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This is a basic list of the
fire control equipment used by the Canadian Navy since the Second World
War. The different sources upon which this page is based sometimes have
conflicting information and details, and some of the information seen
here has therefore been extrapolated from those conflicting sources.
The author is primarily concerned with the antennas and other visual
clues as to the presence of the system, rather than the electronics or
"guts" of the system which was usually mounted below decks.
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6"
DCT with Type 274 Tracking Radar
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Role
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Main Gunnery Director
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Fitted to
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HMCS
ONTARIO
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Range
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16 nm
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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1945 - 1958
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Comments
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ONTARIO had one of these directors, for
directing fire from all three 6" gun turrets.
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Sources
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Naval
Weapons of the World website.
Correspondence with B. Lake.
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Photos 1&2: © M.D. Thomas.
Photo 3:
© DND / B. Lake.
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1. On HMS BELFAST.
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2. On HMS BELFAST.
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3. On HMCS ONTARIO.
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6"
DCT with Type 284 Tracking Radar
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Role
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Main Gunnery Director |
Fitted to
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HMCS
UGANDA / QUEBEC
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Range
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10 nm
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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1944 - 1956
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Comments
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UGANADA / QUEBEC had one of these
directors, for directing fire from all three 6" gun turrets. Type 284
had Yagi antennas. |
Sources
|
Naval
Weapons of the World website. |
| Photo 1: © DND / James
Doiron. |
1. On UGANDA / QUEBEC.
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2.
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3.
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AN/SPG 501 (WM 25)
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Role
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Gun and missile director
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Fitted to
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IROQUOIS
class destroyers (post-TRUMP).
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Range
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??
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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Early 1990s to present.
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Comments
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Two units installed above bridge forward
of mast. Signaal STIR (Separate Tracking & Illumination Radar) WM
25. |
Sources
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Jane's Fighting Ships, various editions.
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Photos 1-3: © Sandy McClearn.
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1.
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2.
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3.
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AN/SPG 503 (VM 25)
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Role
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Director for Bofors
57mm gun and Sea Sparrow missiles.
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Fitted to
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HALIFAX
class
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Range
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140 km (1 square meter target)
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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Early 1990s to present. |
Comments
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One unit installed above bridge forward
of mast, the other at the forward end of the hangar. Signaal STIR
(Separate Tracking & Illumination Radar) VM 25. |
Sources
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Jane's Fighting Ships, various editions.
Naval
Technology website.
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| Photos 1-3: © Sandy McClearn |
1.
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2.
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3.
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GUNAR
(Mk.64 GFCS with on-mount SPG-48 tracking radar)
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Role
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Gun Fire Control System
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Fitted to
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ST.
LAURENT, RESTIGOUCHE,
MACKENZIE,
and ANNAPOLIS
class destroyers.
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Range
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??
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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Early 1950s to 1990s.
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Comments
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This system was used with the FMC 3"/50
Mk.33 twin gun mounts. The SPG 48 tracking radar was located between
the gun barrels on the mounting.
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Sources
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Jane's Fighting Ships, various editions.
Files of Mike Potter.
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Photo 1: © DND.
Photo 2:
© Sandy McClearn.
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1. SPG 48 antenna on 3"/50 gun shield.
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2. SPG 48 antenna on 3"/50 gun shield. |
3.
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HADT
Mk.IV with Type 285 Tracking Radar
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Role
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AA Gunnery Director
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Fitted to
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HMCS
UGANDA / QUEBEC, some destroyers
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Range
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8.5 nm
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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1944 - 1956
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Comments
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UGANDA / QUEBEC mounted three of these
directors for controlling 4"/45 QF twin AA mounts and main 6" armament.
Two were installed
on either side of the forward mast, while the third was installed aft.
Type 285 had Yagi antennas. The Type 285 radar was also carried by some
destroyers, although it was fitted to a different director.
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Sources
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Naval
Weapons of the World website. |
Photos:.
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1.
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2.
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3.
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HADT
Mk.VI (Mk.6 GFCS) with Type 275 Tracking Radar
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Role
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AA Gunnery Director |
Fitted to
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HMC Ships ONTARIO,
CAGUGA,
and ATHABASKAN
(2).
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Range
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16 nm
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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1945 - 1966.
