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Garlicdesign
Post subject: Some French Cold War shipsPosted: September 20th, 2022, 6:15 pm
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Some French cold war ships (in no particular order)

Tourville-class destroyers

Designed in the mid-sixties as dedicated oceangoing anti-submarine escorts, these three destroyers were long known as France’s most seaworthy warships; they spent almost their entire careers operating in the Atlantic. They resembled a down-scaled Suffren-type with simplified electronics, the same gunnery, sonar and ASW equipment, and two helicopters instead of a SAM system. They were designed from the start to mount the upcoming Crotale short-range SAM, but as completed, the first two – Tourville and Duguay-Trouin – had a third 100mm turret aft as a placeholder till Crotale became available.
[ img ]

The third ship – De Grasse – never received the third turret. All initially had Alouette III helicopters, and a rather obsolete surface-search radar forward.
[ img ]

When Crotale became available in 1979, all three ships were retrofitted. They also had their electronics modified, replacing the surface search set with a newer one (requiring the mast to be modified to place it as far up as possible) and received a pair of 20mm cannon just behind the bridge to deal with asymmetric threats. Apparently, trials had showed insufficient hull strength, so the hull received external stiffening along the upper deck. From 1980, all embarked two Lynx helicopters, which could fire 324mm ASW torpedoes and AS.15TT antiship missiles. The rigging between the masts is no longer visible on photographs showing the Crotale system.
[ img ]

At some point in the mid-1980s, satellite communication was retrofitted (a photograph labelled 1984 shows Duguay Trouin without satcom, another one labelled 1986 shows Tourville with it). They also received an upgraded towed array sonar; if it looked any different fron the original, I could not spot the difference on the photographs I have seen.
[ img ]

In 1990/1, the Crotale system was replaced with the improved Crotale EDIR with additional IR guidance and the capability to engage sea-skimming missiles. Externally, the launcher did not change (not that I noticed, anyway). A new deckhouse was erected immediately in front of the launch/magazine module, about whose purpose I haven’t found any info, and the Satcom array was augmented.
[ img ]

After 1996, Malafon was retired and removed from Tourville and De Grasse; sonar was upgraded again, and a new ASW combat system was installed (again without any external alterations visible to my untrained eye). Duguay-Trouin was retired in her entirety in 1999; the other two remained in service till 2011 and 2013, respectively. Due to their age and budget restrictions, they did not receive any significant upgrades after the turn of the century.
[ img ]

The torpedo is placed aft because I figured the hull opening there might be the catapult; I have not found its location in any of the sources I used. It might well be located somewhere else entirely. Additional info is welcome.

Greetings
GD


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Gollevainen
Post subject: Re: Some French Cold War shipsPosted: September 21st, 2022, 5:58 am
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These are great, a long waited for the bucket!!

regarding the TTs, once i'm home, I can check few of my sources if there is explanation for them

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iiradned
Post subject: Re: Some French Cold War shipsPosted: September 21st, 2022, 7:25 am
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Very nice!

Always did like the look of the Tourvilles, nice to them getting some love.


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odysseus1980
Post subject: Re: Some French Cold War shipsPosted: September 21st, 2022, 9:22 am
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Nice to see the Tourville class in SB.


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Hood
Post subject: Re: Some French Cold War shipsPosted: September 21st, 2022, 10:04 am
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Excellent work, lovely drawings and its good to see some modern French warships joining the archive.

Flottes de Combat 1980-81 indicates that the torpedo catapult was in the deckhouse immediately forward of the boat davits, it is the circular hatch that you have drawn just beneath the refuelling/replenishment pipes.
[ img ]

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Colombamike
Post subject: Re: Some French Cold War shipsPosted: September 21st, 2022, 11:05 am
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Outstanding work Garlicdesign,

Hopefully to see T-47 & T-53 class DDs in various variant/configuration

and the E-50 & E-52 as well ;)


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bugsier_060
Post subject: Re: Some French Cold War shipsPosted: September 21st, 2022, 11:55 am
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Superb, Garlic! As always.


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Rainmaker
Post subject: Re: Some French Cold War shipsPosted: September 21st, 2022, 1:06 pm
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Wow, fantastic work! Love seeing the evolution of these vessels over the years. The Tourvilles have been missing from the 'bucket for some time!


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Gollevainen
Post subject: Re: Some French Cold War shipsPosted: September 21st, 2022, 2:54 pm
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Regarding the torpedolaunchers, It is were Hood pointed it out.

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darthpanda
Post subject: Re: Some French Cold War shipsPosted: September 21st, 2022, 3:01 pm
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great job!

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