Calling all Minesweeper fans

[Jimmy Conway]

Each one of these ships has unique design, and many are nice me for being small vessels and the construction of a model always shows lots of details.
I had the opportunity to serve on a Minesweeper in Brazilian Navy, and deal with sweep equipment.
Noting several classes, several times, modern, from the first war to the present, many of these vessels causes me great fascination, and then I open the thread to which others can post their comments and pictures.
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations. The dedicated, purpose-built minesweeper first appeared during World War I with the Flower-class minesweeping sloop.


Operation and requirements:
Minesweepers are equipped with mechanical or influence sweeps to detonate mines. The modern minesweeper is designed to reduce the chances of it detonating mines itself; it is soundproofed to reduce its acoustic signature and often constructed using wood, glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) or non-ferrous metal, or is degaussed to reduce its magnetic signature.
Mechanical sweeps are devices designed to cut the anchoring cables of moored mines, and preferably attach a tag to help the subsequent localization and neutralization. They are towed behind the minesweeper, and use a towed body (e.g. oropesa, paravane) to maintain the sweep at the desired depth and position. Influence sweeps are equipment, often towed, that emulate a particular ship signature, thereby causing a mine to detonate. The most common such sweeps are magnetic and acoustic generators.
There are two modes of operating an influence sweep: MSM (mine setting mode) and TSM (target setting mode or target simulation mode). MSM sweeping is founded on intelligence on a given type of mine, and produces the output required for detonation of this mine. If such intelligence is unavailable, the TSM sweeping instead reproduces the influence of the friendly ship that is about to transit through the area. TSM sweeping thus clears mines directed at this ship without knowledge of the mines. However, mines directed at other ships might remain.
The minesweeper differs from a minehunter; the minehunter actively detects and neutralises individual mines. Minesweepers are in many cases complementary to minehunters, depending on the operation and the environment; a minesweeper is, in particular, better suited to clearing open-water areas with large numbers of mines. Both kinds of ships are collectively called mine countermeasure vessels (MCMV), a term also applied to a vessel that combines both roles. The first such ship was HMS Wilton, also the first warship to be constructed from glass-reinforced plastic.
Biblio: Wikipedia

[Jimmy Conway]

Notable minesweepers
HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen � famous for her escape from Surabaya, in 1942, disguised as a tropical island
HMS Bronington � formerly commanded by HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales
Calypso � research vessel of Jacques-Yves Cousteau; the ex-Royal Navy BYMS-class vessel J826
USS Hazard � museum ship at Omaha, Nebraska
HMS Wilton � the first combined MCMV and the first warship constructed from GRP

[Jimmy Conway]

Crew for HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen were very smart when disguised the ship as a tropical island , in Surabaya in 1942.

Read more here: http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/allie ... jnssen.asp

[Jimmy Conway]

HNLMS ABRAHAM CRIJNSSEN was a Van Amstel Steel Minesweeper class
Launched: 22 September 1936
At: Gusto Shipyard, Schiedam, The Netherlands
Commissioned: 26 May 1937

Length: 186 feet
Beam: 25 feet, 6 inches
Draft: 6 feet, 11 inches
Displacement: 460 tons
Armament: (After WW II) one 40 mm gun, five 20 mm machine guns

Here as museum:

[Jimmy Conway]

Brazilian Navy operates 6 minesweepers of the Schutze class built in Germany.

Here information about the class:

Aratu (Schutze) class coastal minesweepers

Displacement: 280 tons full load
Dimensions: 47.2 x 7.2 x 2.1 meters (154.9 x 23.6 x 6.9 feet)
Propulsion: 4 diesels, 2 shafts, 4,500 hp, 24 knots
Crew: 39
Armament: 1 40 mm

Concept/Program: Wooden coastal minesweepers built to a German design.

Builders: Abeking & Rasmussen, Germany.


