HMS Belfast is a lightweight Light City cruiser built for the Royal Navy. It is now permanently moored as a museum ship on the Thames River in London and operated by the Imperial War Museum.
The construction of Belfast , the first ship in the Royal Navy named after the capital of Northern Ireland and one of ten City class cruisers, began in December 1936. He was launched on St Patrick's Day 1938 Commissioned in early August 1939 for a moment before the outbreak of the Second World War, Belfast was originally part of the British marine blockade against Germany. In November 1939, Belfast crashed into a German mine and spent more than two years undergoing extensive repairs. Belfast returned to action in November 1942 with enhanced weapons, radar equipment, and armor. Belfast saw the escorting of the Arctic convoy to the Soviet Union during 1943 and in December 1943 played an important role in the Battle of the North Cape, assisting in the destruction of the German battleship Scharnhorst. In June 1944, Belfast took part in the Operation Overlord that supported the Normandy landings. In June 1945, Belfast was diverted to the Far East to join the British Pacific Fleet, arriving just before the end of the Second World War. Belfast saw further battle action in 1950-52 during the Korean War and underwent extensive modernization between 1956 and 1959. A number of foreign commissions were followed before Belfast > entered reserve in 1963.
In 1967, efforts were made to prevent the removal of Belfast and its preservation as a museum ship. A joint committee of the Imperial War Museum, the National Maritime Museum, and the Ministry of Defense was established and later reported in June 1968 that its preservation is practical. In 1971, the government decided against the preservation, encouraging the formation of private HMS Belfast. Trust in the campaign for its preservation. The efforts of the Trust succeeded, and the government moved the ship to the Trust in July 1971. Brought to London, he was tethered on the River Thames near Tower Bridge in the Pool of London. Opened to the public in October 1971, Belfast became the branch of the Imperial War Museum in 1978. Popular tourist attractions, Belfast, received over a quarter of a million visitors per year.. As a branch of the national museum and part of the National Historic Fleet, Belfast is supported by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, reception reception, and commercial activities of the museum.
Video HMS Belfast (C35)
Design
Belfast is a third-class city Cruiser. The Town class originated in 1933 as an Admiralty response to the Japanese Imperial-class cruisers Mogami, a 11,200-ton cruiser that fifteen 6-inch (152 mm) rifles with a top speed exceeding 35 knots (65 km/h ; 40 mph). The so-called Admiralty requirement for a 9,000 tonne cruiser is armored enough to withstand a direct attack of an 8-inch (203 mm) shell, capable of 32 knots (59 km/h) and twelve 6-inch guns. The amphibious aircraft shipped will allow the cruise lines to be patrolled over a large area, and the class must also be able to maintain its own anti-aircraft defense. Under the Director of Naval Construction, the new design evolved during 1933. The new class-new flagship, HMS 9900 tons Southampton , and his brother HMSÃ, Newcastle , were ordered. below the 1933 estimate. Three other cruisers were built for this design, with three other vessels built with a larger 9,400-ton design in 1935-1936. In 1935, however, Admiralty was eager to increase the firepower of this cruiser to match the firepower of the Japanese cruisers Mogami and the Brooklyn-class American explorers; both armed with fifteen 6-inch weapons. The Admiralty rejected the design that featured five triple towers as impractical, while alternative designs fitted four towers four times were rejected because an effective quadruple tower could not be developed. In May 1936, Admiralty decided to install three towers, whose enhanced design would allow for increased deck armor. The modified design is a sub-class of 10,000 tons Edinburgh , named from your brother HMS Belfast ', Edinburgh . Belfast was ordered from Harland and Wolff on September 21, 1936, and paid off on December 10, 1936. The expected expenses were £ 2,141,514; in which the cost of £ 75,000 weapons and aircraft (two Supermarine Walruses) Ã, Â £ 66,500. He was launched on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 1938, by Anne Chamberlain, wife of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. The launch was filmed by Pathe News. From March to August 1939, Belfast was installed and underwent a sea test.
