For other ships with the same name, see HMS Musketeer.
HMS Musketeer was a M-classdestroyer built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She was ordered from Fairfield's, Govan, Glasgow on 7 September 1939 under the 1939 Build Programme and laid down on 7 December the same year. She was launched on 2 December 1941 and completed on 18 September 1942 at a cost of £462,543. Musketeer was adopted in December 1941 by the community of East Barnet, now part of Greater London. Musketeer was the second RN ship to carry this name; the first was a destroyer built in 1915 and sold in 1921.
Musketeer commissioned on 9 September 1942 and joined the Home Fleet as part of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla covering the North Sea and the North Western Approaches. In November 1942 she was switched to duty with the convoys to the Soviet Union, protecting merchant shipping delivering vital supplies to Russia for her war against Nazi Germany. This was a role that Musketeer was to perform for most of her wartime service, although from May to September 1943, following a refit, she once again served in the Home Fleet guarding the Western Approaches. On 27 September 1943 she took part in a mission in support of Royal Air Force (RAF) attempts to neutralise the German battleship Tirpitz, when she ferried RAF personnel from the Faroe Islands to Murmansk. Murmansk was the base for reconnaissance flights to Tripitz's anchorage in the Altafjord in Norway. These flights were used in the planning of an eventual RAF bombing raid on the battleship. On 25 February 1944 Musketeer was involved in a collision with the Polish destroyer ORP Błyskawica, breaking off from convoy duty to be taken in hand for repair by Brigham and Cowan shipyard in Hull. Repairs were completed by the end of March 1944 and in early April the ship was again back on Russian convoy duty.
Mediterraneanedit
On 3 October 1944, Musketeer was assigned for service in the Eastern Mediterranean. She worked mainly in the Aegean supporting the re-capture of enemy-held islands and operating against the small Greek Communist ships of the ELAN. Following VE day in May 1945 Musketeer continued her service in the Mediterranean and helped in the support of the garrisons in Trieste and mainland Greece.
Proposed Post-War Conversionedit
In the early 1950s, it was proposed to convert the five remaining ships of the M class, together with seven War Emergency Programme destroyers to Type 62 Air Direction Frigates. The conversion would have involved replacement of the ships' armament and sensors. The initial proposal would have armed the ships with a twin 4-inch gun mount, a twin 40 mm Bofors gun and a Squid anti-submarine mortar. Type 982 and 983 air direction radars would be fitted, as would Type 162 and 166 sonars. In March 1952, the programme was reduced, as the War Emergency Destroyers were too small to accommodate the heavy radars. Later that year, it was decided to substitute a US twin 3"/50 caliber gun mount for the 4-inch guns. The project was finally abandoned in May 1954, partly owing to the condition of the ships and poor shock-resistance. Musketeer was subsequently sold for scrap and broken up in 1955, while the four remaining M class were sold to Turkey in 1958.[1][2]
English, John (2001). Afridi to Nizam: British Fleet Destroyers 1937–43. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN0-905617-64-9.
Friedman, Norman (2006). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-86176-137-6.
Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-048-7.
March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.
Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-59114-119-2.
Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-326-1.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Musketeer (G86).
