Shipbucket

Type 42 1969 Design

An official model was released in 1969 showing the new Type 42 destroyer, it was published in Jane's amongst other publications. The model is interesting in that it is closer to a Leander in term of design and has a more compact superstructure due to the layout of the gas turbine downtakes and a smaller 2-deck superstructure block. Images of the model can be seen here: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/thread ... ost-541310

I will give a potted history of the Type 42 design process to illustrate the thinking behind the design shown here.

The lineage begins in April 1961 with the post-Leander 'CF 299' Frigate with 40x SIGS missiles, Sea Cat, Limbo and 2x MATCH helicopters, powered by a Leander steam powerplant.
Then came DS 51A, a modified Type 14 hull with 32x Sea Dart and Bofors A/S rockets.

The Operational Requirements Committee issued Sketch Staff Requirements in early 1962 written for a combined Sea Dart/Ikara destroyer with 38x Sea Dart with 2x TIR + 20x Ikara. DS 53 refined this to 38x Sea Dart + 10 additional (presumably nuclear) warheads with 24x Ikara & 4x nuclear depth bombs which resulted in the Type 82 Bristol.

In 1964 the DS 336 escort (3,510 tons, 420x 44ft) was part of a series of studies with 20x Sea Dart with 1x Type 909 and only Type 992P radar for air-search. This was rejected as insufficient for fleet defence. The similar DS 347 (3,020 tons, 385 x 44ft) was armed with XMIM-46 Sea Mauler. DS 345 (3,420 tons, 395 x 47ft) had a full 38x Sea Dart with 2x Type 909 and Type 992P.
DS 382 was the AA version of the definitive DS 381/Type 17 Ikara destroyer. Again 992P was the only search set. It displaced 4,500 tons, powerplant was 4x Rushton AO16 diesels.

The 1966 Future Fleet Working Party continued work on Type 17 and the AAW version - now the DS 391. Both were trimmed and redesigned to save money, 3,500 tons, 390 x 45ft, £10.25M for the AAW ship. DS 391 had the Sea Dart moved forward with a single-rail launcher and the magazine cut to 26x missiles and 1x Type 909. Limbo was removed.
Further cuts on DS 389 (2,500 tons, 360 x 40ft, £9.75M) saw the 4.5in gun go, the 26x Sea Dart moving moved aft again. 1x 40mm Bofors was the only gun. The main radar was a projected Type 965 replacement. The powerplant was now Olympus-Tyne as they were small enough for COGAG.

Work on the actual Type 42 began in 1966 to succeed the Counties and building on the design work done for the AAW Type 17 variant. Unit cost was to be £12M. The Sea Dart system was further shrunk to 22x missiles. Type 965 was fitted and despite original thoughts to save money, 2x Type 909 were fitted. Olympus-Tyne were retained, designed for 4 years between refits. The cost of the austere 1x Type 909 version came in at £11M in October 1967 (plus no provision for Bexley jammers, no extra torpedoes and no observer for the Lynx). At this point the length was cut to 392ft - which was still more than the original 385ft sketch designs, as means to make it difficult to add new and expensive features. The result was a wet forecastle. The 22x missile magazine was retained. The crew accommodation was cut from 306 with space for 315 to 273 with space for 306 and later still 280 (20 officers, 260 ratings), though by the 1980s he notes they had 312 (24 officers, 229 ratings).
The second Type 909 brought cost to under £13.5M but the planned EW system could not be fitted at that cost.

The 1969 model seems to correspond closely with the late 1967 design - 2x Type 909 but no UAA-1 EW system and no A/S torpedoes. Armament looks very thin - just 1x 4.5in, Sea Dart, 2x 20mm Orkileon and MATCH helicopters.

I have also done a version with UAA-1 and torpedo tubes added to show what HMS Sheffield may have looked like if built to the 1969 design assuming that funding would have been given to include these two items.

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Very interesting concept and well executed. I've never been a lover of the Type 42 from an aesthetic standpoint, however, this version with the Leander-style superstructure is more pleasing to the eye.

Well done, including the background text (as always).