2nd May, 2017 12:00

Maritime and Scientific Models, Instruments & Art ('Hibernia')

 
  Lot 135
 

135

[M] 'H.M.S. BELFAST MACHINERY INFORMATION...

'H.M.S. BELFAST MACHINERY INFORMATION BOOK'
comprising approximately 100 inked cloth technical plans including many fold-outs, complete with index and bound between two wooden boards with stencilled title pasted to front -- 14½ x 24½in. (37 x 62cm.)

One of the only pair of 6in. gun cruisers to serve in the Royal Navy, H.M.S. Belfast was built, appropriately enough, by Harland and Wolff at Belfast. Laid down in December 1936, she was launched on 17th March, 1938 and completed on 3rd August, 1939 just one month before the outbreak of WWII. Displacing 10,260 tons (12,675 fully loaded), she measured 613½ feet in length with a 63 foot beam, and was powered by Parsons SR geared turbines to give a maximum speed of 32½ knots. Her main armament of 12-6in. guns was augmented by various anti-aircraft weapons, 6-21in. torpedo tubes and three aircraft, and she carried a full complement of 850 men.

Commissioned into 18 Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, she scored an early success when she captured the large German liner Cap Norte near the Faroes on 9th October, 1939, the latter ship becoming a very useful addition to the Merchant Navy when put back into service as Empire Trooper. Less lucky the following month, Belfast struck a mine in the Firth of Forth on 21st November and was so severely damaged that she almost broke in two. Her subsequent rebuilding at Devonport took nearly three years and by the time it was finished in September 1942, her sister ship Edinburgh had been lost on an Arctic convoy. Back in service as flagship to 10 Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, she saw considerable action for two years before being withdrawn for a refit in 1944. Recommissioned in May 1945, she was sent to join the Pacific Fleet and remained in the Far East until 1952 when she was laid up in Reserve pending the extensive modernisation which was carried out from 1955-59. Returning to the Far East in 1959, she eventually became Reserve Fleet HQ ship at Portsmouth (1966-70) by which time she was the last WWII cruiser in commission. As a result, and undoubtedly influenced by her wartime exploits in the Arctic, off Normandy and off Korea, it was decided to preserve her at a permanent mooring in the Pool of London.

Sold for £124
Estimated at £200 - £400

(inc. buyer's premium of 24%)


 
'H.M.S. BELFAST MACHINERY INFORMATION BOOK'
comprising approximately 100 inked cloth technical plans including many fold-outs, complete with index and bound between two wooden boards with stencilled title pasted to front -- 14½ x 24½in. (37 x 62cm.)

One of the only pair of 6in. gun cruisers to serve in the Royal Navy, H.M.S. Belfast was built, appropriately enough, by Harland and Wolff at Belfast. Laid down in December 1936, she was launched on 17th March, 1938 and completed on 3rd August, 1939 just one month before the outbreak of WWII. Displacing 10,260 tons (12,675 fully loaded), she measured 613½ feet in length with a 63 foot beam, and was powered by Parsons SR geared turbines to give a maximum speed of 32½ knots. Her main armament of 12-6in. guns was augmented by various anti-aircraft weapons, 6-21in. torpedo tubes and three aircraft, and she carried a full complement of 850 men.

Commissioned into 18 Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, she scored an early success when she captured the large German liner Cap Norte near the Faroes on 9th October, 1939, the latter ship becoming a very useful addition to the Merchant Navy when put back into service as Empire Trooper. Less lucky the following month, Belfast struck a mine in the Firth of Forth on 21st November and was so severely damaged that she almost broke in two. Her subsequent rebuilding at Devonport took nearly three years and by the time it was finished in September 1942, her sister ship Edinburgh had been lost on an Arctic convoy. Back in service as flagship to 10 Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, she saw considerable action for two years before being withdrawn for a refit in 1944. Recommissioned in May 1945, she was sent to join the Pacific Fleet and remained in the Far East until 1952 when she was laid up in Reserve pending the extensive modernisation which was carried out from 1955-59. Returning to the Far East in 1959, she eventually became Reserve Fleet HQ ship at Portsmouth (1966-70) by which time she was the last WWII cruiser in commission. As a result, and undoubtedly influenced by her wartime exploits in the Arctic, off Normandy and off Korea, it was decided to preserve her at a permanent mooring in the Pool of London.
File Upload

Drag and drop .jpg images here to upload, or click here to select images.