Last RN Triple Stacker to be retired.
Discussion
One of the "what ifs", sadly it was the only member of its class, the Type 82 Destroyer HMS Bristol lowered its ensign for the last time.
Designed as an anti-air and anti-submarine escort for the carriers cancelled in the 1966 Defence Review it became a bit of a white elephant. It served as a test bed for several weapons systems and served in the Falklands Campaign in 1982.
It has not left port for almost 3 decades - being a training vessel for generations of naval officers and sea cadets.
Sadly it looks like it's going to be razor blades - there are no plans to preserve it.
SD.
Designed as an anti-air and anti-submarine escort for the carriers cancelled in the 1966 Defence Review it became a bit of a white elephant. It served as a test bed for several weapons systems and served in the Falklands Campaign in 1982.
It has not left port for almost 3 decades - being a training vessel for generations of naval officers and sea cadets.
Sadly it looks like it's going to be razor blades - there are no plans to preserve it.
SD.
shed driver said:
One of the "what ifs", sadly it was the only member of its class, the Type 82 Destroyer HMS Bristol lowered its ensign for the last time.
Designed as an anti-air and anti-submarine escort for the carriers cancelled in the 1966 Defence Review it became a bit of a white elephant. It served as a test bed for several weapons systems and served in the Falklands Campaign in 1982.
It has not left port for almost 3 decades - being a training vessel for generations of naval officers and sea cadets.
Sadly it looks like it's going to be razor blades - there are no plans to preserve it.
SD.
Nice looking old thing. Did her bit in the Falklands too.Designed as an anti-air and anti-submarine escort for the carriers cancelled in the 1966 Defence Review it became a bit of a white elephant. It served as a test bed for several weapons systems and served in the Falklands Campaign in 1982.
It has not left port for almost 3 decades - being a training vessel for generations of naval officers and sea cadets.
Sadly it looks like it's going to be razor blades - there are no plans to preserve it.
SD.
Just looking again at the picture a few posts above of Bristol in her heyday and noticed the proximity of the Sea Dart launcher to the Wasp on the flight deck.
I know that T82 had limited aviation facilities (on account of its purpose being to accompany CVA-01 which obviously would have had plenty) and didn't normally have a helo embarked - but given the amount of flame and heat associated with a Sea Dart launch, was it possible to launch Sea Dart with a helicopter on the flight deck ?
Also note that Bristol has been where she is for so long that she's shown as a permanent fixture on my Admiralty Portsmouth Harbour chart !
I know that T82 had limited aviation facilities (on account of its purpose being to accompany CVA-01 which obviously would have had plenty) and didn't normally have a helo embarked - but given the amount of flame and heat associated with a Sea Dart launch, was it possible to launch Sea Dart with a helicopter on the flight deck ?
Also note that Bristol has been where she is for so long that she's shown as a permanent fixture on my Admiralty Portsmouth Harbour chart !
Edited by Seight_Returns on Thursday 5th November 11:31
Seight_Returns said:
Just looking again at the picture a few posts above of Bristol in her heyday and noticed the proximity of the Sea Dart launcher to the Wasp on the flight deck.
I know that T82 had limited aviation facilities (on account of its purpose being to accompany CVA-01 which obviously would have had plenty) and didn't normally have a helo embarked - but given the amount of flame and heat associated with a Sea Dart launch, was it possible to launch Sea Dart with a helicopter on the flight deck ?
I've fired a few Dart back in the day although not on Bristol (I was T42's), it's been out of service long enough to not be giving too much away posting on here now. Doing a peacetime firing you'd generally shoot on the beam to get the best arcs and to avoid stripping the bridge screen of paint (have done that though much to the dabbers annoyance). Firing over the bow or "round the corner" shots were rare (standfast Gloucester 91), certainly in peacetime.I know that T82 had limited aviation facilities (on account of its purpose being to accompany CVA-01 which obviously would have had plenty) and didn't normally have a helo embarked - but given the amount of flame and heat associated with a Sea Dart launch, was it possible to launch Sea Dart with a helicopter on the flight deck ?
Edited by Seight_Returns on Thursday 5th November 11:31
The boost motor efflux does make a real mess and I can't see there being any way you'd ever fire Dart with a cab on deck (in peacetime) even with the launcher at red/green 090, too much risk of damaging it.
I'm pretty sure Bristol didn't ever embark a flight on a permanent basis though so it would only be visiting aircraft anyway doing a transfer, you'd just launch it prior to an engagement. There might be someone on here from the 1982 "down south" crew who will know some more about what they did on Corporate with helo ops.
As an aside fact the launcher and magazine handling system on Bristol was different to a T42, it was certainly my favourite piece of hardware I maintained in the RN. It had everything...big hydraulics and pneumatics controlled by 1950's style relays, an analogue control system for the thyristor driven launcher pointing system to electronics in the firing system...you really had to be a jack of all trades.
It never ceased to amaze me how fast you could throw a half tonne 4.5 metre long missile about, happy days
Scrump said:
FourWheelDrift said:
The last Falkands veteran warship (non-submarine) left in the Royal Navy for now.
I don’t think there are any Falklands veteran submarines left either.HMS Courageous museum pages - https://devonportnhc.wordpress.com/warshiptours/
Interesting stuff - thanks.
I remember visiting Bristol as a Navy-Curious teenager back in the late 80s. As built she seemed to have just about every available 1960s era weopons system on her (Sea Dart, Ikara, Limbo Launcher, 4.5") - many of which became obsolescent and very removed during her service life. I remember being shown how the below deck space where the limbo launcher machinery used to be had been converted to a gym (HMS Bristol Muscle Shop!) and being told that the deck well for the limbo launcher was used as an impromptu swimming pool at sea. The former I saw with my own eyes, the later I suspect was matlot humour !
I remember visiting Bristol as a Navy-Curious teenager back in the late 80s. As built she seemed to have just about every available 1960s era weopons system on her (Sea Dart, Ikara, Limbo Launcher, 4.5") - many of which became obsolescent and very removed during her service life. I remember being shown how the below deck space where the limbo launcher machinery used to be had been converted to a gym (HMS Bristol Muscle Shop!) and being told that the deck well for the limbo launcher was used as an impromptu swimming pool at sea. The former I saw with my own eyes, the later I suspect was matlot humour !
FourWheelDrift said:
Scrump said:
FourWheelDrift said:
The last Falkands veteran warship (non-submarine) left in the Royal Navy for now.
I don’t think there are any Falklands veteran submarines left either.HMS Courageous museum pages - https://devonportnhc.wordpress.com/warshiptours/
Steve_D said:
We've just had to cancel the annual Ex Seadart drawing office Christmas meal. Only about 12 of us left now so no point risking reducing the numbers any further.
Steve ex BAE
That's a real shame, always enjoyed my trips up to the reference set in Barrow back in the early 2000's either as a student or instructing the Dart PJT. Great set up, bunch of blokes and run ashore.Steve ex BAE
Always marvelled at the proper old school engineering that went on in the gun shop, Mk 8's on one side GWS 30 launchers on the other. Picked up some great tips as well from the guys that actually designed, built and refurbed the kit.
Hope you are all enjoying your retirement, you turned out some great kit from Barrow that's for sure.
Wal ex RN now BAE
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