Winchester Castle Trivia

[robpage]

I am absolutely convinced that the Pendennis was the only 1950s onward one that was capable of fast conversion to a carrier . The hull had a band of plates and rivets at main deck level as reinforcement , They were there as deck strengthening just in case , and the Government had =contributed to the costs . I will stand to be corrected , but I am firmly a believer that the Transvaal and Windsor were welded construction without the strengthening in that area , so I suggest it may have been a Harland and Wolff design that was the secret

[vic mcclymont]

What do you mean by "common knowledge", first I have heard of it.
Why would it be required when in the early 60s the RN had plenty of aircraft carriers.

Because you hadn't heard of IT, doesn't mean that it wasn't a design feature.

[Chris Isaac]

Because you hadn't heard of IT, doesn't mean that it wasn't a design feature.

Absolutely correct but to say it was "common knowledge" when it plainly wasn't is my point.
It is possible that Edinburgh and Pretoria may have been built with this in mind but later than that I doubt it.

Why would any ship designed in the late fifties and sixties be built with aircraft carrier conversion in mind. Any world war started at that time would be over in 15 minutes.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Why would any ship designed in the late fifties and sixties be built with aircraft carrier conversion in mind. Any world war started at that time would be over in 15 minutes.

Chris 'Common Knowledge' is always subjective to what field you are in at the time. As a Supt attending new buildings in the 60's and 70's we had to, on certain ships, increase the scantlings in certain areas to enable the vessels to be quickly converted or take on defence equipment in the case of need. I have no doubt in my mind that larger ships at that time would have had their scantlings increased in certain areas to enable flight or launching decks to be fitted at a later date if required.

As for any world war being over in 15 minutes at that time, history has or may have proved that statement a little wide of the mark, there were in those periods plenty of serious conflicts abounding with numerous participants who had atomic capability but no one had the termerity to push 'the button' for self annihilation. We live in far more dangerous atomic times now when fanatics would have no hesitation in pushing the button because their god will reward them with bountiful gifts and virgins when they reach the other side. I felt a lot safer in those eras than I do now

[j.sabourn]

Regarding Merchant vessels being built with the intention of converting them to other vessel types, a good example of this were the clipper vessels built at Middlesbrough I believe, these were 20+ knot vessels built for the fruit ( vegetable variety) which could be converted quickly to an armed merchant cruiser, these were built for an Israeli company. Some people on this site have posted as being on these vessels. Also I am not sure what year it was discarded but I was on vessels built in the 50s still being fitted out with degaussing gear under Admiralty contract which the owners received I believe special compensation for. As regards the scantlings of certain new buildings believe you will find in various vessel types had special reinforced decks for any future gun emplacements. In the 60s and 70s every British merchant vessel carried secret log book ciphers to be opened on the declaration of war, also all the gear for the testing of radio active material kept in sealed containers usually stowed under the focscle head. Obviously all this no longer exists or if it does it will be on a much smaller scale due to the lack of British flag tonnage. Regards John Sabourn

[Captain Kong]

The last time I saw Degausing gear was on a tanker built in 1963, this was removed in dry dock in 1984, I believe the value of the scrap almost paid for the dry dock.
In the 70s and 80s on VLCCs we had the Admiralty Code Books Ciphers, these were used sometimes when observing Soviet Shipping activities in various oceans.
All the Deck Officers had signed the Official Secrets Act.
Cheers
Brian.

[vic mcclymont]

Absolutely correct but to say it was "common knowledge" when it plainly wasn't is my point.
It is possible that Edinburgh and Pretoria may have been built with this in mind but later than that I doubt it.

Why would any ship designed in the late fifties and sixties be built with aircraft carrier conversion in mind. Any world war started at that time would be over in 15 minutes.

it was a well known fact that the Admiralty Shipowners and shipyards worked together on ship design in the sixties.
If as you state it would be over in 15 minutes, why did they fit (the Admiralty, charged a nominal fee) deguassing gear as standard to UK Merchant ships?

[Chris Isaac]

it was a well known fact that the Admiralty Shipowners and shipyards worked together on ship design in the sixties.
If as you state it would be over in 15 minutes, why did they fit (the Admiralty, charged a nominal fee) deguassing gear as standard to UK Merchant ships?

That is easy.... plenty of minefields still existed well into the 1960s. (Maybe still do for all I know) Anyone who has made a trip round the North Sea to Hamburg will tell you that.

[robpage]

In the Southampton Union Castle Office there were the Plans to convert the Pendennis Castle to an Aircraft Carrier if needed , the critical adaption was to do with the riveted belt around the deck level , None of the others had that , the Pendennis was a design ordered in 1955 to replace the Arundel Castle , so there may have been a Royal Naval need to have a back up plan . The HP Turbines had some additional nozzles that were locked out to prevent use , these were there to allow the additional short periods of speed required for landings and takeoffs in some wind and weather conditions . In 1955 , HMS Illustrious , Formidable , Indomitable , Implacable , Indefatigable . Pioneer were all scrapped Perseus was put into reserve . Majestic and Hercules sold abroad Eagle , Africa , Hermes , Arrogant . Monmouth and Polyphemus were all cancelled , so in strategic terms we were low on carriers at the time

[Colin Hawken]

Getting back to the Wichester Castle as the original subject,I did two trips on her in 1950. The Bosun was Jim("Lardy") Perry. He was,shall we say,rather coarse. He was also a good Bosun and a damn fine Seaman. They didn't come any better than "Lardy"Perry. Anyone else on this site remember him?