When completed, Belfast has an overall length of 613 feet 6 inches (187.0 m), rays 63 feet 4 inches (19.3 m) and a 17 foot 3 inch (5.3 m) design). The standard displacement during the sea trials was 10,420 tons long (10,590 t). He was driven by four three-drum, three-drum, three-tube water boilers, transforming Parsons-made steam turbine, propelling four propeller shafts. He is capable of 32.5 knots (60.2 km/h, 37.4 mph) and carries 2,400 tonnes of length (2,400 t t) of fuel oil. This gave him a maximum range of 8,664 nautical miles (16,046 km, 9,970 mi) at 13 knots (24 km/h, 15 mph).
Belfast ' percent of the main armament consists of twelve Mk XXIII 6-inch weapons in four turrets of three. With a shot rate of up to eight revolutions per pistol per minute, the main battery can reach a maximum fire rate of 96 revolutions per minute. The secondary armament consists of twelve 4-inch weapons on six twin mounts. Initial anti-aircraft weapons were originally sixteen 2-pom-pom "pomegranate" rifles in two barrels of eight barrels, and two Quadruple Vickers machine guns. He also installed six 21-inch Mk IV torpedo tubes in two triple mounts, and fifteen Mk VII.
Belfast is protected by a main steel belt measuring 4.5 inches (114 mm), with 3-inch (76 mm) deck armor above the magazine, and 2 inches (51 mm) above the engine room. The six-inch turret is protected up to 4 inches (102 mm) from the armor.
Belfast ' flight capability is provided by two Walrus amphibian biplanes Walparte supermarine catapult catapults. This can be launched from a D1H slapper mounted behind the superstructure forward, and recovered from water with two cranes mounted on either side of the funnel forward. The aircraft operated by Air Arm's HMS Fleet Belfast Flight of 700 Navy Air Squadron, is housed in two hangars in the superstructure forward.
Maps HMS Belfast (C35)
Second World War
1939-1942: Assigned , prize making, mining, and repair
Belfast sailed to Portsmouth on 3 August 1939, and was commissioned on 5 August 1939, less than a month before the outbreak of the Second World War. His first captain was Captain G A Scott with a crew of 761, and his first assignment was to the 2nd Fleet Explorers Squadron. On August 14th, Belfast took part in his first training, Operation Hipper, where he played the role of a German merchant who tried to escape to the Atlantic. By navigating the dangerous Pentland Firth, Belfast successfully escaped from Home Fleet.
On August 31, 1939 Belfast was transferred to the 18th Cruiser Squadron. Based in the Scapa Flow on Orkney island, the 18th Cruiser Squadron is part of a British effort to impose a sea blockade in Germany. Germany invaded Poland the next day, and Britain and France declared war on September 3. At 11:40 that morning, Belfast received a 'Beginning hostile at the same time against Germany' message. On September 8th Belfast was sentenced to sea from the Scapa Flow with battlecruisers Hood Renown , his sister aboard Edinburgh and four destroyers, on patrols intended to intercept the German ships returning from Norway. In particular, they are looking for Norddeutscher Lloyd liner Europa . No enemy ship found. On September 25th, Belfast took part in a fleet operation to restore the Spearfish submarine, where the ship was attacked by a German plane, but it was not damaged. On October 1, 1939 Belfast left the Scapa Flow to patrol the North Sea. On October 5, Belfast was intercepted and boarded a Norwegian neutral vessel sailing in a company with six whaling vessels. On October 8, the ship saw the Swedish merchant vessel C. P. Lilljevach but, in bad weather, did not intercept or ride it. The next day he boarded the Tai Yin , a Norwegian ship. Tai Yin has been listed by Admiralty as suspicious, so a gift crew from Belfast took him to Kirkwall for investigation. On October 9, Belfast intercepted the German liner, 13,615 tonnes of Cap Norte, 50 miles (80 km) northwest of the Faroe Islands. Disguised as a neutral Swedish vessel, SS Ancona , Cap Norte is trying to get back to Germany from Brazil; its passengers include German reserves. Under the Admiralty reward rule, Belfast ' the crew then receives a prize money. On October 12 Belfast boarded the Swedish ship Uddeholm , which also sailed to Kirkwall by the gift crew. Back in the harbor, on the night of 13-14 October, Belfast was among the few ships docked in the Scapa Flow, following intelligence reports from the expected air strikes. That night, the Royal Oak warship was torpedoed by the German U-47 submarine, which had infiltrated the harbor. On the morning after drowning, Belfast went to Loch Ewe.