April 13, 2024
musketeer, other, ships, with, same, name, musketeer, musketeer, class, destroyer, built, royal, navy, during, world, ordered, from, fairfield, govan, glasgow, september, 1939, under, 1939, build, programme, laid, down, december, same, year, launched, december. For other ships with the same name see HMS Musketeer HMS Musketeer was a M class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during World War II She was ordered from Fairfield s Govan Glasgow on 7 September 1939 under the 1939 Build Programme and laid down on 7 December the same year She was launched on 2 December 1941 and completed on 18 September 1942 at a cost of 462 543 Musketeer was adopted in December 1941 by the community of East Barnet now part of Greater London Musketeer was the second RN ship to carry this name the first was a destroyer built in 1915 and sold in 1921 Musketeer underwayHistoryUnited KingdomNameHMS MusketeerOrdered7 July 1939BuilderFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company GovanLaid down7 December 1939Launched2 December 1941Completed18 September 1942IdentificationPennant number G86FateSold for scrap 3 September 1955General characteristics as built Class and typeM class destroyerDisplacement1 920 long tons 1 950 t standard 2 725 long tons 2 769 t deep load Length362 ft 3 in 110 4 m o a Beam37 ft 11 3 m Draught14 ft 4 3 m Installed power48 000 shp 36 000 kW 2 Admiralty 3 drum boilersPropulsion2 shafts 2 geared steam turbinesSpeed36 knots 67 km h 41 mph Range5 500 nmi 10 200 km 6 300 mi at 15 knots 28 km h 17 mph Complement190Sensors and processing systemsASDIC Type 285 gunnery radar Type 290 air warning radarArmament3 twin 4 7 in 120 mm Mk XI dual purpose guns 1 single QF 4 in 102 mm Mk V anti aircraft gun 1 quadruple QF 2 pdr 40 mm Mk VIII AA guns 2 single Oerlikon 20 mm 0 8 in AA guns 2 quadruple 2 twin 0 5 in 12 7 mm Vickers Mark III anti aircraft machineguns 1 quadruple 21 in 533 mm torpedo tubes 42 depth charges 2 racks 2 throwers Contents 1 World War 2 Service 1 1 Arctic Convoys 1 2 Mediterranean 2 Proposed Post War Conversion 3 Citations 4 References 5 External linksWorld War 2 Service editArctic Convoys edit Musketeer commissioned on 9 September 1942 and joined the Home Fleet as part of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla covering the North Sea and the North Western Approaches In November 1942 she was switched to duty with the convoys to the Soviet Union protecting merchant shipping delivering vital supplies to Russia for her war against Nazi Germany This was a role that Musketeer was to perform for most of her wartime service although from May to September 1943 following a refit she once again served in the Home Fleet guarding the Western Approaches On 27 September 1943 she took part in a mission in support of Royal Air Force RAF attempts to neutralise the German battleship Tirpitz when she ferried RAF personnel from the Faroe Islands to Murmansk Murmansk was the base for reconnaissance flights to Tripitz s anchorage in the Altafjord in Norway These flights were used in the planning of an eventual RAF bombing raid on the battleship On 25 February 1944 Musketeer was involved in a collision with the Polish destroyer ORP Blyskawica breaking off from convoy duty to be taken in hand for repair by Brigham and Cowan shipyard in Hull Repairs were completed by the end of March 1944 and in early April the ship was again back on Russian convoy duty Mediterranean edit On 3 October 1944 Musketeer was assigned for service in the Eastern Mediterranean She worked mainly in the Aegean supporting the re capture of enemy held islands and operating against the small Greek Communist ships of the ELAN Following VE day in May 1945 Musketeer continued her service in the Mediterranean and helped in the support of the garrisons in Trieste and mainland Greece Proposed Post War Conversion editIn the early 1950s it was proposed to convert the five remaining ships of the M class together with seven War Emergency Programme destroyers to Type 62 Air Direction Frigates The conversion would have involved replacement of the ships armament and sensors The initial proposal would have armed the ships with a twin 4 inch gun mount a twin 40 mm Bofors gun and a Squid anti submarine mortar Type 982 and 983 air direction radars would be fitted as would Type 162 and 166 sonars In March 1952 the programme was reduced as the War Emergency Destroyers were too small to accommodate the heavy radars Later that year it was decided to substitute a US twin 3 50 caliber gun mount for the 4 inch guns The project was finally abandoned in May 1954 partly owing to the condition of the ships and poor shock resistance Musketeer was subsequently sold for scrap and broken up in 1955 while the four remaining M class were sold to Turkey in 1958 1 2 Citations edit English 2001 p 115 Gardiner and Chumbley 1995 p 516 References editColledge J J Warlow Ben 2006 1969 Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy Rev ed London Chatham Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 281 8 English John 2001 Afridi to Nizam British Fleet Destroyers 1937 43 Gravesend Kent World Ship Society ISBN 0 905617 64 9 Friedman Norman 2006 British Destroyers amp Frigates The Second World War and After Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 86176 137 6 Lenton H T 1998 British amp Empire Warships of the Second World War Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 048 7 March Edgar J 1966 British Destroyers A History of Development 1892 1953 Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records amp Returns Ships Covers amp Building Plans London Seeley Service OCLC 164893555 Rohwer Jurgen 2005 Chronology of the War at Sea 1939 1945 The Naval History of World War Two Third Revised ed Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 119 2 Whitley M J 1988 Destroyers of World War 2 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 326 1 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Musketeer G86 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Musketeer G86 amp oldid 1169509860, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
