Loch-class frigate
| General Characteristics | 
|
|---|---|
| Displacement: | 1,435 tons |
| Length: | 286 ft p/p, 307.25 ft o/a |
| Beam: | 38.5 feet |
| Draught: | 8.75 ft standard, 13.25 ft full |
| Propulsion: |
2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 shafts
|
| Speed: | 20 kts (Alert and Surprise; 20.5 kts) |
| Range: | 730 tons oil fuel, 9,500 nm at 12 kts |
| Complement: | 114 (Depot ships; 120) |
| Armament: |
|
The Loch class was a class of anti-submarine (A/S) frigate built for the Royal Navy and her allies during World War II. They were an innovative design based on the experience of 3 years of fighting in the Battle of the Atlantic and attendant technological advances.
Design
The Lochs were based upon the hull of the preceeding [[River class River class with increased sheer and flare to improve seakeeping and modified to suit it to mass pre-fabrication, with sections rivetted or welded together at the shipyard. Accordingly, as many curves as possible were eliminated, producing a noticable kink in the main deck where the increased sheer forwards met the level abreast the bridge.
The fighting capability of the Loch class was a great jump forward, being based around the new squid ahead throwing A/S mortar. Previously, escorts had attacked with depth charges, requiring the attacking vessel to pass over the submerged submarine and drop warheads over the stern. Consequently, the ahead-looking asdic lost contact at the vital moment before the weapons were launched, allowing a skilled submarine commander to take successful evasive action. Squid, however, lobbed three 12 inch, 390 pound warheads up to 600 yards ahead of the launching vessel falling in a triangular pattern with sides of 40 yards. Clockwork fuses detonated the warheads at a depth determined by the ships' asdic set (sonar). Squid therefore attacked in full asdic contact for greater accuracy and lethality. Two mortars were carried, with the bombs set to explode at different depths in order to create a convergent pressure wave to crush the hull of a submarine. The first successful "kill" was by Loch Killin on July 31 1944, sinking U-333. Such was the utility of Squid that depth charge carriage was reduced to only 15, with a single rack and a pair of throwers being carried at the stern, resulting in a clear quarterdeck compared to the eight throwers, two racks and stowage for 100 plus charges in the Rivers.
The weapons outfit was completed with a single QF 4 inch Mark V gun forwards. An oversight in the River design had been to place the gun in the favourable position forward ont he shelter deck, with the ahead throwing Hedgehog on the main deck, exposed to the worst of the seas breaking over the fo'c'sle, consequently this was reversed in the Lochs; the Squids being on the shelter deck behind protective bulwarks. For anti aircraft (A/A) defence, a quadruple mounting Mark VII QF 2 pounder was shipped aft along with up to 12 20 mm Oerlikon guns in 2 twin powered mounts Mark V in the bridge wings and 8 single pedestal mounts Mark III. Loch Arkaig, Loch Craggie, Loch Eck, Loch Glendhu, Loch Tralaig and the South African ships Good Hope, Natal and Transvaal carried single 40 mmm Bofors mounts in lieu of the twin Oerlikons.
In addition to the new weaponry, the Lochs also carried new sensors, in the form of Radar Type 277. This set utilised the cavity magnetron to transmit on centimetric wavelengths for target indication purposes, excelling at picking out small targets such as a submarine periscope or schnorkel from the surface clutter. The increased weight of the stabilised antenna array and the carriage of HF/DF at the masthead meant that a lattice mast was stepped in lieu of the tranditional tripod or pole. Some vessels completed with Radar Type 271 or 272 and the associated "lantern" radome until Type 277 became available. Asdic Type 144 was carried for search and attack functions with Type 147B used for depth finding.
As with the previous wartime escort designs, mercantile machinery was adopted to speed construction, with a pair of 4 cylinder vertical triple expansion reciprocating engines. Loch Arkaig and Loch Tralaig were fitted with Parsons single reduction steam turbines to establish the feasability of such an installation, but it was not possible to provide enough sets of turbines for all vessels. One advantage of the use of mercantile machinery was that it was instantly familiar to the mainly reservist and volunteer (RNR and RNVR) crews who manned these ships.
Service
Of the one hundered and ten vessels ordered, twenty-eight completed, seeing service from 1944. Loch Ard, Loch Boisdale and Loch Cree were transferred to South Africa as Transvaal, Good Hope and Natal respectively. The three vessels transferred to Canada retained their Royal Navy names and were returned after the end of the war. In 1948, six vessels were refitted from reserve and transferred to New Zealand. During the Korean War, the Royal Navy reactivated several vessels and transferred them to the Mediterannean where they released Ch class destroyers for war duties.
Modifications
Loch Assynt and Loch Torridon were modified whilst under construction to depot ships for coastal forces, armed with a twin QF 4 inch Mark XVI on a single mounting Mark XIX forward and six single 20 mm Oerlikons. With the war in the Atlantic won by 1944, and a need forecast for additional fleet A/A escorts for the Royal Navys increased far eastern commitments, nineteen Loch class were completed as Bay class anti-aircraft frigates.
In 1953, seven vessels were modernised; Loch Alvie, Loch Fada, Loch Fyne, Loch Insh, Loch Killisport, Loch Lomond and Loch Ruthven. The single 4 inch gun was replaced by the ubiquitous twin 4 inch mounting HA/LA Mark XIX and the A/A weaponry was standardised a single twin mounting Mark V and four single mounting Mark VII for the 40 mm Bofors gun, with a Simple Tachymetric Director shipped for the Mark V. Radar Type 277 was fitted with the new ANU antenna array. Loch Killisport sported a gunshield manufactured from GRP to test this material for suitability of constructing the housing of the new 4.5 inch gun Mark 8. Loch Fada paid off in 1967 and was used to test an early vertical launch variant of the new Sea Wolf missile.
Ships
- HMS Loch Achray (K426)
- HMS Loch Arkaig (K603)
- HMS Loch Craggie (K609)
- HMS Loch Dunvegan (K425)
- HMS Loch Eck (K422)
- HMS Loch Fada (K390)
- HMS Loch Fyne (K429)
- HMS Loch Gorm (K620)
- HMS Loch Insh (K433)
- HMS Loch Katrine (K625)
- HMS Loch Killin (K391)
- HMS Loch Killisport (K628)
- HMS Loch Lomond (K437)
- HMS Loch More (K639)
- HMS Loch Ruthven (K645)
- HMS Loch Scavaig (K648)
- HMS Loch Shin (K421)
- HMS Loch Tarbert (K431)
- HMS Loch Tralaig (K655)
- HMS Loch Veyatie (K658)
- HMCS Loch Achanalt (K 424)
- HMCS Loch Alvie (K 428)
- HMCS Loch Morlich (K 517)
Returned to Royal Navy 1945.
- HMNZS Pukaki (ex- HMS Loch Achanalt)
- HMNZS Tutira (ex- HMS Loch Achray)
- HMNZS Rotoiti (ex- HMS Loch Eck)
- HMNZS Hawea (ex- HMS Loch Katrine)
- HMNZS Taupo (ex- HMS Loch Morlich)
- HMNZS Kaniere (ex- HMS Loch Shin)
Ex-Royal Navy vessels, transferred from 1948.
- HMSAS Good Hope (K 432)
- HMSAS Natal (K 10)
- HMSAS Transvaal (K 602)
Bibliography
- British and Empire Warships of the Second World War, H T Lenton, Greenhill Books, ISBN 1853672777
- Royal Navy Frigates 1945-1983, Leo Marriot, Ian Allan, 1983, ISBN 0 7110 1322 5
- Uboat.net article on Loch class frigates