Drachinifel
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Weekly Photo - HMS Umpire
🕑 Added 2024-03-18 09:00:07 +0000 UTCUmpire was one of the later WW1 R class destroyers, as a class these were notable in being the first large production run of WW1 British destroyers with geared as opposed to direct turbines, partway through the class a slightly larger modified hull was swapped in which distinguishes these later ships as it allowed the boilers to be trunked into 2 funnels rather than 3. Umpire is therefore one of these later ships. Although entering service in summer 1917 she would still manage to see active combat in WW1, amongst other things take part in the 2nd Battle of Heligoland Bight. However, such was the scale and rapidity of the RN's destroyer building campaign that a few years later she was put in reserve and second line roles, the huge numbers of subsequent S/V/W class ships holding most of the front-line positions.
She is seen here around 1919 in Portsmouth Harbour passing HMS Victory. Whether or not the floatplane was actually there is a matter for conjecture, as early photo-editing absolutely loved putting aircraft into naval photo's around this time.
Comments
Peter Navarch
Some Catalinas were fitted with retractable wheels. I believe this gave them dry airfield capacity, as well as maintenance haul out capacity.
Peter Navarch
Oops - another inadvertent termination! Flying Boat - buoyant fuselage, high wing(s), engine(s), floats for stabilisation only. Catalina (see following) floats folded to wingtips during/just after takeoff, to reduce drag. The Walrus, that appears in many a Drydock, the Sunderland (military) / Sandringhan (civil), and the incredibly long range Catalina are well known examples. Few around these days. The Catalina operated what is believed to be the longest duration passenger flights, between here (Perth WA) and what was then Ceylon. They took off at first light, flew through day, the night, and landed in daylight the next day. Hence the nickname "Double Sunrise flights". They were fitted with 4 bunks for off watch aircrew.
