HMS Snapdragon was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Navy and was built by Smith's Dock Company in 1940. She was named after Snapdragon. Commissioned in 1940 and sunk by Luftwaffe on 19 December 1942.

History
United Kingdom
NameSnapdragon
NamesakeSnapdragon
BuilderSmith's Dock Company, South Bank
Laid down27 September 1939
Launched3 September 1940
Commissioned28 October 1940
IdentificationPennant number: K10
FateSunk 19 December 1942
General characteristics
Class and typeFlower-class corvette
Displacement925 long tons
Length205 ft (62 m) o/a
Beam33 ft (10 m)
Draught11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Propulsion
  • 1 × 4-cycle triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
  • 2 × fire tube Scotch boilers
  • Single shaft
  • 2,750 ihp (2,050 kW)
Speed16 kn (30 km/h)
Range3,500 nmi (6,500 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h)
Complement85
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × SW1C or 2C radar
  • 1 × Type 123A or Type 127DV sonar
Armament

Design and description

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In early 1939, with the risk of war with Nazi Germany increasing, it was clear to the Royal Navy that it needed more escort ships to counter the threat from Kriegsmarine U-boats. One particular concern was the need to protect shipping off the east coast of Britain. What was needed was something larger and faster than trawlers, but still cheap enough to be built in large numbers, preferably at small merchant shipyards, as larger yards were already busy. To meet this requirement, the Smiths Dock Company of Middlesbrough, a specialist in the design and build of fishing vessels, offered a development of its 700-ton, 16 knots (18 mph; 30 km/h) whale catcher Southern Pride.[1][2] They were intended as small convoy escort ships that could be produced quickly and cheaply in large numbers. Despite naval planners' intentions that they be deployed for coastal convoys, their long range meant that they became the mainstay of Mid-Ocean Escort Force convoy protection during the first half of the war. The original Flowers had the standard RN layout, consisting of a raised forecastle, a well deck, then the bridge or wheelhouse, and a continuous deck running aft. The crew quarters were in the foc'sle while the galley was at the rear, making for poor messing arrangements.[3]

The modified Flowers saw the forecastle extended aft past the bridge to the aft end of the funnel, a variation known as the "long forecastle" design. Apart from providing a very useful space where the whole crew could gather out of the weather, the added weight improved the ships' stability and speed and was retroactively applied to a number of the original Flower-class vessels during the mid and latter years of the war.

Construction and career

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Snapdragon was laid down by Smith's Dock Company at their shipyard at South Bank, on 27 September 1939 and launched on3 September 1940. She was commissioned on 28 October 1940.

HMS Snapdragon was on a mission off Benghazi, Libya when she was expectedly attacked by German Luftwaffe bombers and sank.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Brown 2007, pp. 41–43.
  2. ^ Lambert and Brown 2008, p. 3.
  3. ^ Brown D K, Nelson to Vanguard
  4. ^ "HMS Snapdragon (K 10) of the Royal Navy - British Corvette of the Flower class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 25 October 2020.

Sources

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