On November 10th Belfast was removed from northern patrol and transferred to 2nd Squadron Cruiser. This squadron formed an independent rifle based in Rosyth. On November 21st, Belfast took part in the first attack of the troops, training the cannon. At 10:58 he crashed into a magnetic mine while leaving Firth of Forth. The mine was damaged Belfast ' cell, and destroyed one of the machines and boiler room. Twenty officers and men needed hospital treatment for injuries caused by the explosion, and 26 others suffered minor injuries. One person, Class 2 Henry Stanton, was hospitalized but later died of a head injury, after being thrown into the head deck by the explosion. The Krooman tugboat, pulled the cannon target for training, unleashed its target and drew Belfast to Rosyth for early repairs.
Initial assessment of damage Belfast ' indicates that, while the mine has done little damage directly to the outer hull, causing only a small hole just below one of the boiler chambers, the shocks caused the attack which is severe, damaging the engine, damaging the deck and causing upward hull (bending up) of three inches. On January 4, 1940 Belfast was disabled for Care and Maintenance status, the responsibility of the Rosyth Shipyard, and his crew spread to other ships. On June 28 he was repaired enough to sail to Devonport, arriving on June 30 under the command of Lieutenant Cdr H W Parkinson.
During the repair, work is done to straighten, reconstruct and strengthen the stomach. The armor belt is also extended and thickened. Her armament is updated with a newer 2 pound mounting pom-pom, and her anti-aircraft weaponry is enhanced with eighteen 20A mm Oerlikon weapons in five twins and eight single mountings, replacing two 0.5-inch Vickers quadruple weapons. Belfast also received new fire control radar for its main, secondary and anti-aircraft weapons. Her November 1942 radar fit included one Type 284 set and four 283 Type sets to direct the main armament, three Type 285 sets for secondary weapons, and two 285 Type sets for 2-alu anti-aircraft guns. He also received general surface warning radar types 273, 251 and 252 sets for the purpose of friend or enemy identification (IFF), and Type 281 and Type 242 for air warnings. His 1942 electronic package also included the echosounder Type 270. Due to his increased weight, the bulge was introduced into his hull in the middle of the vessel to improve stability and provide extra longitudinal strength. Its pillar has risen to 69 ft (21 m) and its draft to 19 ft (5.8 m) forward and 20 ft 2 in (6.15 m) behind. Its displacement has increased to 11,550 tonnes.
1942-1943 1942-1943: 1942-1943: Recommissioning, Arctic convoy and Battle of North Cape
Belfast was recruited in Devonport on November 3, 1942, under the command of Captain Frederick Parham. Upon returning to Home Fleet Belfast was the flagship of the 10th Squadron Cruiser, raising the banner of Rear Admiral Robert Burnett, who had previously ordered the Fleet Home Fleet fleet. The squadron is responsible for the dangerous task of escorting the Arctic convoy to the Soviet Union, operating from the Scapa Flow and bases in Iceland. Its radio radar reduced the need for Belfast airborne surveillance, and its aircraft was deployed in June 1943. Belfast spent 1943 engaged in convoy escorts and blockade patrol duties, and on 5-6 October of the same year, forming part of the covering forces during Operation Leaders, air strikes against German shipments in the waters of northern Norway near BodÃÆ'¸ by aircraft carrier USSÃ,
On December 26, 1943, Belfast participated in the North Cape Battle. This battle, which occurred during the Arctic night, involved two powerful Royal Navy formations; the first, Force One, consists of the Norfolk, Sheffield and Belfast ships with three destroyers, and the second, Force Two, consisting of the warship Duchy York and Jamaican cruisers with four destroyers. On December 25, 1943, Christmas Day, the German battleship Scharnhorst left the port in northern Norway to attack the JW55B Convoy, which led to the Soviet Union. The next day Force One meets Scharnhorst, preventing him from attacking the convoy, and forcing him to return home after being destroyed by a British cruiser. When Scharnhorst did, he was intercepted by Force Two and drowned by a combined formation. Belfast plays an important role in combat; as the flagship of the 10th Cruiser Squadron, he was among the first to meet Scharnhorst, and coordinated the squadron's defense of the convoy. After Scharnhorst turned from the convoy, Admiral Burnett in Belfast dumped him with a radar from the outer visual range, allowing interception by the Duke of York.
