AND COMMONWEALTH WARSHIP PAINTS DURING WWII
DESTROYERS BUILT TO WWI PROGRAMMES
ADMIRALTY ‘R’ AND ‘S’ CLASS DESTROYERS
HMS SKATE H39
Admiralty ‘R’ Class Destroyer 1939
Skate at the start of WWII when a minelayer. This ship had a variety of roles between the wars and during WWII. She was the only three-funnel destroyer still in RN service. Her numerous sisters were scrapped in the 1930s, having been poorly maintained in reserve. Note the effect of dull grey in dull conditions, such as a minelayer would operate under at night or in low light. MG light AA and 12pdr AA. Colour 507b. Deck Corticene brown and 507b.
HMS SKATE H39
Admiralty ‘R’ Class Destroyer 1940–1
Skate had a very good top speed and is shown when in service as an influence minesweeper. She used her high speed to avoid the explosions of magnetic mines, but it was still a very dangerous duty steaming up and down mined areas to set off magnetic mines that had been triggered for slow merchant ships. She had adopted the medium hull, light upper works style common to many ships. These duties kept her close to the coast and well in range of the Luftwaffe so she carries a quad 2pdr, quad 0.5in MGs and twin Lewis guns aft. Only one main gun is carried. Colours are MS4a and 507b.
HMS SKATE H39
Admiralty ‘R’ Class Destroyer 1941–2
Skate altered as a Short-Range Escort (SRE), for convoy runs from the UK to Iceland, and the UK East Coast convoys. Eight depth-charge (DC) throwers are fitted. Fixed Type 286 radar on foremast. Splinter mats and quad 0.5in MG between the funnels, There is a single 12pdr AA amidships and two 20mm aft. A very heavy depth charge load is provided. She carries an unofficial paint scheme nonetheless influenced by Western Approaches (WA) ideas. Green was often difficult to obtain. Only one LA 4in carried. Colours WA green and white.
HMS SKATE H39
Admiralty ‘R’ Class Destroyer 1943–5
Old but still useful! This is Skate as she looked at the Normandy landings in 1944. She has a Type 271 radar lantern on a lattice mast aft. The ship finally paid off in 1945 having lasted longer in service than many younger vessels. Note the late war Admiralty standard scheme of B30 dark olive panel camouflage on B55 overall. Her AA armament comprises a 12pdr and four 20mm. Her deck is now dark grey. The single LA 4in was original but the barrel had been changed several times. She carried a powerful load of DCs and could deliver quite a punch in ASW operations. Type 291 radar is at the foretop. Colours B30 and B55.
HMS STURDY H28
Admiralty ‘S’ Class Destroyer 1942
This shows Sturdy as a minelayer but with contrast camouflage of unofficial design and colours. Two LA 4in still carried, and a 12pdr AA aft. Twin Lewis guns in bridge wings. There is a single 2pdr AA on the aft deckhouse. No depth charges. Colours 507c, 507a and B5 edged white on the hull. Corticene brown on decks with MS1.
HMS SARDONYX H26
Admiralty ‘S’ Class Destroyer 1941–4
Sardonyx shows her appearance during the Battle of the Atlantic as an SRE. She has a 12pdr AA amidships, 2pdr AA aft and 20mm. Twin Lewis guns in bridge wings. Eight DC throwers and a very large number of charges carried. The scheme is typical early WA type but she soon moved to the east coast of the UK as her range was too short for the Atlantic convoys. Colours WA green, WA blue, white.
HMS SCIMITAR H21
Admiralty ‘S’ Class Destroyer 1941
Scimitar is depicted in a WA-style camouflage in very pale blue. Ships in this scheme often used pale green or both. Her ASW capacity is huge and she could deliver heavy attacks. The radar fitted is a fixed early Type 286 at the foremast top. Colours white and WA blue.
HMS SHIKARI I85
Admiralty ‘S’ Class Destroyer 1941–4
Shikari altered for escort duty in an Admiralty paint scheme. Note the Type 271 radar on a tower aft. Type 286 and later rotating Type 286P on foremast, itself later replaced by Type 291. Colours white, 507a, 507c, PB10. These ships were overcrowded due to new electronics and weapons. They were also very unhealthy in rough conditions as the crew quarters were continually damp.
Admiralty ‘S’ class destroyers were built at the end of WWI. Although similar to the ‘R’ class the bridge was moved further aft as the previous designs had been very wet forward. The hull was given more sheer and in good weather they were very fast ships. Small 14in torpedo tubes for anti-destroyer work were mounted at the break of the hull, but found too wet when at speed, and soon removed. They were
