HMS Pheasant (U49)

HMS Pheasant was a Modified Black Swan-class sloop of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Yarrow Shipbuilders, in Scotstoun, Glasgow on 13 July 1942, launched on 21 December 1942, and commissioned on 12 May 1943. She was adopted by the rural district of Runcorn, then in Cheshire, as part of Warship Week in 1942.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Pheasant.

Photograph of HMS Pheasant moored at a buoy in May 1943
Pheasant moored at a buoy in May 1943
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Pheasant
NamesakePheasant
BuilderYarrow Shipbuilders
Laid down13 July 1942
Launched21 December 1942
Commissioned12 May 1943
ReclassifiedAs a frigate in 1947
IdentificationPennant number U49/F49
Honours and
awards
  • Buenos Aires 1807
  • Sicily 1943
  • Atlantic 1943-44
  • Okinawa 1945
FateBroken up 1963
BadgeOn a Field White, a Pheasant Proper
General characteristics
Class and typeModified Black Swan-class sloop
Displacement1,925 tons
Length283 ft (86 m)
Beam38 ft 6 in (11.73 m)
Draught11 ft (3.4 m)
Propulsion
  • Geared turbines, two shafts
  • 4,300 hp (3.2 MW)
Speed20 knots (37 km/h)
Range4,500 mi (7,200 km)
Complement192
Armament
Service record
Part of: British Pacific Fleet (1945)
Operations: Operation Husky (1943)

Design

The Modified Black Swan-class sloops were specialised convoy-defence vessels, with an anti-aircraft and an anti-submarine capability. They were designed to have a longer range than a destroyer at the expense of lower top speed while remaining capable of outrunning the German Type VII and Type IX U-boats when they were surfaced.

Pheasant had a top speed of 20 knots (37 km/h) - their prey, the German U-boats, could only manage 18 knots (33 km/h) on the surface and no more than 8 knots (15 km/h) submerged.

Service history

In the latter part of the war, Pheasant was sent to the Pacific theatre. There she served in a task force with the escort carriers Striker and Ruler from April to August 1945.[1][2]

After being placed on the disposal list Pheasant was sold for scrap, arriving at Troon for breaking on 15 January 1963.

Notes
  1. Mason, Geoffrey B. (2006). Gordon Smith (ed.). "HMS Striker (D 12) - Attacker-class Escort Aircraft Carrier". naval-history.net. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  2. Mason, Geoffrey B. (2006). Gordon Smith (ed.). "HMS Ruler - Ruler-class Escort Aircraft Carrier". naval-history.net. Retrieved 25 May 2015.

References


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.