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UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

COASTAL FORCES

"PCS" submarine-chasers (1943-1945)

PCS1386 1943

Project history: Designing of minesweeper for protection of bases against mine danger was started after occurrence of 105-ft minesweeping boat in Britain. This ship has made good impression upon Americans, first of all by construction simplicity and cheapness. It has been decided to create for the USN the similar ship which can be built in big numbers by practically any small shipbuilder. First time they wished to built minesweeper in hull of 110-ft SC, however from similar thought rejected because of impossibility to place a diesel-generator necessary for magnetic sweep. The hull should be projected anew. For raise of seaworthiness short forecastle was provided. As well as in a case with SC, wood was chosen as construction material for building depreciation.

YMS class minesweepers were sectioned into three practically identical sub-classes, the basic difference between which consisted in number of funnels: on YMS1-134 they were two, on YMS135-445 and 481 one, and on remaining the funnel in general was absent. Britain additionally received 80 minesweepers (BYMS1-80), built specially for RN.

Shortage of submarine chasers on early war stage, has compelled naval chiefs to undertake a number of emergency measures on overcoming of this crisis. The program of building of submarine chasers in hulls of minesweepers of YMS class became one of them. In June, 1942 the order for such 100 ships has followed. It was supposed to increase at the expense of removing of a diesel-generator a stock of fuel and to raise an endurance, to install the second 76mm gun, Hedgehog and increase to 52 DC stowage. However calculations have shown, that in this case the ship was overloaded and works were limited to adding of single 40mm Bofors and Mousetrap launchers.

New chasers were unsuccessful: having 14kts speed and weakest among other ASW ships armament, they were suited for anti-submarine role a little, and the building program was begun to curtail already in the end of 1942. Only 90 ships were really ordered, subsequently building of 31 of them was cancelled  

Modernizations: 1944, PCS1377, 1378, 1380 - 1387, 1392, 1417, 1423, 1424, 1426, 1431, 1441, 1442, 1445, 1446, 1448, 1449: were converted to ASW TS: - 1 x 1 - 76/50; + 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog Mk 10 ASWRL

1944, PCS(C)1379, 1389 - 1391, 1402, 1403, 1418, 1421, 1429, 1452, 1455, 1460, 1461; were converted to amphibious command ships: - 1 x 1 - 40/56

1.1945, AMc203 Medrick, AMc204 Minah: were converted to minehunters: - 1 x 1 - 40/56, 1 x 1 - 20/70, 2 x 4 - 178 Mousetrap ASWWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR; + FM sonar, diving equipment

1.1946, PCS: 1 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 22, 1 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 2 x 4 - 178 Mousetrap Mk 20 ASWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR, SF or SO or SU radar, QHA sonar

1.1946, ASW TS: 1 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog Mk 10.11 ASWRL, 2 x 4 - 178 Mousetrap Mk 20 ASWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR, SF or SO or SU radar, QHA sonar

1.1946, PCS(C): 1 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 22, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 2 x 4 - 178 Mousetrap Mk 20 ASWRL, 4 DCT, 2 DCR, SF or SO or SU radar, QHA sonar

1.1946, AMc: 1 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 22, 1 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, diving equipment, SF or SO or SU radar, FM sonar

Naval service: No significant events.

© Ivan Gogin, 2014-15