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Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I’m introducing you to a French oceanographic vessel converted into a combat ship during World War II: the Admiral Mouchez.
The Admiral Mouchez (F752) was an ocean-going aviso, built in the interwar period for the French Navy. Laid down in the Cherbourg shipyards in 1934, launched in 1936 and commissioned in 1937, this ship was the first truly designed to carry out hydrographic missions in the navy but retained the capacity to be transformed into a combat aviso in times of conflict. It is named after a 19th-century French admiral and astronomer, Ernest Mouchez, known for having led the mapping of the sky.
In the French maritime forces, the Admiral Mouchez first served as an oceanographic vessel along the coast of Brittany. At the start of the Second World War, the ship was converted into a combat aviso so that it could carry out various patrol missions. It took part in the evacuation of the English and French forces from Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo (this is claim by a lot of sources but seems uncertain) before being sent to Casablanca to join the rest of the French fleet. It was found again in 1942 during Operation Torch before joining the Free French forces. Shortly after the war, it was reconverted into an oceanographic vessel and continued its original missions until 1965, when it was scrapped.
Characteristics
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Length : 62 m
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Width : 10.60 m
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Draft : 3.90 m
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Mass : 719 tons
The ship is powered by an 800hp Sultzer diesel engine connected to two propeller shafts, giving it a top speed of 13 knots. The crew consists of 91 sailors and its hull number is F752.
Equipment
According to some sources, a radar was installed on the ship. However, no reliable source confirms this and no model is specified.
Weapons
Before WWII
- Guns :
- 2 x 100mm Mle 1932
During WWII (1941 to 1943 refit)
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Guns :
- 2 x 100mm Mle 1932
- 4 x 20mm Oerlikon Mk II/IV
- 2 x 13.2mm Hotchkiss machine gun
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Other :
- 4 x Depth charge racks (8 charges for each)
- 2 x Depth charge projector
In-game, this ship would be a very interesting addition to the French coastal tree. With its significant firepower and limited speed, it would be easy to balance and would bring a new iconic ship to the tree.
Pictures