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Comments
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ONTARIO mounted three of these directors
for controlling 4"/45 QF twin AA
mounts. They could also direct the main 6" armament. Two were installed
on either side of the forward mast, while
the third was installed aft. Some destroyers also mounted a single unit
just aft of the bridge. There were two radar antennas associated with
the Type 275 system and were mounted on either side of the director,
with one a transmitter, the other a receiver. The third photo
below shows the Mk.6 director with the visual rangefinders still
fitted (the horizontal cylinders extending out to either side), which
were removed by about 1950.
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Sources
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Naval
Weapons of the World website.
ASDIC, RADAR, and
IFF
Systems Aboard HMCS HAIDA website by Jerry Proc.
Correspondence with B. Lake.
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Photos 1&3: © DND / B. Lake.
Photo 2: © DND.
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1. Aft director on ONTARIO.
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2. On destroyer.
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3. On ONTARIO.
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LIROD
(Lightweight Radar & Optronic Director)
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Role
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Surface gunnery director
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Fitted to
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IROQUOIS
class (post-TRUMP)
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Range
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??
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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Early 1990s to present.
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Comments
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Mounted above the bridge on IROQUOIS
class ships for controlling the 76mm OTO Melara gun mounting.
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Sources
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Photo 1: © Sandy McClearn.
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1.
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2.
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3.
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Mk.III
range finder with Type 285 Tracking Radar
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Role
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AA Gunnery Director
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Fitted to
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Some Tribal
class destroyers
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Range
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8.5 nm
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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1943 - ~ 1952
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Comments
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This system was carried by six of the
eight Tribal
class destroyers
just forward of the mast, and aft of the bridge.
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Sources
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Gough, Barry M. (2001). HMCS HAIDA -
Battle Ensign Flying
. Vanwell Publishing Ltd. St. Catherines, ON.
Naval
Weapons of the World website.
Canadian
War Museum
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Photo 1: © DND.
Photo 2: © Sandy McClearn
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1. On Tribal.
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2. On Tribal class model in CWM.
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3.
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Mk.60
GFCS
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Role
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Surface and AA gunnery
direction??
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Fitted to
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IROQUOIS
class destroyers (pre-TRUMP)
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Range
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??
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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Early 1970s to early 1990s.
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Comments
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Controlled the OTO Melara 5"/54 main gun.
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Sources
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Jane's Fighting Ships, various editions.
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Photos
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1.
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2.
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3.
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Mk.63
GFCS (Mk.29 gun sight with SPG-34 tracking radar)
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Role
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AA Gunnery Director |
Fitted to
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Tribal class (Batch 1
and Batch
2) destroyers, ALGONQUIN,
and CRESCENT
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Range
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??
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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Early 1950s to 1990s.
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Comments
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Installed on DDE refitted Tribal class
destroyers, as well as the refitted ALGONQUIN and CRESCENT for the
control of 4"/45 and 3"/50 guns. The Mk.63 system consisted of the
Mk.29 gunsight and the SPG 34 gunnery radar system (29 + 34 =
63), and in the case of the Tribal class there were two separate Mk.63
systems installed (one forward, one aft). On the Tribals, the SPG 34
antennas were installed
directly on the 4" "B" mounting and the 3" "X" mounting. The two Mk.29
gun sights were mounted forward on the
bridge (in the place of the removed director) as well as aft .
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Sources
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Gough, Barry M. (2001). HMCS HAIDA -
Battle Ensign Flying
. Vanwell Publishing Ltd. St. Catherines, ON.
ASDIC,
RADAR, and IFF
Systems Aboard HMCS HAIDA website by Jerry Proc.
Correspondence with Jerry Proc.
HMCS HAIDA
National Historic Site
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Photos 1&2: © DND.
Photos 3-5:
© Sandy McClearn
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1. SPG 34 on Tribal class destroyer.
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2. SPG 34 on HAIDA "B" mounting.
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3. SPG 34 on HAIDA "X" mounting.
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4.
SPG 34 on HAIDA "X" mounting.
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5.
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6.
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Mk.69
GFCS with SPG-48 tracking radar
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Role
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AA Gunnery Director |
Fitted to
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RESTIGOUCHE
and MACKENZIE
class
destroyers (pre-DELEX)
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Range
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??
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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Early 1950s to 1990s.
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Comments
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Mk.69 was USN origin director tower
installed aft of the bridge on RESTIGOUCHE and MACKENZIE class
destroyers for control of the Vickers 3"/70 Mk.6 twin gun mounting.
This system could also control the aft 3"/50 gun where applicable. The
SPG 48 associated with this system was located on the director, and was
later replaced with the SPG 515 during the DELEX refits.
