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The Canadian Fairmile type B was a type of motor launch originally designed for the Royal Navy (RN) by W.J. Holt of the British Admiralty and built by British boatbuilder Fairmile Marine. During the Second World War, eighty-eight Fairmile type B boats, with slight modifications for Canadian climatic and operational conditions, were built in Canada for service with the Coastal Forces of the Royal Canadian Navy in home waters. As one former Fairmile Captain described them, "sheathed for operation in ice and displacing 100 tons, they were indeed veritable 'Little Fighting Ships'."
Originally designated and painted up as CML (coastal motor launch) 01-36, the Canadian Fairmile type B was built of double mahogany wood with an eight-inch oak keel. Based on a line of destroyer hulls, they arrived in prefabricated kits, ready to be assembled for the RCN by thirteen different boatyards.[1][2] In contrast to the British built boats, the Canadian Fairmiles were narrower, had a greater draught, and were slightly more powerful giving the Canadian boats a two knot speed advantage over the British boats.[3]
With a fuel capacity of 2,320 gallons of 87 octane gasoline, the early Fairmiles (Q050 to Q111) were powered by two 650 hp engines, could reach a top speed of 20 knots (max), 16.5 knots sea speed and a range of 1925 miles at 7.5 knots. Later versions (Q112 to Q129) were fitted with larger 700 hp engines able to achieve a top speed to 22 knots (max), with a range of 1925 miles at 7.5 knots.[4][5][6] Crewed by two or three officers and 14 sailors, accommodation on the Fairmiles was thought to be "cramped but comfortable".[4]
Another unique design feature of the Canadian Fairmile type B was that with forty-eight hours notice each boat could be reconfigured to serve in a different role. Fitted with steel strips and tapped holes to ease equipment swaps, weapons and specialist gear such as torpedo tubes, mines, depth charges, and guns could be quickly stripped and attached to the boat.[7] In two days, a Fairmile could have it's weapons and equipment reconfigured to serve as an escort, minesweeper, minelayer, navigation leader, coastal raider, patrol boat, ambulance or rescue launch.[7] "Armament consisted of three 20mm Oerlikon guns, mounted forward, aft and amidships; two .303 machine-guns; one 9mm Sten gun; two .303 rifles; three .45 revolvers; and 20 depth-charges of 300 Ibs each, including eight fitted for the "Y" gun. Each boat was equipped with sonar, radar and WIT."[8]
Canadian type B
(Q050 to Q111) |
Canadian type B
(Q112 to Q129) |
|
---|---|---|
Displacement | 79 long tons | 79 long tons |
Length (OA) | 112 ft 0 in | 112 ft 0 in |
Beam | 17 ft 0 in | 17 ft 0 in |
Draft | 4 ft 9 in | 4 ft 9 in |
Propulsion | 1260 bhp | 1400 bhp |
Speed | 20 kts | 22 kts |
Armour | Unknown | Unknown |
Complement | Unknown | Unknown |
Armament | Upgunned sub chaser | Torpedo boat |
Aft | twin 20 mm Oerlikon | - |
Amidships | single 20 mm Oerlikon | - |
Bridge wings | 2 x twin 0.303-in machine guns | 2 x twin 0.303-in machine guns |
Forward | 3-lb high-angle/low-angle gun | 3-lb high-angle/low-angle gun |
Other | 12 depth charges
Holman projector Y-gun (4 reloads) |
2 x 21-in Torpedo tubes
Holman projector |
Armament | Acoustic Minesweeper | Moored Minesweeper |
Aft | twin 20 mm Oerlikon | twin 20 mm Oerlikon |
Amidships | single 20 mm Oerlikon | single 20 mm Oerlikon |
Bridge wings | 2 x twin 0.303-in machine guns | 2 x twin 0.303-in machine guns |
Forward | 3-lb high-angle/low-angle gun | 3-lb high-angle/low-angle gun |
Other | 14 depth charges | 6 depth charges
Y-gun (0 reloads) |
Armament | Rescue Boat | Canadian B type (final) |
Aft | single 20 mm Oerlikon | single 20 mm Oerlikon |
Amidships | - | single 20 mm Oerlikon |
Bridge wings | 2 x twin 0.303-in machine guns | - |
Forward | 2-lb gun | single 20 mm Oerlikon |
Other | 6 depth charges | 14 depth charges
Y-gun (7 reloads) |
Affectionately known by their crews as The Little Ships, Little Fighting Ships, Q-Boats, MLs or Holy Rollers (due to their violent pitching and tossing), during the Second World War the Canadian Fairmile type B of the RCN played a vital role escorting shipping along the St. Lawrence River, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and between Newfoundland and the mainland of Canada.[10] Regularly deployed in flotillas of six The Little Ships relieved larger escort craft urgently needed elsewhere by carrying out anti-submarine patrols, port defence and rescue duties.[11][12] Based out of shore establishments on the St. Lawrence River, Halifax, Saint John, Shelburne, Sydney and on the West Coast; at sea the RCN Fairmile Fleets were accompanied by two "mother ships" HMCS Preserver (F94) and HMCS Provider (F100) providing fresh water, fuel and medical services.[13] In February 1943, Fairmiles Q052, Q062 and Q063 were transferred to the Free French Forces and stationed at St. Pierre and Miquelon under the command of Flag Officer, Newfoundland. After the war, these "French Fairmiles" were returned to the RCN.[14]
In February 1943, ML Q052, Q062 and Q063 were transferred to the Free French Forces and stationed at St. Pierre and Miquelon under the command of Flag Officer, Newfoundland. After the war, the French Fairmiles were returned to the RCN.[18]
Eight Canadian Fairmiles (Q392-Q399) were built by Le Blanc for the RN and were transferred under Lend-Lease to the United States Navy (USN) as US coastal protection had been depleted by transferring ships to the Royal Navy for convoy work. The USN used the Canadian-built Fairmiles as submarine chasers (SC1466-1473).[9]
Fairmile type Bs built in Canada in service with the United States Navy | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Pennant # | Shipbuilder | Location | Completed | Notes |
ML 392 | Q 392 | LeBlanc Shipbuilding Co., J. H. | Weymouth NS | 26-Sep-42 | To USN as SC 1466, to Mexico 1943 |
ML 393 | Q 393 | 26-Jun-42 | To USN as SC 1467, scrapped 1948 | ||
ML 394 | Q 394 | 1-Oct-42 | To USN as SC 1468, scrapped 1948 | ||
ML 395 | Q 395 | 26-Sep-42 | To USN as SC 1469, to Mexico 1943 | ||
ML 396 | Q 396 | 23-Oct-42 | To USN as SC 1470, later Panther (IX 105), sold 1947 as Mohawk II | ||
ML 397 | Q 397 | 23-Oct-42 | To USN as SC 1471, to Mexico 1943 | ||
ML 398 | Q 398 | 5-Dec-42 | To USN as SC 1472, scrapped 1948 | ||
ML 399 | Q 399 | 5-Dec-42 | To USN as SC 1473, scrapped 1948 |