- Yes
- No
Hello everyone! Today marks the start of a long journey to start suggesting pretty much every single Israeli ship that would work ingame!
We’re starting of with this small little lad, the Fairmile Type B-class Motor Launch, INS Haportzim (M-17)
Source: https://www.amutayam.org.il/_uploads/imagesgallery/_cut/F0_0400_0000_fermileb.jpg
History
Spoiler
The history of this boat, or any other small guard ship of the early Israeli navy are quite obscure and uneventfull. But I will try my best to put as much information as I can in here.
INS Haportzim was purchased by Israel on the 3rd of July 1948, and given the number M-17. She was bought from the Italians who owned the ship after it was retired from British service. Haportzim was part of the coastal guard fleet together with seven other ships that were also recently bought from various countries. But all were of British or US design.
This coastal guard fleet peaked in size in 1951 where it contained 13 guard ships, Haportzim most likely still being operated at this time.
It’s unclear when Haportzim was retired from active service. Several years after 1951 the navy went through some budget cuts so it might be around this time when Haportzim was retired.
As a guard ship Haportzim was equipped with three 20mm autocannons for use against other small boats or light targets. Something that is interesting about these 20mm guns is that they are Oerlikon autocannons, but not the variant used by the allied forces of WW2. No, instead of those, Israel can be seen using the surplus of 20mm Flak 29 Oerlikon guns left over from Germany after they lost the war.
They are ofcourse identical in performance to the Allied variants. But their mounting is slightly different and it’s a cool little detail I thought I point out.
Specifications
Spoiler
Displacement: 65 tons
Length: 112 feet (34,14 meters)
Breadth: 18,5 feet (5,64 meters)
Draught: 5 feet (1,52 meters)
Machinery: 2 x Gasoline engines
Max speed: 18 knots (33 km/h)
Complement: 16
Armament:
3 x 1 20 mm Oerlikon Flak 29
Sources say she had 20mm guns, but looking at the photos they might also be heavy machine guns of some kind
Well that is all for this little boat. Many more suggestions like these to come in the future!
See you on the battlefield!
Source: File:INShaporzim.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
Sources