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HMS Campbeltown (F86)


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Back in now what seems to be old history I was first an Apprentice Shipwright, then draughtsman at Cammell Lairds in Birkenhead. I was given these pics when I left as a kind of record of something we achieved.

Until launched she was yard number 1378 to us.

Units being assembled prior to lifting onto the berth

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Units on the berth

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Forward end being lifted onto the berth

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Forward end being positioned

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Bridge deck (03) being constructed

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Rear mast mounting/deckhouse being lifted on

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3/4 Of main structure complete on berth

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Aft end extruded from build hall to position bow structure on berth

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Fully extruded vessel prior to launch

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Day Before Launch

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Launch day (can you spot me in the crowd?)

Now HMS Campeltown

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Entering Wet dock after launch

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This is where I did most of my work on the ship.

Vessel again entering wet dock but after sea trials

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This was a trip down memory lane for me scanning these in, I hope you like them.

Julien

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Echo what Phil has said. They were really good looking ships, just a shame they didn't get it this right with batch I and II.

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Cheers guys, she will always be a special ship to me. Not sure they got it wrong per say with the batch I & II they were just built to a set specification.

Batch III had all the hard learnt lessons from the Falklands built in. I agree with Phil they were excellent looking ships, the rake on the bow quite really made them look fast. They were also paid of to early I think. Plenty of life left in all of them.

Skippy, what was you job on them?

I would buy a 1/350 kit in an instant.

Julien

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At the time I was an officer cadet, basically in our second term at Dartmouth each division was sent to one of her Majesty's warships to live and work as a junior rate for 6 weeks or so. We worked everywhere from the engine rooms to the bridge, I'm fairly sure there's still a Maglite of mine in one of her bilges! Happy times and our first experience of the real navy.

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Cheers guys, she will always be a special ship to me. Not sure they got it wrong per say with the batch I & II they were just built to a set specification.

Batch III had all the hard learnt lessons from the Falklands built in. I agree with Phil they were excellent looking ships, the rake on the bow quite really made them look fast. They were also paid of to early I think. Plenty of life left in all of them.

Skippy, what was you job on them?

I would buy a 1/350 kit in an instant.

Julien

So would I,but....me auld brain-box is now working overtime ,after finding these:

https://www.whiteensignmodels.com/p/Jecobin...town+1998/3850/

I think it would be a good subject for a Scratch effort,haven`t done one in a while .....Maybe?

Cheers,Phil :hmmm:

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Retired way too early, down to cost cutting I suppose?

Yes pretty sad as they were capable ships built with all the post Falklands knowledge.

I wonder if we are going to sell them? pretty sure they will find buyers.

Julien

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Were Type 22 frigates ( Batch 2 or 3 ) ever fitted with Phalanx ?

I know they had Goalkeeper but wondered if they ever had Phalanx prior to being fitted with Goalkeeper.

John

As far as I know, no, the Goalkeepers were fitted on the Batch 3 at build so were the only CIWS ever fitted. I don't think the Batch 2 ever had either Phalanx or Goalkeeper, certainly Coventry didn't when I was on her just prior to her final deployment in 2001.

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Thanks for the info. I am currently looking at a 1:700 Batch 3 Type 22 before deciding on whether to stock them.

Upon opening the box, I noticed that there was one Phalanx unit but no Goalkeeper ...... strange !!!!!

John

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On 05/01/2013 at 4:35 PM, SkippyBing said:

As far as I know, no, the Goalkeepers were fitted on the Batch 3 at build so were the only CIWS ever fitted. I don't think the Batch 2 ever had either Phalanx or Goalkeeper, certainly Coventry didn't when I was on her just prior to her final deployment in 2001.

Batch 3 were only the only ships fitted with CIWS, and had Goal keeper. Illustrious, Albion and Bulwark also had it. Albion now has Phalanx and last Goal keeper units have been removed from Bulwark.

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I joined Boxer (lead ship of Batch 2) when she was still in build at Yarrows in the Clyde.  Until I turned up in Scotstoun I had no idea that there even WAS a Batch 2 - I was expecting the "normal" short bow (and I later served in Broadsword, so have a deep affection for the class), so quite quite a shock when I saw this long, elegant raked thing over my head.

 

The Batch 2s were very capable ships - or rather would have been, had the AIO system (CACS) ever worked as designed.  They had other (sneaky-beaky) gear on board that gave them considerable capability, despite the relatively simple armament.

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On ‎06‎/‎03‎/‎2018 at 14:16, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

I joined Boxer (lead ship of Batch 2) when she was still in build at Yarrows in the Clyde.  Until I turned up in Scotstoun I had no idea that there even WAS a Batch 2 - I was expecting the "normal" short bow (and I later served in Broadsword, so have a deep affection for the class), so quite quite a shock when I saw this long, elegant raked thing over my head.

 

The Batch 2s were very capable ships - or rather would have been, had the AIO system (CACS) ever worked as designed.  They had other (sneaky-beaky) gear on board that gave them considerable capability, despite the relatively simple armament.

I joined BOXER as she was approaching the end of her CACS trials in 86 and then deployed her to the Gulf in early 88.  True, CACS didn't fulfil the requirement that had been specified, but it was still streets ahead of any other command system that we had at the time.  I have a recollection that it was never formally accepted into service, even when the last ships were sold/scrapped.

 

I remember doing Command Team Training at DRYAD just before we deployed and at one point left the T22 Ops Room and wandered into the T42 to see how they were doing.  The CO (a very young Nigel Essenhigh) looked at me and asked what I was doing.  I explained that I was from BOXER; his response was "Great, what on earth is going on"!

 

 

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