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HMS Tiger
This is a model of HMS Tiger that I created by modifying a damaged original M 761 HMS Swiftsure model. It depicts HMS Tiger after her conversion into a helicopter carrier in the late 1960's.
HMS Tiger was one of a proposed class of eight Light Cruisers, known as the Minotaur Class, which were ordered under the 1941 and 1942 Warship Construction Programmes. The design was modified after the first two ships were laid down in 1941 resulting in two different groups imaginatively known as "Group 1" and "Group 2" ships.
HMS Tiger was one of three Group 2 ships which were laid up in 1946 prior to completion. Work on the three ships was resumed in 1954 and they were all completed to a further modified design known as the Tiger Class with HMS Tiger commissioning in 1958.
The three Tiger Class ships, HMS Tiger, HMS Blake and HMS Lion had different armament to the original Group 1 and Group 2 being fitted with rapid fire automatic 3" and 6" gun turrets capable of firing 20 rounds per minute. The other major design change was that these vessels were fully airconditioned.
During the late 1960's HMS Tiger and HMS Blake were converted into helicopter cruisers to provide much needed fleet protection ASW capabilities. The conversion also provided accommodation for a detachment of Royal Marine Commandos allowing both ships to also fulfil a role as "Commando Cruisers".
A similar planned conversion for HMS Lion was cancelled due to a lack
of funds and she has the distinction of being the Royal Navy's last "all
gun cruiser" decommissioning in early 1972.
Specifications
| Builder: | John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank |
| Laid Down: | 1st October 1941 |
| Launched: | 25th October 1945 |
| Commissioned: | 18th March 1959 |
| Converted: | 1968 - 1972 |
| Displacement: | 11700 tons Full Load / 12080 Full Load after conversion |
| Length (OA): | 566 ft 6 in ( 172.8 m ) |
| Beam: | 64 ft ( 19.5 m ) |
| Draft: | 23 ft ( 7.0 m ) |
| Armament: |
2 x 6" rapid fire main guns in one twin turret foreward 2 x 3" dual purpose rapid fire guns in one twin turret foreward 2 x GWS 20 quad Seacat launchers |
| Protection (Armour): | 31/4" - 31/2" armour belt, 11/2" - 31/2" magazines, 21/2" bulkheads, 11/4" - 2" deck, 1" - 3" turrets, 1/2" - 1" barbettes |
| Propulsion: | 4 Admiralty 3 drum boilers, 4 Parsons single reduction geared turbines, 4 shafts, 80,000 shp |
| Maximum Speed: | 31.5 knots |
| Complement: | 855 |
| Aircraft Deck Code: | TG |
| Aircraft: | 4 Wessex or 4 Sea King Helicopters |
| Disposal: | 28th September 1986 scrapped at Castellon, Spain |
( Statistical information from Jane's Fighting Ships 1974 - 75 Edition )
Photograph courtesy of Andrew Toppan at Haze Gray & Underway
| Further details of the actual ship can be obtained from the following links - | |
| The Haze Gray & Underway Web Site | http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/uk_helo.htm |
| The Royal Navy Postwar Web Site | http://www.btinternet.com/~warship/Postwar/Cruisers/tiger.htm |
| Alex's Royal Navy Page | http://www.btinternet.com/~a.c.walton/navy/rn-cr4.html |