Blackwood 1963
Hardy 1970
Exmouth 1975
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Blackwood | F78 | 4149 | Thornycroft, Woolston | 14.9.1953 | 4.10.1955 | 22.8.1957 | BU 11.1976 |
| Duncan | F80 | 4150 | Thornycroft, Woolston | 17.12.1953 | 30.5.1957 | 21.10.1958 | BU 2.1985 |
| Dundas | F48 | White, Cowes | 17.10.1952 | 25.9.1953 | 9.3.1956 | BU 4.1983 | |
| Exmouth | F84 | White, Cowes | 24.3.1954 | 16.11.1955 | 20.12.1957 | BU 2.1979 | |
| Grafton | F51 | White, Cowes | 25.2.1953 | 13.9.1954 | 11.1.1957 | BU 12.1971 | |
| Hardy | F54 | 2012 | Yarrow, Scotstoun | 4.2.1953 | 25.11.1953 | 15.12.1955 | hulk 10.1979 |
| Keppel | F85 | 2013 | Yarrow, Scotstoun | 27.3.1953 | 31.8.1954 | 6.7.1956 | BU 4.1979 |
| Malcolm | F88 | 2032 | Yarrow, Scotstoun | 1.2.1954 | 18.10.1955 | 12.12.1957 | BU 8.1973 |
| Murray | F91 | 638 | Stephen, Glasgow | 30.11.1957 | 22.2.1955 | 5.6.1956 | BU 8.1970 |
| Palliser | F94 | 639 | Stephen, Glasgow | 15.3.1955 | 10.5.1956 | 13.12.1957 | BU 3.1983 |
| Pellew | F62 | 1829 | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | 5.11.1953 | 29.9.1954 | 26.7.1956 | BU 4.1971 |
| Russell | F97 | 1831 | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | 11.11.1953 | 10.12.1954 | 7.2.1957 | BU 7.1985 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
1180 |
|
Displacement full, t |
1535 |
|
Length, m |
91.4 pp 94.5 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
10.7 |
|
Draught, m |
4.70 max |
|
No of shafts |
1 |
|
Machinery |
F78, 80: 1 set Thornycroft geared steam turbines, 2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers F48, 51, 84: 1 set White geared steam turbines, 2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers F54, 85, 88: 1 set Yarrow geared steam turbines, 2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers F91, 94: 1 set Stephen geared steam turbines, 2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers F62: 1 set Swan Hunter geared steam turbines, 2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers F97: 1 set Wallsend Slipway & Eng geared steam turbines, 2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
15000 |
|
Max speed, kts |
27 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil |
|
Endurance, nm(kts) |
4500(12) |
|
Armament |
F78, 84, 88, 94: 3 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 9, 2 x 3 - 305 Limbo Mk 10 ASWRL, 2 x 2 - 533 TT F80, 48, 51, 54, 85, 91, 62, 97: 3 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 9, 2 x 3 - 305 Limbo Mk 10 ASWRL |
|
Electronic equipment |
type 974, type 291 radars, type 174, type 170, type 162 sonars |
|
Complement |
140 |
Project history: The high unit cost of the Whitby design - £3.5m - led the Admiralty to consider cheaper vessels which could to be built more quickly: the result was the Type 14 (there was no Type 13), with the same ASW capacity as the Type 12, but with only half the power and virtually every other capability eliminated. All were ordered in March 1951.
The result illustrates vividly die problems of building a 2nd rate frigate, for although the Blackwoods achieved exactly what the Staff Requirement demanded - good ASW qualities at half the cost of the Whitbys - they were not popular in the Navy. Described as a utility design (as against the 'quality' Type 12) they were mocked as 'futility frigates', for their single-mission design made them inflexible for peacetime use. What was ignored was the fact that if hostilities had broken out with the Soviet Union in the late 1950s (as many Western defence planners envisaged) there would have been an extra half dozen Type 14s and ten Type 16s. In ASW exercises the Blackwoods often proved superior to more sophisticated frigates, mainly because their inflexibility permitted them to be left to continue their ASW training to a high level, whereas other frigates frequently had their training programs interrupted.
With only half the machinery of the Whitby class the designers had to go for finer lines and less weight to reach 25kts, and so the short forecastle reappeared. Although later strengthened after experiencing exceptionally heavy weather off Iceland. they proved very seaworthy, and many gave good service in the Fishery Protection Squadron.
Modernizations: late 1950s, Blackwood, Exmouth, Malcolm, Palliser: - 2 x 2 - 533 TT
early 1960s, all: - 1 x 1 - 40/60 (aft)
(1966-1968), Exmouth: was re-engined with COGAG installation: Rolls-Royce Olympus gas turbine (23200hp)+ 2 Rolls-Royce Proteus gas turbines (8500hp), geared to one shaft (31000hp summary), 28kts at full speed, 22kts under cruising turbines.
late 1960s, all: - type 291, type 974 radars; + type 978 radar
Naval service: No significant events.
Dundas 1973
Exmouth 1969
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
© Ivan Gogin, 2015