View source for HMS Phoebe (F42)

{{short description|1966 Type 12I or Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy}}
{{other ships|HMS Phoebe}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Phoebe F42 off NorfolkVA 1990 (cropped).jpeg
|Ship caption= HMS ''Phoebe'' in 1990
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Phoebe''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder= [[Alexander Stephen and Sons]] 
|Ship original cost=
|Ship laid down=25 July 1963
|Ship launched=19 December 1964
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=15 May 1966
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned= 14 February 1991
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=
|Ship registry=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: F42
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate=Sold for scrap 1992
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Ship class={{sclass|Leander|frigate}}
|Ship displacement={{convert|3200|LT|t|0|lk=in|abbr=on}} full load
|Ship length= {{convert|113.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|12.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught= {{convert|5.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship propulsion=2 × [[Babcock & Wilcox]] boilers supplying steam to two sets of White-[[English Electric]] double-reduction geared turbines to two shafts
|Ship speed={{convert|28|kn|km/h|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|4600|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn|km/h}}
|Ship endurance=
|Ship complement=223
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*'''As built:'''
* 1 × twin [[QF 4.5-inch Mk I – V naval gun|4.5 inch (114 mm) guns]]
* 1 × quadruple [[Seacat (missile)|Sea Cat]] anti-aircraft missile launchers
* 1 × [[Limbo (weapon)|Limbo anti-submarine mortar]]
* '''From 1977:'''
* 4 × [[Exocet]] anti-ship missile launchers
* 2 × quadruple Seacat anti-aircraft missile launchers
* 2 × single [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns]]
* 2 × triple torpedo tubes
|Ship armour=
|Ship aircraft=*1 × [[Westland Wasp]] helicopter
* '''From 1978:'''
* 1 × [[Westland Lynx|Lynx]] helicopter
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Phoebe'' (F42)''' was a {{sclass|Leander|frigate|0}} [[frigate]] of the [[Royal Navy]] (RN).  She was, like the rest of her class, named after [[Phoebe (mythology)|a figure of mythology]]. Built by [[Alexander Stephen and Sons]] on the [[River Clyde]], she was launched on 19 December 1964 and commissioned on 15 May 1966.

==Construction and description==
''Phoebe'' was ordered during 1962 as one of the first Batch 2 ''Leander''-class frigates.<ref name="Leap33">{{Harvnb|Osborne|Sowdon|1990|p=33}}</ref> The ship was [[Keel laying|laid down]] at [[Alexander Stephen and Sons]] [[Linthouse]], [[Glasgow]] shipyard on 25 July 1963, was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 19 December 1964 and completed on 14 May 1966.<ref name="marp92">{{Harvnb|Marriott|1983|p=92}}</ref> She commissioned with the [[pennant number]] F42 on 15 May 1966.<ref name="leap109">{{Harvnb|Osborne|Sowdon|1990|p=109}}</ref>

''Phoebe'' was {{convert|372|ft|m|1}} long [[length overall|overall]] and {{convert|360|ft|m|1}} [[Waterline length|at the waterline]], with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|41|ft|m|1}} and a maximum [[Draft (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|18|ft|m|1}}. [[Displacement (ship)|Displacement]] was {{convert|2380|LT|t}} standard and {{convert|2860|LT|t}} full load.<ref name="leap111">{{Harvnb|Osborne|Sowdon|1990|p=111}}</ref> The ship was fitted with Y-136 machinery, built by [[Cammell Laird]].<ref name="leap112">{{Harvnb|Osborne|Sowdon|1990|p=112}}</ref> Two oil-fired [[Babcock & Wilcox]] boilers fed steam at {{convert|550|psi}} and {{convert|850|F|C}} to a pair of double reduction geared [[steam turbine]]s that in turn drove two propeller shafts, with the machinery rated at {{convert|30000|shp|kW}}, giving a speed of {{convert|28|kn}}.<ref name="leap111"/>

