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History of Royal Navy cruisers from
the Swiftsure and Tiger Classes. Cruisers in the class included HMS
Ontario, HMS Swiftsure, HMS Blake, HMS Defence, HMS Superb and HMS Tiger including crew
and families of ex-crew members notice board for these
cruisers. Also known as the
Minotaur class. only three of the class were completed and two cancelled
(HMS Hawke and Bellerophon) the last three were suspended and
finally completed some 9 years later to a revised design which reduced the
number of guns. for a extensive RDF control, system and aswell as an
improved rate of fire.. RCN
Ontario was initially to be called HMS Minotaur she was built at Harland
and Wolff (Belfast) and launched 29th July 1943, she was handed to
the Canadian navy in July 1944. and served in the Pacific
Fleet in 1945, and finally scrapped in Japan in November 1960 HMS
Swiftsure was built by Vickers Armstrong on the Tyne and launched on the
4th February 1943. Served i the \Home Fleet fro m1944 and finally
scrapped at Inverkeithing October 1962 HMS
Blake was built by Fairfield and launched on the 20th December 1945.
served until Laid up at
Chatham, January 1980. Broken Up 1982. Displacement
8,800 tons. Speed: 32.5 knots (except HMS Blake and HMS Defence which
had a speed 31.5 knots) Crew
730 Armament: Nine 6 - inch in triple
mountings. and ten 4-inch AA i n pairs. sixteen 2 pdr. AA guns
in quads. eight 40mm AA in single mounting. and six 21 inch
torpedo tubes in threes. Armament
for HMS Defence and HMS Blake with Four 6oinch guns in pairs , six 3-inch
AA in pairs no Torpedo Tubes |
| Swiftsure
Class |
| RCN
Ontario |
29th July 1943 |
Broken up 1960. |
| HMS Swiftsure |
4th February 1943 |
Broken up 1962. |
| Tiger Class |
| HMS Blake |
20th December 1945. |
Laid up at
Chatham, January 1980. Broken Up 1982. |
| HMS Defence
(later HMS Lion) |
2nd September 1944. |
Broken up 1975. |
| HMS Superb |
31st August 1943 |
Broken up 1960. |
| HMS Tiger |
25th October 1945 |
Broken Up 1986. |
| HMS
Ontario
RCN Ontario was initially to be called HMS Minotaur
she was built at Harland and Wolff (Belfast) and launched 29th July
1943, she was handed to the Canadian navy in July 1944. and served
in the Pacific Fleet in 1945, and finally scrapped in Japan in
November 1960
|
HMS Ontario, June 1953.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
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| HMS
Swiftsure HMS Swiftsure was
built by Vickers Armstrong on the Tyne and launched on the 4th February
1943. Served in the Home Fleet from 1944 and finally scrapped at
Inverkeithing October 1962 |
HMS Swiftsure, laid up, April 1950.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
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HMS Swiftsure, June 1953.
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large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
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holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
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to order. Order Code MP1455 |
HMS Swiftsure, November 1946.
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large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
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holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
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to order. Order Code MP1453 |
HMS
Blake HMS Blake was built by
Fairfield and launched on the 20th December 1945. served until Laid up at
Chatham, January 1980. Broken Up 1982. |
|
HMS Blake, completing, July 1960.
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HMS Blake, 1969.
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|
HMS Blake, 1970.
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HMS Blake, June 1977.
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|
HMS Blake.
Original
Gale & Polden Ltd Postcard. Price £18. Click here to
order. Order Code PHC463
|
HMS Blake. Closing to store from RFA Regent,
June 1975.
Photographed by George
Mortimore L.R.P.S Copyright Cranston Fine Arts. A
reproduction of this original photo size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here . Order Code
GM048 |
|
HMS Defence |
|
HMS Defence, laid up, September 1954.
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holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
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XMP1465
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|
HMS Lion, 1960.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
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XMP1467
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HMS Lion, at breakers, June 1975.