Number Name Year FLT Homeport Notes
M15 Aratu 1971 ATL Aratu
M16 Antatomirim 1971 ATL Aratu
M17 Atalaia 1972 ATL Aratu
M18 Aracatuba 1972 ATL Aratu
M19 Abrolhos 1976 ATL Aratu
M20 Albardao 1976 ATL Aratu

Here is some photo of "Abrolhos" taken when I was in duty, I'm over there in the top of bridge with the CO.

[Jimmy Conway]

Here is "Albard�o", another ship in the class:

You can read more about the class here: http://www.naval.com.br/NGB/A/A022/A022.htm

[Jimmy Conway]

2 pics of a "Schutze" of German Navy:

[Edward Pinniger]

Interesting, I didn't realise the Brazilian Navy used the "Schutze" minesweepers.
You might be interested to know that Robbe (German manufacturer) produce a 1/40 scale kit of this class, intended for R/C - http://www.westbourne-models.com/schutz ... 470-0.html - no idea if this kit is available in Brazil, though.

[Jimmy Conway]

Interesting, I didn't realise the Brazilian Navy used the "Schutze" minesweepers.
You might be interested to know that Robbe (German manufacturer) produce a 1/40 scale kit of this class, intended for R/C - http://www.westbourne-models.com/schutz ... 470-0.html - no idea if this kit is available in Brazil, though.

Hi Edward, thanks for link, now I'm aware that is a model available somewhere for this class.
Yes, Brazil still operates these ships, I served onboard them in 1987 and 1988 when learned about minesweeping operations and I was Chief for deck.
Nice regards: Jimmy

[ScottOram]

Took a couple of pictures if USS WARRIOR and one of her sister ships while they were in BAE Shipyards in San Diego. Not the greatest shots, but show some unique details, etc.

[Laurent]

Hi all,

I'm also an "iron man on wooden ships" guy, I sailed on the belgian AMI MCMV's (M475 "Tongeren", ship the the "U-Boat" class, as we called them ), then on the MSO minesweepers (M908 "Truffaut" & M904 "de Brouwer") , and my last ship of this kind was a tripartite minehunter (M924 "Primula", one of the "tupperware" class, as we call them).

I really enjoyed the MSO's, those ships were tough, reliable, comfortable at sea. The AMI's were not comfy, as the tripartites weren't either...

Regards,

Laurent

[roy allen]

Hi one and all
If your interested in minesweepers, then you might be interested in the latest release from http://www.finewaterline.com
It's the first of the new "Dunkirk Line" that were doing.
The subject matter is the Late Hunt/Aberdare class minesweeping sloops.
Nine of which served at Dunkirk.

Roy

[desron48]

any ship can be a minesweeper at least once...... ......joe

[Guido]

Hi, Jimmy!

Nice you put up the thread. I am in due prgress building a ship of the "tupperware class" right now, only my model is of the Frensh "Persee".

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=46995

CHeers,
Guido

[Jimmy Conway]

Hi, Jimmy!

Nice you put up the thread. I am in due prgress building a ship of the "tupperware class" right now, only my model is of the Frensh "Persee".

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=46995

CHeers,
Guido

Hi Guido!
I made some comment over there. Nice "Tripartite"!!!
Jimmy

[Jimmy Conway]

A brazilian modeller scratchbuilt some Schutze" minesweeper........

[jepot]

has anyone built a Lindberg PCE kit here? this kit:

http://www.lindberg-models.com/water_model70830.html

[les]

I've got one on hold. Started a Fletcher. It's an old kit and if you want to bring it up to todays standards, be prepared for a lot of work. Also there's not a lot of information about the bridge layouts. Take a look at the scratchbuilding forum. There's a minesweeper there that has been started, but he's having trouble finding bridge layouts.

[jepot]

I've got one on hold. Started a Fletcher. It's an old kit and if you want to bring it up to todays standards, be prepared for a lot of work. Also there's not a lot of information about the bridge layouts. Take a look at the scratchbuilding forum. There's a minesweeper there that has been started, but he's having trouble finding bridge layouts.

thanks a lot! i have one too that is up for rebuilding and detailing but with the info you gave me i think its now more of a total build...

[les]

You might want to pick up Floating Drydock's CD on Admirable Class Mine Sweepers.