1944: Tirpitz and D-Day
After the North Cape, Belfast refueled at Kola Inlet before sailing to the United Kingdom, arriving at Scapa to refuel, ammunition and shop on New Year's Day in 1944. Belfast sailed to Rosyth on January 10, where his crew received a leave of absence. February 1944 saw Belfast continue its Arctic convention duties, and on March 30, 1944 Belfast sailed with force that included Operation Tungsten, an Armstrom Air Fleet fleet attack launched with great power against the Ship war Germany Tirpitz . Tethered in Altafjord in northern Norway, Tirpitz is the last surviving vessel of the German navy. Forty-two Fairey Barracuda dive divers from HMSÃ, Victorious and HMSÃ,
For the invasion of Normandy Belfast was made the headquarters of the E-bombing Brigade fly the flag of Rear Admiral Frederick Dalrymple-Hamilton, and to support the landing by British and Canadian troops in the Golden and Juno Beach sectors. On 2 June Belfast left the Clyde River for its bombardment area. That morning Prime Minister Winston Churchill has announced his intention to go overboard with the fleet and witness the invasion of HMS Belfast . This was opposed by the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, and First Marine Lord, Sir Andrew Cunningham. Intervention by the King finally prevents Churchill from leaving.
The invasion will begin on June 5 but bad weather forces a 24-hour delay. At 5:30 am on June 6, Belfast fired on German artillery batteries at Ver-sur-Mer, pressing weapons until it was occupied by British Infantry Battalion 7, Green Howards. On June 12 Belfast supported Canadian troops moving ashore from Juno Beach and returning to Portsmouth on June 16 to replenish its ammunition. He returned two days later for further bombing. On the night of July 6 Belfast is threatened anchor by a German motor torpedo ship ("E-ship"). He avoided it by weighing anchors and moving to the concealment of the smoke screen. Belfast fired its final round in anger in European waters on July 8, in a company with monitors HMSÃ, Roberts and HMSÃ © warship Rodney, as part Operation Charnwood . On July 10 he sailed to Scapa, fighting in France after moving into the interior beyond his weapon range. During his five-week holiday in Normandy, Belfast had fired 1,996 rounds from his six-inch rifle.
1945: Services in the Far East
On July 29, 1944, Captain Parham handed HMS Belfast command to Captain RM Dick, and until April 1945 Belfast had a reparation to prepare service against Japan in the Far East which increased its accommodation to the conditions tropical, and renewed anti-aircraft weapons and fire controls to counter the kamikaze attacks expected by Japanese aircraft. In May 1945, Belfast placed thirty-six 2-pounder weapons in two eight-gun mounts, four quadruple mounts, and four single mounts. He also installed fourteen Oerlikon 20 mm. Two locks of almost 4 inches are released, and the rest are installed with Remote Power Control. The empty hangar is converted into crew accommodation, and the slingshot of the plane is removed.
Its radar radars now include the Type 277 radar set to replace its Type 273 for surface warning. Its Type 281 air-warning device was replaced with a single Type 281B Type antenna, while Type 293Q was installed for close-up and surface warnings. A Type 274 set is installed for the direction of the main armament fire. On June 17, 1945, with the war in Europe finally, Belfast sailed to the Far East through Gibraltar, Malta, Alexandria, Port Said, Aden, Colombo, and Sydney. By the time he arrived in Sydney on 7 August Belfast was the flagship of the 2nd British Pacific Fleet Cruiser Squadron. While in Sydney Belfast had another short reparation, completing the close range weaponry with five 40 mm Bofors rifles. Belfast had been expected to join the Operation Fall , but this was prohibited by the Japanese surrender on August 15, 1945.