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holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
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XMP1468
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to order. Order Code MP1468 |
|
HMS Lion (ex- HMS Defence)
Original
Gale & Polden Ltd Postcard. Price £12. Click here to
order. Order Code PHX316 |
HMS Lion completing, April 1960.
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|
HMS Superb |
|
HMS Superb, July 1946.
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HMS Superb, laid up, July 1960.
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|
HMS Superb. Sent
in by Danny Kay |
ORIGINAL POSTCARD FOR
SALE. DONATED TOWARDS THE UPKEEP OF THIS SITE.
HMS Superb
Original
W Ralston Postcard.. Price £22. Click here to
order. Order Code PHC719 |
|
HMS Tiger |
|
HMS Tiger, fitting out, August 1947.
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holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
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to order. Order Code MP1458 |
|
HMS Tiger, March 1959.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here Order Code
XMP1459
Original
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to order. Order Code MP1459 |
HMS Tiger, March 1959.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here Order Code
XMP1460
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1460 |
|
HMS Tiger, June 1966.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here Order Code
XMP1461
Original
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to order. Order Code MP1461 |
HMS Tiger, August 1972.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here Order Code
XMP1462
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1462 |
|
HMS Tiger, September 1972.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here Order Code
XMP1463
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1463 |
HMS Tiger, June 1977.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here Order Code
XMP1464
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1464 |
|
ORIGINAL POSTCARD FOR
SALE. DONATED TOWARDS THE UPKEEP OF THIS SITE.
HMS Tiger.
Original
Postcard. Published by Gale & Polden. Price £12. Click here to
order. Order Code PHC576 |
HMS Tiger with HMS
Jupiter (F60, left), HMS Ariadne
(F72, right) and an unknown submarine (front). Viewed from RFA Green
Rover, South Atlantic, April 1977.
Photographed by George
Mortimore L.R.P.S Copyright Cranston Fine Arts. A
reproduction of this original photo size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here . Order Code
GM049 |
|
HMS Tiger |
ORIGINAL POSTCARD FOR
SALE. DONATED TOWARDS THE UPKEEP OF THIS SITE.
HMS Tiger
Original Postcard. Publisher
Details Unknown. Price £18 Click here to
order. Order Code PHC649 |
| |
| Thanks to "Stuart" who sent in the
following information on this class:
I think this section is not quite right. I'm sure that Defence was
renamed Lion before completion. I know that Lion was disposed of at some
point in the early 1970's, though exactly when I don't know. Tiger
and Blake were converted to Helicopter Cruisers. They had their after
6" turret removed and replaced by a hangar and flight deck for 2 Sea
King or Wessex Mk 3 helicopters. I remember sitting on a pontoon
tied to HMS Tiger in Portsmouth Harbour in 1982, watching HMS Hermes come
home from the Falklands War. I was on a sailing course with the Sea Cadets
at HMS Excellent. Tiger was, at the time, being kept in reserve
there. I think she was sold for scrap in 1984. HMS Blake was kept in
reserve at Chatham from 1980 until shortly before the Dockyard closed in
1984, when she was sold for scrap.
Hope this is of some use. |
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Photographs and information on historical events about cruisers
requested for this new website. If you have any information you would like
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also photographs of the ship please USE
OUR MESSAGE FORM
MESSAGES
HMS SWIFTSURE..
INFORMATION.. I would like to find out information on
HMS Swiftsure's deployment to the Far East in 1945. She was in Sydney on
VJ Day and also visited Japan I believe in the same year. Can you help?
Contact me at steve.peters@tiscali.co.uk
HMS TIGER
MICKEY D BLANCHFORD... I was stationed in Guam in 1973 and while I was
there HMS Tiger was in port. I was aboard the ship and had a couple of
ales in the pub. I would like to say hello to some of the guys that were
crew members in 1973, maybe they might remember 'Crums Corner'. I was in
the USAF at the time. contact me at mickey@bigsky.net
E J WORRAL .. My father E J Worral served HMS Tiger
and i would be grateful for any information about him as i know nothing
about his naval career . Please contact Bill Worral at contact
here |
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