A twin [[QF 4.5-inch Mk I – V naval gun#Variants|4.5-inch (113 mm) Mark 6]] gun mount was fitted forward. Anti-aircraft defence was provided by a quadruple [[Sea Cat]] [[surface-to-air missile]] launcher on the hangar roof, while two [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]] for close-in defence against surface targets.  A [[Limbo (weapon)|Limbo]] anti-submarine mortar was fitted aft to provide a short-range anti-submarine capability, while a hangar and helicopter deck allowed a single [[Westland Wasp]] helicopter to be operated, for longer range anti-submarine and anti-surface operations.<ref name="Leap33-6">{{Harvnb|Osborne|Sowdon|1990|pp=33–36}}</ref>

As built, ''Phoebe'' was fitted with a large Type 965 long range air search [[radar]] on the ship's mainmast, with a Type 993 short range air/surface target indicating radar and Type 974 navigation radar carried on the ship's foremast. An MRS3 fire control system was carried over the ship's bridge to direct the 4.5-inch guns, while a GWS22 director for Seacat was mounted on the hangar roof.<ref name="Leap33,35-6">{{Harvnb|Osborne|Sowdon|1990|pp=33, 35–36}}</ref> The ship had a [[sonar]] suite of Type 177 medium range search sonar, Type 162 bottom search and Type 170 attack sonar, together with a Type 199 [[variable depth sonar]] (VDS).<ref name="Leap33-4">{{Harvnb|Osborne|Sowdon|1990|pp=33–34}}</ref>

==Operational service==
In the year of her commission, ''Phoebe'' assisted in the emotionally charged [[Aden Emergency|withdrawal from Aden]] in 1967. In 1969, ''Phoebe'' took part in the 20th Anniversary of [[NATO]] [[Fleet Review, Royal Navy|Fleet Review]] held at [[Spithead]].

In February 1970, ''Phoebe'' undertook a 10-month overseas deployment, which included three assignments to the [[Beira Patrol]] off [[Mozambique]] in an attempt to stop the supply of oil to [[Rhodesia]] in contravention of an oil embargo.<ref>{{cite news|title=Navy News in Brief |newspaper=[[Navy News]] |date=February 1971 |page=6 |url=https://issuu.com/navynews/docs/197102 |access-date=13 April 2019}}</ref> In April 1970, ''Phoebe'' left her Mozambique patrol to assist in the [[Indian Ocean]] as part of an [[Apollo 13]] splashdown secondary task force.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/images/navynews/archivepdfs/1970s/1972/navy-news-september-1972-issue-219.pdf|title=Navy News|publisher=royalnavy.mod.uk|date=September 1972|access-date=29 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.helis.com/database/ops/41-Apollo-XIII-splashdown-recovery/|title=Apollo XIII Splashdown Recovery|publisher=helis.com|date=17 April 1970|access-date=29 May 2022}}</ref><ref name="helis1">{{cite web|url=https://www.helis.com/database/unit/480-HMS-Phoebe|title=F42 HMS Phoebe|publisher=helis.com|access-date=29 May 2022}}</ref> In 1971, ''Phoebe'' deployed to the [[West Indies]].  That same year, ''Phoebe'' was guard ship during talks between [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] [[Edward Heath]] and [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Richard Nixon]]. She suffered minor damage when the frigate {{HMS|Berwick|F115|2}} collided with her whilst attempting to leave Portsmouth Harbour during the first week in November 1971.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/our-region/portsmouth/this-week-in-1971-berwick-and-phoebe-an-unexpected-kiss-1-7662098 |title=This week in 1971: Berwick and Phoebe: an unexpected kiss |first1=Byron |last1=Melton |date=5 November 2016 |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref> In 1973, ''Phoebe'' took part in the [[Second Cod War]], during the fishing disputes with [[Iceland]].
 
Between 1973 and 1977 ''Phoebe'' was used for the filming of the popular ''[[Warship (1973 TV series)|Warship]]'' [[BBC]] drama, set on board the fictional HMS ''Hero''.

