HMS Fly (J306)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Fly.

HMS Fly (J306)
History
United Kingdom
Name	Fly
Namesake	Fly
Ordered	27 May 1941
Builder	Lobnitz & Company, Renfrew
Laid down	6 October 1941
Launched	1 June 1942
Commissioned	10 October 1942
Decommissioned	February 1947
Identification	Pennant number: J306
Fate	Sold to the Iran, 1949
Iran
Name	Palang (بلنق)
Namesake	Palang
Acquired	30 July 1949
Commissioned	30 July 1949
Decommissioned	1966
Stricken	1972
Fate	Scrapped, 1972
General characteristics
Class and type	Algerine-class minesweeper
Displacement	1,030 long tons (1,047 t) (standard) 1,325 long tons (1,346 t) (deep)
Length	225 ft (69 m) o/a
Beam	35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
Draught	12.25 ft 6 in (3.89 m)
Installed power	2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers 2,400  ihp (1,800 kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 vertical triple-expansion steam engines
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range	5,000  nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	85
Armament	1 × QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun 4 × twin Oerlikon 20 mm cannon

HMS Fly (J306) was a reciprocating engine-powered Algerine-class minesweeper during the Second World War. She survived the war and was sold to Iran in 1949 as IISPalang.

Design and description

Main article: Algerine-class minesweeper

The reciprocating group displaced 1,010–1,030 long tons (1,030–1,050 t) at standard load and 1,305–1,325 long tons (1,326–1,346 t) at deep load The ships measured 225 feet (68.6 m) long overall with a beam of 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 m). They had a draught of 12 feet 3 inches (3.7 m). The ships' complement consisted of 85 officers and ratings. ^[1]

The reciprocating ships had two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,400 indicated horsepower (1,800 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). They carried a maximum of 660 long tons (671 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). ^[1]

The Algerine class was armed with a QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun ^[2] and four twin-gun mounts for Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The latter guns were in short supply when the first ships were being completed and they often got a proportion of single mounts. By 1944, single-barrel Bofors 40 mm mounts began replacing the twin 20 mm mounts on a one for one basis. All of the ships were fitted for four throwers and two rails for depth charges. ^[1]

Construction and career

Service in the Royal Navy

The ship was ordered on 27 May 1941 at the Lobnitz & Company at Renfrew, Scotland. She was laid down on 6 October 1941 and launched on 1 June 1942. She was commissioned on 10 October 1942. ^[3]

On 2 November, she conducted anti-submarine exercise off Tobermory together with the submarine HMS H43. Few days later on the 6th, HMS Racehorse joined the two ships in the exercise. The next day, Racehorse was replaced by HMS Eriskay. ^[3]

In 1946, she was put into the 12th Minesweeper Flotilla as their flotilla leader together with HMS Cadmus, HMS Acute, HMS Circe, HMS Albacore and HMS Mutine. The flotilla was dispatched to sweep the mine fields off the French, Dutch coast and islands. ^[3]

Fly was decommissioned by the Navy in February 1947 and put into the reserve fleet. ^[4]

On 30 July 1949, the ship was sold to the Persian Navy. ^[4]

Service in the Persian Navy

She was reclassified as a frigate and renamed IIS Palang after being acquired by the Navy. ^[4]

In 1966, Palang was decommissioned by the Navy. ^[4]

In 1972, the ship was stricken and sold for scrap.

References

1. Lenton, p. 261
2. Chesneau 1980 , p. 65
3. "HMS Fly (J 306) of the Royal Navy – British Minesweeper of the Algerine class – Allied Warships of WWII – uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
4. Chesneau 1980 , p. 188

Bibliography

• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   0-85177-146-7.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN   978-1-86176-281-8.
• Elliott, Peter (1977). Allied Escort Ships of World War II: A complete survey. London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN   0-356-08401-9.
• Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   1-55750-048-7.