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Sources
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Jane's Fighting Ships, various editions.
Files of Mike Potter. |
Photo 1: © DND.
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1.
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2.
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3.
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Mk.69
GFCS with SPG-515 tracking radar
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Role
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AA Gunnery Director |
Fitted to
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RESTIGOUCHE,
MACKENZIE,
and ANNAPOLIS
class destroyers (post-DELEX)
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Range
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??
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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1980s to 1990s.
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Comments
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Mk.69 was USN origin director tower
installed aft of the bridge on
RESTIGOUCHE and MACKENZIE class destroyers for control of the Vickers
3"/70 Mk.6 twin gun mounting. This system could also control the aft
3"/50 gun where applicable. Two Mk.69 directors were recycled from paid
off ships and installed on ANNAPOLIS and NIPIGON during DELEX. The SPG
515 tracking radar replaced the earlier SPG 48 during DELEX. |
Sources
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Jane's Fighting Ships, various editions.
Files of Mike Potter. |
Photos 1-3: © Sandy McClearn.
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1. On NIPIGON.
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2. On GATINEAU.
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3. Mk.69 interior, starboard position.
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TDT
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Role
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Optical target
designators
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Fitted to
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ST.
LAURENT
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Range
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Visible range.
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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1950s to early 1990s?
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Comments
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"Optical units to designate radar
contacts to guns." Possibly located on either side of open bridge on
ST. LAURENT class ships.
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Sources
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Files of Mike Potter. |
Photos
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1.
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2.
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3.
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Type
282
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Role
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Close range AA control.
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Fitted to
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HMCS
ONTARIO, probably UGANDA /
QUEBEC,
some destroyers.
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Range
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3.5 nm
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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1944 - 1950
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Comments
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AA pom-pom mounting director, single
antenna of same type as with Type 283 (the antenna is the rectangle
with the two Yagi antennas extending to the right). Some 282 sets
were mounted directly on the gun mounting, as seen below in the photo
of a 40mm Hazemeyer mounting.
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Sources
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Naval
Weapons of the World website.
Correspondence with B. Lake.
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Photo 1: ©DND / B. Lake.
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1. On 40mm mounting on HMCS SIOUX.
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2.
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3.
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Type
283
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Role
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AA barrage director
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Fitted to
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HMCS
ONTARIO, probably UGANDA /
QUEBEC.
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Range
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8.5 nm
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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1944 - 1947
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Comments
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Controlled main 6" gun armament for
blind AA barrage fire. Used two antennas of the same type as with the
Type 282 (look for the two rectangles each with twin Yagi antennas, one
mounted above and to the right of the other).
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Sources
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Naval
Weapons of the World website.
Correspondence with B. Lake.
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Photo 1: © DND / B. Lake.
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1. Below aft Mk.6 director on ONTARIO.
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2.
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3.
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WM 22
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Role
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Gun and missile director
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Fitted to
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IROQUOIS
class destroyers (pre-TRUMP).
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Range
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??
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Approximate Cdn. Service Dates
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Early 1970s to early 1990s.
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Comments
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Signaal unit. Two units installed
above bridge forward of mast, port and starboard.
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Sources
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Jane's Fighting Ships, various editions.
Steed, Roger G. (1999). Canadian Warships Since 1956.
Vanwell Publishing Ltd. St. Catherines, ON.
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Photo 1: © DND.
Photo 2: © Sandy McClearn.
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1. On IROQUOIS class.
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2. On HMAS VAMPIRE.
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3.
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Additional Sources:
Barrie, Ron and Macpherson, Ken. (1996). Cadillac of
Destroyers: HMCS ST. LAURENT and Her Successors.
Vanwell Publishing Ltd. St. Catherines, Ont.
Gough, Barry M. (2001). HMCS HAIDA - Battle Ensign Flying
. Vanwell Publishing Ltd. St. Catherines, ON.
Steed, Roger G. (1999). Canadian Warships Since 1956.
Vanwell Publishing Ltd. St. Catherines, ON.
Jane's Fighting Ships, Various Editions
Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships, Various Editions
Corvus Publishing Group / Canada's Navy Annual. Various
Issues. (1985-1991)
ASDIC, RADAR, and IFF
Systems Aboard HMCS HAIDA website by Jerry Proc.
With information from the files of Mike Potter.
Correspondence with B. Lake.
Photos from M.D. Thomas.
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