HMS Londonderry off Miami, Florida, in 1964. |
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| Career (UK) | |
|---|---|
| Class and type: | Rothesay class frigate |
| Name: | HMS Londonderry |
| Builder: | J. Samuel White, Cowes |
| Laid down: | 15 November 1956 |
| Launched: | 20 May 1958 |
| Commissioned: | 18 October 1961 |
| Decommissioned: | 29 March 1984 |
| Fate: | sunk as target, 25 June 1989 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | As built: 2,150 tons standard 2,560 tons full load As modified: 2,380 tons standard 2,800 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):
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| Motto: | Non Recedam |
| Notes: | Pennant number F108 |
HMS Londonderry (F108) was a Rothesay or Type 12 class anti-submarine frigate of the British Royal Navy in service from 1961 to 1984.
Contents |
In 1960 and 1961 Londonderry made cruises in the North Atlantic being assigned to the 8th Frigate Squadron, Home Fleet. Between 1961 and 1964 the frigate was deployed four times to the West Indies, also visiting Argentina.[1] On 31 August 1965 Londonderry left Portsmouth for service in the Far East. She returned in 1967 and was modernised until 1969 at Rosyth. The most distinct feature of her modernization were the helicopter deck and hangar aft for a Westland Wasp helicopter.[2]
Following her modernization she was sent to Malaysia in 1970. She also took part in the Beira Patrol and was then sent to the and in the Bahamas where she rescued 148 Cuban refugees. In 1973 she replaced HMS Yarmouth in the NATO Standing Naval Force Atlantic.[3]
In November 1975 she entered the Rosyth Dockyard to be refitted as a rails ship for Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment. Up to October 1979 HMS Londonderry had her armament removed, and extra mast added for he new role as a trials ship. The original propellers were replaced and new, low cavitation propellers were installed. Additional navigational equipment and accommodation was installed to provide berths for both midshipmen from Dartmouth and apprentices from HMS Caledonia who were undergoing sea training.
In early 1982, HMS Londonderry accompanied HMS Fearless on a sea training trip to the West Indies and the United States of America, visiting Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands and New Orleans during the Mardi Gras celebrations. Returning home she was paid off into reserve on 31 March 1982. Originally she should have been put on dispolas but due to the Falklands War she became the Dartmouth Training Ship of the 6th Frigate Squadron. From 20 January to 29 March Londonderry made her last curise from Portsmouth for 6th F.S. Dartmouth Training Squadron's deployment to West Indies and USA. She then became a Harbour Training Ship attached to the shore base HMS Sultan at Gosport. She remained in this role until 1988. On 25 June 1989 Londonderry was finally sunk as a target off Scotland.[4]
During her service HMS Londonderry steamed approximately 125,500 km, four times crossing the Atlantic and transiting the Panama Canal three times. She visited 50 ports in 35 different countries. Although never deployed in a war the ship's guns fired 1,232 rounds of 11.4 cm (4.5 in) ammunition and 442 rounds of 40 mm ammunition.[5]
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