Post-war service 1945-50
With the end of the war, Belfast stayed in the Far East, cruising a number of yachts to harbors in Japan, China and Malaya and sailing to Portsmouth on August 20, 1947. There he paid to reserve, and underwent reparations during his turbine opened for maintenance. He also received two more single Bofors weapons, in lieu of two 2-pound stands. He was accepted back on September 22, 1948 and before returning to the Far East visiting his hometown of Belfast which arrives on October 20th. The next day, October 21, 1948, the ship company marked Trafalgar's Day with a march across town. The next day Belfast took over the silver bell, a gift from the people of Belfast. He sailed to Hong Kong on October 23 to join the Royal Navy Far East Station, arriving in late December. In 1949, the political situation in China was precarious, with the Chinese Civil War moving toward its conclusion. As the flagship of the 5th Cruiser Squadron, Belfast was the ship's headquarters of Far Eastern Station during the April 1949 Amethyst Incident, in which an English shovel, HMSÃ, Amethyst , was trapped in the Yangtze River by the Communist People's Liberation Army. Belfast stayed in Hong Kong in 1949, sailed to Singapore on January 18, 1950. There he underwent a small repair between January and March 1950 and in June he joined the Far East Fleet summer cruise. On June 25, 1950, when Belfast visited Hakodate in Japan, North Korean troops crossed 38 Parallels, beginning the Korean War.
Korean War 1950-52
With the outbreak of the Korean War, Belfast was part of the United Nations naval forces. Originally part of the US Navy Task Force 77, Belfast was separated to operate independently on July 5, 1950. During July and early August 1950, Belfast conducted a beach patrol and was based in Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture Japan. From July 19 Belfast supports troops fighting around Yongdok, accompanied by the USSÃ, Juneau . That Day Belfast fired an accurate 350-spin bombardment from its 6-inch rifle, and was praised by the American admiral as a "shoot-out". On August 6 he sailed to England for a brief (but necessary) reparation, after which he sailed back east and arrived back in Sasebo on January 31, 1951.
During 1951, Belfast installed a number of beach patrols and bombarded various targets. On June 1, he arrived in Singapore to repair, arriving back on patrol on 31 August. In September 1951 Belfast provided an anti-aircraft cover for a rescue operation to recover enemy MiG-15 fighter aircraft that crashed. He bombarded and patroled before taking a month off from the operation, returning to action on December 23.
In 1952 Belfast resumed his coastal patrol duties. On July 29, 1952 Belfast was hit by enemy fire while using an artillery battery on the island of Wolsa-ri. A 75-mm shell struck a compartment ahead, killing a British Chinese sailor in his hammock and wounding four other Chinese ranks. This is the only time Belfast was hit by enemy fire during his serve in Korea. On September 27, 1952 Belfast was relieved by two other City class cruisers, HMSÃ, Birmingham and HMSÃ, Newcastle, and sailed back to England. He has piloted more than 80,000 miles (130,000 km) in the combat zone and fired more than 8,000 rounds of 6-inch rifles during the Korean War. He paid off at Chatham on 4 November 1952 and entered reserve in Devonport on December 1st.
Modernization and final commission 1955-1963
Instead, the future of Belfast was uncertain: post-war defense cuts made labor-intensive cruisers too expensive to operate, and it was not until March 1955 that the decision was taken to modernize Belfast . The work began on January 6, 1956. Though described only as an extended reparation, the cost was considerable for this large middle-aged cruiser, 5.5 million pounds. Changes include: providing a new twin MK 5 40 mm and 4 inch twin holder with individual MRS8 directors; 4 inch gun training and elevation speed increased to 20 degrees per second; and protect the main parts of the ship against nuclear, biological or chemical attacks. This last consideration means enlarging and attaching the bridge significantly, creating a two-tier, five-sided superstructure that radically alters its appearance. The most significant change was better accommodation for smaller crews that were more suited to postwar needs, the tripod poles were replaced with lattice poles, and wooden decks were replaced with steel everywhere except quarterdecks. The overall effect is to make cruisers significantly more habitable but different internally and to level in the external appearance of wartime travelers but only slightly superior in the capabilities of a final war match. Belfast was re-enlisted in Devonport on May 12, 1959. His close-range fleet was standardized into six twin Bofors weapons, and his short-range fire direction was also standardized into eight direct-fire directors equipped with the Type 262 radar. The 1959 radar match also includes Type 274, retained for main weaponry directions, Type 277Q and 293Q for altitude and surface warnings, Type 960M for air warnings, and 974 for surface warnings. To save weight, the torpedo weapon is released.
