Went for a walk with the grandson yesterday along the bank of the Clyde and we had the unexpected spectacle of a cargo ship sailing by about 50 yards away carrying the 'Main Mast' (the pointy sticky up tower part behind the bridge) of one of the new Type 26 frigates (probably HMS Glasgow) currently being built on the Clyde. Very few people out walking and those who were, were probably unaware of its significance. [Anyone know what yard built it (the Main Mast)?]

Being pedantic thats not the Main Mast it's the Fore mast, 

Frigate? At that size - ~500 ft, ~8000 tons - she's not far off the size of a WW2 light cruiser (e.g. HMS Leander)!

Crew of only 157 though, as opposed to 570 (all figures from Wikipedia).

Everything gets bigger over time. It's the same with cars - go compare a 1980 BMW 3-series with what they sell now!

Quote from: Raider4 on 21 April 2021, 09:20:58 AM
Frigate? At that size - ~500 ft, ~8000 tons - she's not far off the size of a WW2 light cruiser (e.g. HMS Leander)!

Crew of only 157 though, as opposed to 570 (all figures from Wikipedia).

Everything gets bigger over time. It's the same with cars - go compare a 1980 BMW 3-series with what they sell now!

Considerably heavier than many of the scout cruisers, or older types used in some navies as destroyer leaders.

That change in crew size illustrates what can be achieved with automation  - Those WW2 guns weren't going to load themselves.
Also reduced demand for shore / boarding parties.


On naming/classification, I always felt that frigates got a raw deal during teh Dreadnought age.
Back in Nelson's day they did light cruiser work - far flung flag showing, scouting, keeping sea lanes open.
Suddenly they're little gunboats fit for harbour defence and a bit of Anti-sub work.
Now, they're getting the respect they deserve.

Quote from: ianrs54 on 21 April 2021, 09:13:57 AM
Being pedantic thats not the Main Mast it's the Fore mast,  

https://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/warship-anatomy.asp

[Signed - a landlubber    ]

p.s. I'm guessing the mast was made in Cumbria?

Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 21 April 2021, 10:29:57 AM
That change in crew size illustrates what can be achieved with automation  - Those WW2 guns weren't going to load themselves.

And a change in the type of armament - 8x 6" guns and 4x 4" guns vs. 1x 5" gun, 12x air defence missiles, 24x surface defence missiles, 2x Phalanx CIWS and 2x 30mm cannon (all automated). And a helicoptor (or two).

Quote from: Westmarcher on 21 April 2021, 11:50:00 AM
https://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/warship-anatomy.asp

[Signed - a landlubber    ]

p.s. I'm guessing the mast was made in Cumbria?

Now confirmed that the Mainmast was for HMS Glasgow but was made by a Norwegian company!       [see link below to Navy Lookout Twitter account (formerly Save The Royal Navy) - includes a photo of the cargo ship, mast and Glasgow's bow section.]

https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/1384768411721469953

I don't know about the 5", but the 4.5 inch in the Falklands shot down an Exocet, something you can do if you fire proximity fused fragmentation every 2 seconds.

It's a good 'pull up a bollard and I'll spin you a dit' tale but as unlikely as most of them.
Hugo White, HMS Avenger's Captain and commander of 4th Frigate Squadron, reckoned it was probably deflected by chaff and Woodward said the Exocet passed harmlessly between Avenger and Exeter.

But I like the idea of 4.5" hitting a 320 metres a second missile !

Late call for the day.

Can I get a big collective "Ding Dong" for actor Leslie Phillips CBE, who celebrates his 97th birthday today.

I SAY!

Ding Dong indeed!

But the man's an utter cad!

Quote from: Raider4 on 21 April 2021, 08:33:29 PM
But the man's an utter cad!

But a very smooth one.

Quote from: Lord Speedy of Leighton on 21 April 2021, 08:23:03 PM
I SAY!

Raaaatheeer !

Cheers - Phil.