In 1974, ''Phoebe'' commenced her modernisation, which including altering her weapons configuration.  Her single 4.5-inch twin turret was removed in favour of the [[Exocet]] anti-ship missile system, giving her a powerful anti-surface capability. The number of [[SeaCat missile]]s she carried was increased.  The modernisation was completed in 1977.  She subsequently took part in the Silver Jubilee celebrations and [[Fleet Review, Royal Navy|Fleet Review]], at which many warships attended from a variety of nations.<ref>Official Souvenir Programme, 1977. ''Silver Jubilee Fleet Review'', HMSO</ref>

During late 1977 and early 1978, ''Phoebe'' led a task force on active service to the South Atlantic (Falklands) in company with {{HMS|Alacrity|F174|6}}, {{HMS|Dreadnought|S101|6}} and RFA's ''Resurgent'' and ''Olwen'' calling at Funchal, Madeira before returning home.
[[File:HMS Phoebe F42 off NorfolkVA 1990.jpeg|thumb|left|HMS ''Phoebe'' in 1990]]
In 1978, ''Phoebe'' patrolled in the [[Caribbean]] and subsequently joined [[Standing Naval Force Atlantic]] (STANAVFORLANT), a multi-national squadron of [[NATO]] in company with USS ''Pharris'', the German frigate ''Emden'', HMCS ''Okanagan'' and the Dutch frigate ''Tjerk Hiddes''.  In that year, ''Phoebe'' had the distinction of becoming the first frigate to operate the [[Westland Lynx]] attack helicopter aka 'Phelix', which remains in service, though obviously of a newer variant.In February 1981, ''Phoebe'' was refitted with [[Towed array sonar|Towed array sonar type 2031]].<ref name="helis1" />

In September 1982, ''Phoebe'' deployed to the [[South Atlantic]] in the aftermath of the [[Falklands War]], and performed a number of duties, though mainly patrolling in that region.  In 1984, ''Phoebe'' completed her towed array sonar refit.  In 1988, ''Phoebe'' again served under [[Standing Naval Force Atlantic]] and took part in the rescue effort in the tragic aftermath of the [[Piper Alpha]] oil rig explosion in the [[North Sea]], which killed 167 people.  ''Phoebe'' decommissioned in 1991 and was sold for scrap the following year. Some of her notable Commanding Officers include [[Peter Berger (Royal Navy officer)|P E C Berger]], [[Gwynedd Pritchard|G I Pritchard]], [[Hugh Balfour]] and [[Jonathon Band]].

''Phoebe'' was adopted by the people of Bournemouth.  In 1986 the freedom of the Borough of Bournemouth was conferred on her.  In the Bournemouth Central Gardens there is a memorial seat dedicated to her as presented by the HMS Phoebe Association.<ref>https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/73804</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Publications==
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book|last=Marriott|first=Leo|year=1983 |title=Royal Navy Frigates 1945–1983|publisher=Ian Allan Ltd|location=Shepperton, Surrey, UK |isbn= 0-7110-1322-5}}
* {{cite book|last1=Osborne|first1=Richard|last2=Sowdon|first2=David |title=Leander Class Frigates |year=1990 |publisher = World Ships Society |location= Kendal, UK | isbn=0-905617-56-8}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022093109/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/r.pavely/Phoebe-Herobooklet.PDF Royal Navy leaflet on ''Warship'', from the HMS Phoebe Association website]
* [http://www.michaelbriant.com/warship.htm Comments on ''Warship'' by series Director Michael Briant]
* [http://www.mjbird.org.uk/Warship.html Webpage (at Home > Scriptwriting > Warship) about Michael J Bird's scripts for ''Warship'']
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090417083817/http://www.hmsphoebe.co.uk/ HMS Phoebe Association website]

{{Leander class frigate}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phoebe}}
[[Category:Leander-class frigates]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Tyne]]
[[Category:1964 ships]]