HMS Pheasant (U49)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Pheasant.
Pheasant moored at a buoy in May 1943
Career (United Kingdom)
Name: HMS Pheasant
Namesake: Pheasant
Builder: Yarrow Shipbuilders
Laid down: 13 July 1942
Launched: 21 December 1942
Commissioned: 12 May 1943
Reclassified: As a frigate in 1947
Fate: Broken up 1963
General characteristics
Class and type:Modified Black Swan-class sloop
Displacement:1,925 tons
Length:283 ft (86 m)
Beam:38 ft 6 in (11.73 m)
Draught:11 ft (3.4 m)
Propulsion:Geared turbines, two shafts
4,300 hp (3.21 MW)
Speed:20 knots (37 km/h)
Range:4,500 mi (7,200 km)
Complement:192
Armament:6 × 4-inch (102 mm) AA guns (3 × 2)
4 × 2 pdr AA pom-pom
12 × 20 mm Oerlikon AA (6 × 2)
Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar
Service record
Part of: British Pacific Fleet (1945)
Operations: Operation Husky (1943)

HMS Pheasant (U49) 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.

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 a 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 HMS Striker and HMS Ruler from April to August 1945.[1][2]

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