Belfast arrived in Singapore on December 16, 1959, and spent most of 1960 at sea by exercising, calling in ports in Hong Kong, Borneo, India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Australia, the Philippines and Japan. On January 31, 1961, Belfast was unveiled, under the command of Captain Morgan Morgan-Giles. At his last last commission, Belfast joined a number of exercises in the Far East, and in December 1961 he gave the British honorary guard at the Tanganyika independence ceremony in Dar es Salaam.
The ship left Singapore on March 26, 1962 for England, sailing east through Hong Kong, Guam and Pearl Harbor, San Francisco, Seattle, British Columbia, Panama and Trinidad. He arrived at Portsmouth on June 19, 1962.
Inaugurated in July, he made his last visit to Belfast from 23-29 November, before paying off the reserve on 25 February 1963. In July 1963, Belfast was recruited for the last time, with the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) crew and a number of Sea Cadets hoisting the flag of the Admiral Command Reserve, Rear Admiral Hugh Martell. Belfast sailed to Gibraltar at the company with sixteen RNR landmines for a two-week training in the Mediterranean on August 10th. Martell's obituarist regards this commission as a well-regarded tool that 'much to restore confidence and the new RNR image' that had undergone a fierce merger with the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve in 1958.
Reserves, decommissioning and conservation efforts 1963-1971
Belfast returned to Devonport on 24 August 1963 and underwent a short reparation to prepare it to repay the reserves, which occurred in December 1963. In January 1966, parts of the ship and power system were reactivated and starting in May. From 1966 to 1970 he served as an accommodation vessel (taking over the duties of Sheffield), moored at Fareham Creek, for the Reserve Division in Portsmouth. While Belfast was lying at Fareham Creek, the Imperial War Museum, the British national museum of twentieth-century conflict, became interested in preserving the 6-inch tower. Turret will represent a number of cruiser classes (then disappear from service) and will complement a pair of 15-inch British naval weapons. On April 14, 1967, museum staff visited Gambia, the Crown-class cruiser was also moored at Fareham Creek at the time. After the visit it is likely to be raised to preserve the entire ship. Gambia has gone badly, so attention goes to rescue Belfast. . The Imperial War Museum, the National Maritime Museum, and the Department of Defense formed a joint committee, which reported in June 1968 that the scheme was practical and economical. However, in early 1971, the government's Public Prosecutors decided to oppose conservation. On May 4, 1971 Belfast "was reduced to exile" to await the abolition.
HMS Belfast Trust 1971-1977
After the government's refusal, personal beliefs were set up to campaign for ship preservation. The HMS Belfast Trust established; the chairman was Rear Admiral Sir Morgan Morgan-Giles, captain of Belfast from January 1961 to July 1962. As Member of Parliament (MP) for Winchester, Morgan-Giles spoke of the House of Commons on 8 March 1971. He described Belfast as "a truly beautiful state of preservation" and that saving it to the nation symbolizes "the case for seizing the last chance". Among the MPs who spoke in support of Morgan-Giles were Gordon Bagier, MP for South Sunderland, who served as a Royal Marine shooter on the Belfast ship and was present at both the sinking of Scharnhorst and Normandy landings. Speaking for the government, Under-secretary for the Navy, Peter Michael Kirk, said that Belfast was "one of the most historic ships owned by the Navy in the last 20 years", but that he could not prevent stripping equipment which can be released by ship, because this is too far to be stopped. He, however, agrees to postpone a decision on the removal of Belfast to allow the Trust to draw up an official proposal.
