HMS Plymouth (F126)

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Career (UK)
Class and type:	Rothesay class frigate
Name:	HMS Plymouth
Builder:	Devonport Dockyard
Laid down:	1 July 1958
Launched:	20 July 1959
Commissioned:	11 May 1961
Decommissioned:	28 April 1988
Status:	Preserved
General characteristics
Displacement:	2,150 tons standard 2,560 tons full load
Length:	370 ft (110 m)
Beam:	41 ft (12 m)
Draught:	17.3 ft (5.3 m)
Propulsion:	'Y-100 plant Two Babcock and Wilcox boilers Two English Electric steam turbines 2 shafts 30,000 shp
Speed:	30 knots (56 km/h)
Range:	400 tons oil fuel, 5,200 nautical miles (9,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement:	152, later 225, modified to 235
Sensors and processing systems:	Electronics (as built): Radar Type 293Q target indication Radar Type 277Q height finding Radar Type 275 fire control on director Mark 6M Radar Type 974 navigation Type 1010 Cossor Mark 10 IFF Sonar Type 174 search Sonar Type 162 target classification Sonar Type 170 attack Electronics (as modified): Radar Type 993 target indication Radar Type 903 fire control on director MRS3 Radar Type 978 navigation Type 1010 Cossor Mark 10 IFF Sonar Type 177 search Sonar Type 162 target classification Sonar Type 170 attack
Armament:	Armament (as built): 1 x twin 4.5in gun Mark 6 1 x 40 mm Bofors gun Mark 7 2 x Limbo A/S mortar Mark 10 12 x 21-in A/S torpedo tubes (removed or never shipped) Armament (as modified): 1 x twin 4.5in gun Mark 6 1 x Sea Cat GWS-20 SAM 2 x 20 mm Oerlikon guns 1 x Limbo A/S mortar Mark 10 1 x Westland Wasp HAS.1 MATCH helicopter 2 x 8-barrel 3in Knebworth/Corvus countermeasures launchers
Notes:	Pennant number F126

HMS Plymouth is a Rothesay class frigate, which served in the United Kingdom Royal Navy from 1959 to 1988. She was named after the English city of Plymouth. Since decommissioning as a warship, HMS Plymouth has been preserved, and opened to the public at various United Kingdom ports.

[edit] History

[edit] Construction

Plymouth was built at Devonport Dockyard, in her namesake city of Plymouth, and was launched by Viscountess Astor on July 20, 1959.

[edit] Active service

During her lifetime, Plymouth served in a variety of locations, including the Far East and Australia. She saw action in the Cod Wars between the United Kingdom and Iceland and also the Falklands War in 1982.

Plymouth was one of the first Royal Navy ships to arrive in the South Atlantic following the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Plymouth alongside HMS Brilliant and HMS Endurance took part in the recapturing of South Georgia on April 28. Plymouth landed Royal Marines from her Westland Wasp helicopters and bombarded Argentine troop positions on the island. Later her Wasp helicopter took part in an attack on the ARA Santa Fe, which was badly damaged and later captured by Royal Marines.

HMS Plymouth on fire after being attacked by five Argentine Mirage aircraft on 8 June 1982. The ship was badly damaged but survived.

After South Georgia was liberated, Plymouth rejoined the main task force, taking part in many operations before the landings at San Carlos Water. Plymouth supported troops on the ground by bombarding Argentine troop positions with her two 4.5-inch (114 mm) guns. On June 8, a lone Plymouth was attacked by Mirage fighters of the Argentine Air Force, and Able seaman missileman Phil Orr managed to shoot down two with her Sea Cat missile system. However, she was hit by bombs and cannon shells, causing considerable damage to the ship. Plymouth returned to Rosyth Dockyard after the war for repair and refit.

The following year, Plymouth served as the West Indies Guardship which included several days anchored off Belize.

[edit] In preservation

After decommissioning in 1988, the Warship Preservation Trust acquired the ship for preservation. In 1990 the ship was towed to Glasgow and placed on display at a berth on the River Clyde. Subsequently she was relocated to Birkenhead for display alongside other ships and submarines.

On 6 February 2006, the Warship Preservation Trust closed, citing financial difficulties and, by default, is currently owned by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (MDHC) following the demise of the Trust. ^[1] Plymouth's future as a museum ship is now uncertain. A petition, on 10 Downing Street's E-petitions web site sought to encourage the UK government to provide a berth for the ship. ^[2] It received 2,204 online signatures by the deadline date of 5 May 2007. ^[3]

[edit] References

[edit] General

• Colledge, J. J. and Warlow, Ben (2006). Ships of the Royal Navy: the complete record of all fighting ships of the Royal Navy, Rev. ed., London: Chatham. ISBN 9781861762818. OCLC 67375475. 
• The history of HMS Plymouth
• Souvenir guide to HMS Plymouth, entitled HMS Plymouth, Falklands Veteran, Her Story, no publisher or publication date declared, but dating from the period the ship was on display in Glasgow.

[edit] Specific

1. ^ 10 Downing Street: government response (1 June 2007) Retrieved 12 August 2007
2. ^ Hundreds sign up to save warship. BBC. Retrieved on March 19, 2007.
3. ^ 10 Downing Street: petition Retrieved 12 August 2007

[edit] External links

• Petition on 10 Downing Street E-Petitions web site