Shipbucket

In the closing days of the Second World War, the Royal Canadian Navy received four destroyers from Great Britain of the "War Emergency Programme" type. The first pair were the V - class destroyers HMS Valentine and HMS Vixen, which were transferred to the RCN prior to commissioning and renamed HMCS Algonquin and HMCS Sioux respectively, after Canadian indigenous peoples. The latter pair were the Cr - class destroyers HMS Crescent and HMS Crusader. Initially leased by the RCN, their transfer was not made permanent until 1951 thus Crescent and Crusader kept their original names in Canadian service.

Following the end of hostilities, all four destroyers were placed into reserve. They would languish in mothballs for almost seven years, however the growing possibility of conflict with the Soviet Union meant that the RCN was eventually granted the funding to overhaul the destroyers and fit them with the latest in anti-submarine weaponry. Following British plans, HMCS Algonquin and HMCS Crescent entered drydock in the early 1950s for conversion into Type 15 anti-submarine frigates. Their superstructure was entirely rebuilt out of aluminum, serving as a prototype for the future St. Laurent - class of anti-submarine destroyers. They also incorporated many state-of-the-art features for the time such as a pre-wetting system of sprinklers along the exterior of the ships which was designed to flush away contaminants in an NBC environment.

HMCS Crusader and HMCS Sioux both performed several tours of duty during the Korean War and therefore were unavailable for such an extensive refit. Following that conflict they primarily served in training duties until being paid off in the early 1960s.



I've taken the liberty of modifying Novice's existing drawing of HMCS Algonquin and depicting her here as she appeared in 1967, shortly before decommissioning. By this time she had received a fibreglass turret encasing the forward 3"/50 twin, as well as American SPS-6 and SPS-10 radars. HMCS Algonquin and HMCS Crescent were virtually identical with the exception that their gun arrangement was reversed - the RCN was often experimenting during this time period with different configurations which would explain the difference between the two ships. HMCS Algonquin and HMCS Crescent were laid up at CFB Esquimault in 1967 and remained dockside there until finally being paid off in 1970.

Credit as well goes to Maple-leaf-Warrior for the fantastic badge. If I can get a badge made up for Crescent I'll finish my drawing for her as well in the near future. References are extremely hard to come by for these vessels so if anyone has any it would be greatly appreciated.

A nice update.
I would have been tempted to update the portholes to the newer 3x3 standard and the newer window shade, but overall it looks good.

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Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

Thanks for the kind words. I had experimented with the new windows/window shade, but it’s so close to the hull shade used by the RCN that I found it difficult to distinguish the windows from their surroundings. I may go back in the future and see if I can get it to look right.

Good work with a nice vessel!

As promised, here's HMCS Crescent in her 1962 configuration flying the era-appropriate Red Ensign. Virtually identical to Algonquin, with the bizarre exception that her guns are in the opposite position.



Edit: Does anyone know if the Mark 44 torpedo has been rendered in SB scale? Thanks.

These two are very, very good updates, which I'm glad you took the trouble to make, Rainmaker

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

Agreed.

Lovely ships Rainmaker. Well done old fruit

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https://discord.gg/5PHq8Dk
My artwork is posted here: https://www.deviantart.com/adenandy/gallery/all

Not quite Mk 44 but I've drawn a Mk 46 if that helps?

It can be found on the HMS Claymore 1979 drawing here:http://shipbucket.com/forums/viewtopic. ... 90#p182855

_________________
Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

Good work. Keep it up!

Many thanks for all the kind words everyone - and thanks especially to Novice, without your hard work drawing these ships originally my small update wouldn’t have been possible.