After the Trust's efforts, the government agreed to hand Belfast to the Guardians in July 1971, with Vice Admiral Sir Donald Gibson as its first director. At a press conference in August, the Trust announced "Seahorse Operation ", a plan to bring Belfast to London. He was withdrawn from Portsmouth to London via Tilbury, where he was installed as a museum. He was drawn to his final resting place on Tower Bridge on October 15, 1971 and settled in a large pit that had been dredged at the bottom of the river; then he attached to the two dolphins who guided him during the up and down currents.
He was opened to the public on Trafalgar Day, October 21, 1971. The date was important, since Belfast was the first naval vessel to be rescued for the nation since HMS Victory, Lord Nelson's warship The Battle of Trafalgar. Though no longer a part of the Royal Navy, HMS Belfast was given a special dispensation to enable him to continue flying the White Ensign.
Now a museum, the opening of the ship was well received: in 1972 HMS Belfast Trust won the British Tourists British "British Coverage" trophy. Support for ship restoration is received from individuals, from Royal Navy, and from commercial businesses; in 1973, for example, the Worshipful Company of Bakers provided artificial bread for display on NAAFI boats and bread. In 1974, the area including Admiral bridge and front boiler and engine room had been restored and installed. That year also saw the improvement of the Operation Room of the ship by a team of HMSÃ, Vernon , and the return of Belfast ' six twin Bofors mountains, along with the fire department director they. In December 1975, Belfast had received 1.5 million visitors. In 1976 Belfast was reorganized with the successors of the Royal British Royal Ulster Rifles, the Royal Irish Rangers, and in the same year the Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society restored the Bridge Wireless Office ship to work orders.
Imperial War Museum 1978-present
In 1977, the financial position of HMS Belfast Trust had become marginal, and the Imperial War Museum asked permission to incorporate the Trust into the museum. On January 19, 1978, Secretary of State for Education and Science Shirley Williams accepted a proposal stating that HMS Belfast was a unique demonstration of the important phases of our history and technology. The ship was transferred to the museum on March 1, 1978, and became the third branch of Imperial War Museum, Duxford aerodrome acquired in 1976. In October 1998, the HMS Association of Belfast was formed to reunite its former members. from ship companies. Sound Archives The Imperial War Museum also attempted to record oral history interviews with former crewmembers.
Preservation
Since being taken to London, Belfast has twice been dried as a part of long-term preservation of ships. In 1982 he landed at Tilbury, and in June 1999, Belfast was drawn to Portsmouth. This is the first time he has gone to sea in 28 years and thus requires a Marine Excellence Certificate from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. While at the dock, the entire stomach is cleaned, crushed, and repainted, the keel plate is checked and an ultrasonic survey is performed. He is not expected to require further drydocking until 2020. While under tow to Portsmouth he is delayed by bad weather and arrives one day late: it is intended that he will arrive on 6 June 1999, the fifty-fiveth anniversary of the Normandy landings. During the maintenance work, the Belfast hull and the top is repainted in its specific camouflage scheme officially known as Admiralty Disruptive Kamouflage Type 25 , which he has imposed from November 1942 to July 1944. This was rejected by some, due to an anachronistic conflict between the camouflages, reflecting most of the active Second World War services, and the present configuration, which was the result of the extension of the repe ship from January 1956 to May 1959. the establishment of the Cultural, Media and Sports Advisory Committee (DCMS) Committee on the National Historic Ship in 2006, Belfast was listed as part of the National Historical Fleet.
On May 9, 2010, a ceremony was held on the Belfast ship to mark the 65th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. Veterans of the Arctic convoy were present to receive a medal from Russian Ambassador Yuri Fedotov. During the ceremony it was announced that, as part of the ship's recovery, two new poles had been produced at Severnaya Verf shipyard near Saint Petersburg. Production of poles, to replace the original damaged ones, has been supported by a number of Russian businesses with reported costs of Ã, Â £ 500,000. The recovery of poles involving removing fittings from both poles allows them to be recovered individually. The old columns are then cut down into pieces, new poles are installed, and the original equipment is replaced. On October 19, 2010, new pillars were dedicated at a ceremony attended by veteran HMS Belfast, by Prince Philip and officials of the Russian embassy and government.
