HMS Manchester D95, HMS Gloucester D96, HMS Edinburgh D97, HMS York D98

This is the Tri-ang Minic Ships model of the Type 42 Batch 3 Destroyer which were commissioned by the Royal Navy in the mid 1980's.

Tri-ang Minic Ships produces individual models of all four Type 42 Batch 3 Destroyers – HMS Manchester D95, HMS Gloucester D96, HMS Edinburgh D97 and HMS York D98 – complete with appropriate Pennant Numbers, Flight Deck markings and Deck Codes.

The Type 42 destroyers were designed principally to provide air defence for a task force replacing the County Class destroyers which were becoming increasingly expensive to operate but they were also utilised to engage surface and anti-submarine targets. All the ships were named after large British cities commemorating many of the Town Class cruisers that fought with distinction in the Second World War.

The ships were armed with the British Aerospace Sea Dart surface-to-air missile system for defence against both aircraft and missiles as well as being equipped with a Vickers 4.5 inch gun and anti-submarine torpedo tubes. In addition, as a result of experience in the Falklands War, the ships were also fitted with 20 mm Phalanx CIWS and chaff decoys for close range defence.

Each ship carried a Lynx helicopter which extended the range of the ship's radar systems and, armed with the Sea Skua missile, was also the ship's principle anti-submarine weapon.

The Type 42 destroyers were fitted with controllable pitch propellers powered by two Rolls-Royce Tyne Engines which provided a cruising speed of 18 knots. In addition they were equipped with two Rolls-Royce Olympus engines which allowed the ship to "sprint" at up to 29 knots for short periods.

The Batch 3 ships, often referred to as the "Manchester" Class, were approximately seven metres longer than the earlier ships to provide greater room for weapon systems and were fitted with deck edge stiffening beams to reduce hull stress. The extra length increased the speed of the ship while at the same time providing greater stability in poor weather.

The models are marked on the underside with the Tri-ang Minic logo, the model number, "Royal Navy Modern Edition", and the description "Type 42 Batch 3 Destroyer".

Specifications

(Statistical information from Jane's Fighting Ships 2003 Edition))