| Tobago:
The HMS Tobago was a 1,509 Grt. Patrol Frigate of the Tacoma Class built at the Walsh-Kaiser shipyard of Kopper, Bartlett and Hatwood, Providence, Rhode Island (Yard 1663). She was one of 95 ships of this class built. Of the 95 ships, 21 were completed for the British Royal navy under the Lend-Lease program, and re-designated as "Colony Class".
the Tobago was laid as the Holmes on 17 august 1943, launched as the Hong Kong 27 September 1943 and completed 12 August 1944. She was 92.6 meters in length, 11.4 meters in beam, 4.17 meters in draught, with 2 watertube boilers, 2 VTE reciprocating engines, twin shafts for a maximum speed of 20.3 knots.
Armament consisted of: 3 × 76.2mm guns,
4 × 40mm AA guns,
6 × 20mm AA guns, and
ASW equipment (1 Squid, 1 Hedgehog launcher, 2 Depth Charge racks, 4 Depth Charge launchers)
Transferred to the British Royal Navy as Hong Kong (K585) and renamed HMS Tobago (K585) of the Colony Class. Returned to US Navy inventory in 1946 and sold for scrap in 1947. Resold in 1950 for conversion to mercantile use. Sold to Egypt sometime afterwards. Hulked in 1953.
The HMS Tobago
The HMS Tobago, HMS Papua and Caicos were the only Colony Class ships to have a post-WWII life. The HMS Tobago was scuttled in the Suez Canal on 01 November 1956 as a blockship. She was later raised during the clearing of the canal and broken up in the Great Bitter Lake. The Papua was also sunk as a blockship, raised and broken up. The Caicos saw service as the survey ship Trinidad in the Argentine Navy and was broken up in 1970.
References:
Miramar Single Ship Report for 6120318 http://www.warshipsww2.eu http://www.oldships.org.uk/SHIPS/SHIP_HTM/Tobago.htm http://naval-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_post_war_life_of_the_tacomas |
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