In 2017, it was announced that the three Type 26 frigates of the Royal Navy would be named Belfast . At the same time, the IWM states that the museum will be renamed "HMS Belfast (1938)" as a means of avoiding confusion.
Interpretation
When Belfast was first opened to the public, visitors were limited to the upper deck and superstructure forward. In 2011, nine decks opened to the public. Access to the ship is via a road connecting the quarterdeck with a pedestrian walkway on the south bank of the River Thames. The Imperial War Museum guidebook to HMS Belfast divides the ship into three major sections. The first, "Life aboard", focuses on the experience of serving at sea. Restored compartments, partly filled with clothing, describe the living conditions of the crew and various ship facilities such as sick bay, kitchen, laundry, chapel, mess deck and NAAFI. Since 2002, schools and youth groups have been able to stay on overnight aboard Belfast, sleeping in bed on the restored 1950 deck. The second part, "The inner workings", beneath the surface of the water and protected by a ship's armored belt, contains mechanical, electrical, and core communication systems. As well as engine room and boiler, other compartments include transmitter stations (Admiralty Fire Control Table housing, mechanical computer), front-wheel positions and one of Belfast's 'spangles and six-inch shell magazines. The third section, "Station of action", includes the upper deck and front superstructure with weaponry, fire control, and ship command facilities. Public open areas include operating rooms, Admiral bridges and rifle direction platforms. During 2011, these two areas were reinterpreted. The operating room was restored to its performance during the Pony Express Training, an English-Australian-American joint exercise held in North Kalimantan in 1961. Reinterpretation included an interactive audio-visual planning desk. In July 2011, the Y Turret interior, the rearmost 6-inch tower, was re-displayed using audio-visual and atmospheric effects, looking to evoke a shooter's experience in the Battle of North Cape. To emphasize the range of ship's armaments, the advanced six-inch weapons of A and B Turrets are trained in the London Gateway service area on the M1 motorway, about 12.5 miles away on the outskirts of London. A 4-inch mounted mount and hoist shell are kept in framework and used during an empty-shoot demonstration by the Navy Navy re-enforcement group. In addition to the various vessel areas open to visitors, several compartments have been installed as special exhibition halls. Permanent exhibits include "HMS Belfast in War and Peace" and "Life at Sea". The entrance fee to HMS Belfast includes a multilingual audio guide.
HMS Belfast also serves as the headquarters of the London City Sea Cadet Corps, and its prestigious location in central London as a result means he often has another ship anchored next to it. In October 2007 Belfast hosted a naming ceremony of the tender lighthouse THV Galatea with the Queen and Prince Philip in attendance.
2011 crash
On November 29, 2011, two workers suffered minor injuries after a section of the aisle, connected to the ship, collapsed during the renovation work. The ship was closed to visitors after the accident. The inquiry then determined that the gangway collapse was caused by a subcontractor who cut the gangway structure during the repair work. Belfast reopened on May 18, 2012.
The closure delayed the construction of a new two-story bank-side pavilion to replace the existing Belfast ' of existing retail and revenue buildings. The structure, whose planning permission was received in October 2011, provides a cafe on the ground floor, a shop and reception area, and a rooftop bar. Previously expected to be completed in the summer of 2012, the structure opened in April 2013.
Note
References
Bibliography
- Watton, Ross (1985). Ship Anatomy: The Explorer Belfast. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBNÃ, 0-85177-328-1.
- Wingate, John (2004). In Trust for the Nation: HMS Belfast 1939-1972 . London: Imperial War Museum. ISBN: 1-901623-72-6.
- Imperial c Museum (2009). HMS Belfast. London: Imperial War Museum. ISBN: 978-1-904897-93-4.
- Lavery, Brian (2015). Big Big Gun: At war and at sea with HMS Belfast. London: The Pool of London Press. ISBN: 978-1-910860-01-4.
- Diprose, Graham; Craig, Charles; Seaborne, Mike (2009). London Changing Riverscape . Francis Lincoln Ltd. ISBNÃ, 0-7112-2941-4. Ã,
External links
- Official website
- HMS English Movie Archive Belfast
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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