Shipbucket

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO ... F0RjJIelRR

I bought a RC ship model kit of Type 14 frigate: http://deansmarine.co.uk/shop/product_i ... cts_id/472

Unfortunately (dont kill me) I plan not to follow strictly the historical model, but tinker it by myself a little.
Type 14 always been criticized to be undergunned, so i plan to correct that at first.

I think about export version with europian weaponry and equipment, for more flexibility.
In my opinion, this version will have even better ASW capabilities and quite better AA defence.

Removing both Limbo ASW gives a 70 free tons for armament and equipment, which is enough and even some weight reserves are left with this modifications.

The picture may not be precise, as details will be refined on the real physical model.

What is your opinion about such refit plan?
I will gladly receive corrections and suggestions, especially for sensor and radio equipment.
Time period must be 1960-1962.

Best Regards!

Hello, welcome to Shipbucket!

Nice to see someone playing with Type 14 frigate, this little frigate had potential, but never explored.

An idea could be to use this gun in bow section:

http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNBR_3-70_mk6.php

Also she would have Sea Cat. These were available in 1960-62, while electronics/radar woul;d of course be period British items.

I though an export Iraqi Type 14 variant for my AU scenarios, but later in 1969-70, based on the later COGOG HMS Exmouth.

Could you provide separately the triple K2/L3 torpedo tubes please? Are these the real ones used in T47 destroyers?

The main point would be who is it for and in what role?

What about a fit as a cheap gunboat for export of,

Single 3"/70 - AU Say RN agree to do the single v USN doing the Twin? This would then fill the OTO 76 gap the market and be great for export for cheap small ships.

A simple ASW fit such as Mousetrap rocket projector for some ASW,

As well as a couple of 20mm for junk bashing.

Iraq would perhaps need a cheap gunboat, in that era no one in Persian Gulf had submarines. I thought the same 3"/70 with the Canadian Tribal class, but the OTO Melara 76mm could also fitted as well.

What about NickD's idea;

Here the french equipment from 50s i draw from scaled blueprints:
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipP ... 1iZ0h6QWZ3
It is used in T47 DD's and E50,E52, E52b DE's.
Designation AT47 for torpedo tubes i found somewhere in these sites:
http://www.netmarine.net/bat/er/er.htm
http://www.escorteursrapides.net/caract.html
There were also some rare photos of K2 and L3 torpedoes.

The idea around this type 14 export version was that some countries may want some relatively cheap escort and ASW ships. Main target customers are smaller european, african and gulf countries. In real life, for example saudi frigate Al-Madinah have mix of french and italian weapons. Also 50-60's french government sells armaments almost to anyone who wants.

So i think about two variants - more advanced version i draw above, which can be sold to countries not too close with US and UK
and the second budget variant with US weaponry:
- mk33 dual 76mm mount replacing 57mm turret (only around 15 tons)
- Mk10 trainable Hedgehog instead 375mm ASWRL
- original project dual 533mm torpedo tubes, initially intended for Bidder torpedo, but instead using Mk35 U.S. ASW torpedoes, which started to being obsolete and US wanted to get rid of them at this time.
- pair of 20mm Oerlicons replacing 40mm Bofors
This modification can be freely sold to virtually any poor non-communist customer.
And this variant is very close to the gunboat You suggest.

About 76mm/70 Mk6 turret I thought about this variant, but it is very expensive and, more important, too heavy - 37 tons. I also considered Sweden 57mm turret, but i preferred french version to save weight (17 against 24 tons)

Yes, I also thought about SeaCat w/ M45 director or OTO Melara 76mm, but only as later upgrades.

Hmm, Odysseus, it is nice idea to have 76mm Mk6 at the bow, and Seacat at the stern plus better AA radar. This can become a really nice air-defense frigate(in British and Commonwealth service, maybe), but this will need very serious redesign of superstructures and internal planning, because of excessive weight of the gun mount (in original version, nothing is there).
I can draw this variant, when i have time.

Another idea is to switch places of the turret and the launcher, but i think this is not a very good solution - weight problems can be solved, but the launcher will be always wet and can be damaged from the waves and salt water.

The AKE-1 radar is too heavy for the Type 14, it was fitted in larger Type 41 Leopard. On the other hand, 3" Mk6 gun is also heavy compared with OTO Melara designs, even the early MMI.

Plessey AWS-1 (1956/1957) ?
http://woottonbridgeiow.org.uk/decca-le ... 0.php#10.2

This could be fitted indeeed, it equipped the Vickers Mk1/Mk2 frigates sold in Ghana and Nigeria in mid 1960's. Both had Sea Cat also.