "crashback".

Wiki claims these PGs were capable of stopping from full speed (about 50
mph) in two ship lengths. This is not true because I witnessed one of
these "crashbacks" while on the bridge. It stopped and was moving
slightly backward in less than it's own length (164 feet). Hard to
envision given the speed, weight and inertia but it did it. Hull was
aluminum and superstructure was fiberglass.

Biggest problem with this class was they didn't have a great reputation
in heavy seas. Too light.