Jump to content

Wessex HAS.1 Sonar


NAVY870

Recommended Posts

Ahoy Shipmates

I have a request from one of my contacts seeking information on the sonar installation on RAN Wessex for a project.

The original fit I believe was the Type 194 as fitted to the sister RN HAS.1's

The B models had the American AN/AQS-13.

IF any of you chaps have pics or drawings etc ones gratitude would be boundless.

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure what the internal differences were, between the A/S HAS.1 and the A/S HAS.3, however I did take lots of photo's of our HAS.3 whilst it was being refurbished a few years ago.  The photo's can be found in our Walkaround Section.

 

Some example views that can be found in the Walkaround section.

 

Sonar

spacer.png

 

Operators stations

spacer.png

 

Sonar lowering and lifting mechanism

spacer.png

 

HTH

 

Mike

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...

Hi folks,

 

I'm updating a 1/72 FROG Wessex HAS1. Looking at the plan in the 4+ book I think it should have a Type 194 dipping sonar protruding from a hole in the bottom.

 

I've looked through the excellent Wessex walkaround that Mike @bootneck linked to above but cannot see the actual sonar equipment.

 

Any information, colours or pics (that can be posted or linked to) would be most appreciated.

 

Charlie

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Charlie,

 

here you go. 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

I shall be going back to the museum next wednesday and will take photos of the finished restoration of this.  You may need to remind me, nearer the time! :tired:

 

cheers,

Mike

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Mike - brilliant!

 

Is the complicated end (on the left in the first photo) that would stick out slightly from the bottom of the HAS.1?

 

embed?resid=B0B7467F81D325AB!1807&authke

Low res copy of part of 4+ plan for discussion purposes. Will be removed if requested.

 

20 hours ago, bootneck said:

I shall be going back to the museum next wednesday and will take photos of the finished restoration of this.  You may need to remind me, nearer the time! :tired:

 

Thanks, I'll send you a reminder. The sonar looks like it's been stripped, I'm guessing that it might have been painted, or some protection, given that it got dumped in the sea?

 

Cheers,

Charlie

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, the first photo is the top and the rest hangs below, as in this view.  The top would have a protective cover, probably fibreglass, and the sensors may have a coating of a silicone substance but I'm not certain.  I'll know more next week, when I check out the completed sonar.

 

cheers,

Mike

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, sloegin57 said:

Shot this at Greenham Common in '74 if its any help

 

Great photo, many thanks for posting it Dennis.

 

Looks like a HAS.3 (I'm a Wessex novice) with a Type 195 dipping sonar, slightly different to the Type 194 that Mike posted above? And a cover on the bottom end, that may be missing on the 194?

 

embed?resid=B0B7467F81D325AB!1809&authke

 

2 hours ago, 71chally said:

There's a bit of info in this thread

Thanks James, very useful thread.

 

We'll probably know more when Mike gets back to the museum next week.

 

Cheers,

 

Charlie

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Charlie,

 

the aircraft we have at the museum is also an HAS.3 so, if the sonar for the 1 is different from the 3, I won't have any further information for you.

 

Cheers,

Mike

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, David Womby said:

Does this help or just confuse things?

 

Helps me David as it looks like the sonar peeping out of the HAS.1 in the 4+ plan;

 

embed?resid=B0B7467F81D325AB!1807&authke

Low res copy of part of 4+ plan for discussion purposes. Will be removed if requested.

 

Possibly an earlier sonar type than the ones posted above.

 

51 minutes ago, bootneck said:

if the sonar for the 1 is different from the 3, I won't have any further information for you.

 

Hi Mike

Seems possible that the 1 was different. But it might be worth posting a pic of the restored one here for info?

 

Cheers,

 

Charlie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, that Australian Wessex looks to have a completely different model compared to the HAS.3.  I don't have any details of that version.

 

That link I posted earlier is the fully restored sonar in its cage in the HAS.3.

 

cheers,
Mike

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, 71chally said:

apologies my mind was in the HAS.3, all my pics are of that

 

Not at all James, all good info on types of sonar.

 

I've a reasonable idea what the HAS.1 sonar looked like and, well, this is 1/72 and underneath the fuselage.

 

Cheers.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The side view illustration above appears to show the Type 194 transducer head, not the 195 (as shown in the pics from Weston-super-Mare above from the HAS.3/Sea King HAS.1 etc.). I only managed to find one real example of the 194 (in the back of XP142 at FAAM with the cable un-ceremonially hacksawed off); the pic of it is in my Haynes Manual (p.112). However, the HAS.31B had an altogether different version - again, photos of all three are on the same page of the book. Unfortunately I don't have a flickr account to be able to share the image here.

Edited by Lee Howard
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Lee Howard said:

The side view illustration above appears to show the Type 194 transducer head, not the 195 (as shown in the pics from Weston-super-Mare above). I only managed to find one real example of the 194 (in the back of XP142 at FAAM with the cable un-ceremonially hacksawed off); the pic of it is in my Haynes Manual (p.112). However, the HAS.31B had an altogether different version - again, photos of all three are on the same page of the book. Unfortunately I don't have a flickr account to be able to share the image here.

 

Hi Lee,

Would you be able to give me an idea of the colour of the Type 194?

If you are interested in sharing the photos you have, you could send them to me via email and I'll post them here.

Regards,

Charlie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, 71chally said:

If @Lee Howard is amenable, I could post an image from his book?

If it's easier...

 

The body was akin to (at a guess) Light Aircraft Grey with a matt black circular transducer antennae.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/5/2024 at 7:45 PM, Lee Howard said:

The body was akin to (at a guess) Light Aircraft Grey with a matt black circular transducer antennae.

 

Thanks Lee, pretty much as I guessed.

 

Would it be OK for James (@71chally) to post your photos here?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, 71chally said:

hope it helps

 

Helps a lot! Far more complicated than I realised. Bit of scratch work coming up.

 

Thanks James.

 

Charlie

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

James @71chally that's a great photo, thanks.

 

Not just for the Type 194 sonar but also the weapons carrier in front of the door. Best photo of that type I've seen.

 

Charlie

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...