- Yes.
- No.
- In a future Dutch/BeNeLux techtree.
- In the French BeNeLux sub-tree
- Other (Please explain in the comments).
- I said “No” in the first question.
- As comissioned (8 x 12,7mm secondaries)
- 1942 refit (4 x 20mm secondaries)
- I said “No” in the first question.
Today I’m going to suggest a destroyer of the Netherlands Navy Gerard Callenburgh-class.
This is the HNLMS Isaac Sweers (1940)
HNLMS Isaac Sweers after being fitted with Brittish weapons
Source: Foto's
History
Spoiler
HNLMS Isaac Sweers in her early stages of construction. March 1939
Source: Foto's
HNLMS Isaac Sweers getting launched. 16th of March 1940
Source: Foto'sThe origins of the Gerard Callenburgh-class starts in the 1930’s. The Navy had started a re-equipment program to strengthen the Navy again, and in this plan twelve new destroyers were planned. In 1931 eight new destroyers of the Admiralen-class were finished, so another four ships had to be made. But it would take another few years before actual progress was made for this.
In 1937 the first design blueprints would be made for this new class of ships, at the time it was simply known as the Torpedobootjager 1937 (Destroyer 1937). Work continued on the design till 1938, and around 1938 the new ship class was given a name, the Gerard Callenburgh-class. In October of 1938 the first two ships were laid down. Shortly after this in November the third ship would be laid down, that being HNLMS Isaac Sweers.
HNLMS Isaac Sweers after being launched, now awaiting completion
Source: Foto's[u]HNLMS Isaac Sweers was launched on the 16th March 1940, and she was taken to another dock for completion. This would still take some time however since the ship was only really able to float, but not much else. All the weapons, superstructure, smoke funnels, and much more still had to be fitted.
However on the 10th of May 1940 Germany would invade the Netherlands, and HNLMS Isaac Sweers and her three sister ships were all not finished yet. HNLMS Isaac Sweers didn’t get extremely far yet, and while her planned 12cm main guns were present in the dock, they were not fitted yet.
There was no way to finish the ship now, but thankfully HNLMS Isaac Sweers managed to be towed away to Britain before the Germans managed to capture her. All of her sister ships would end up being destroyed or sunk to avoid capture.
HNLMS Isaac Sweers in drydock at Thornycroft, Southampton, October 1940
Source: Foto'sOnce she was in Britain she was taken to the drydock at Thornycroft, Southampton where she would be armed and finished for service. HNLMS Isaac Sweers was unarmed so all of the weapons fitted to her here were British onces.
On the 29th of May 1941 the ship went into service.
HNLMS Isaac Sweers in the port of Malta 1941 - 1942
Source: Foto'sHNLMS Isaac Sweers would be used as a convoy escort ship. Her 4 inch main guns and 40mm autocannons made her proof her worth as an anti-aircraft destroyer. Throughout 1941 she would service in many different areas and with many different allied ships.
I’m not going to detail all the operations HNLMS Isaac Sweers took part in in this suggestion. My suggestions are always about giving you the needed information about the Aircraft, Ground Vehicle or Naval Vessel I’m suggesting. So if you want to know more about what HNLMS Isaac Sweers did during the early stages of the war I recommend you look it up online or in books.
HNLMS Isaac Sweers with the identification number G83
Source: Foto'sOn the 12th of November 1942 HNLMS Isaac Sweers was spotted by the German submarine U-431. The submarine fired two torpedoes, the first torpedo hit the biggest oil tank inside HNLMS Isaac Sweers. This started a big fire and burning oil spilled out of the ship. The second torpedo hit near the officer quarters. The fire started to cause ammunition explosions and the ship was lost. Most of the crew jumped of the ship only to land in the burning oil that was floating on the water.
Out of the 194 crew, 108 sadly died. The rest that lived were picked up by friendly ships, most of the men having burn marks from the oil fire.
HNLMS Isaac Sweers sometime during 1942
Source: Torpedobootjager Hr. Ms. "Isaac Sweers" | Nationaal Archief
Design
Spoiler
A cross section blueprint of the Gerard Callenburgh-class
Source: | Nationaal ArchiefThe Gerard Callenburgh-class destroyer was a class of four ships made in the Netherlands. Two ships were made by “Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij” (RDM for short), and the other two ships were made by “Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde”. The ship in this suggestion, HNLMS Isaac Sweers, was being made by De Schelde.
HNLMS Isaac Sweers was 106,3 metres long, had a beam of 10,3 metres and a draft of 3,2 metres, and displaced 1.628 tons at standard displacement, and 2.240 tons at full. She was had a crew of 194 men. The ship was able to reach 36 knots.
[u]The weaponry onboard the ship was different from the original Gerard Callenburgh-class design. Because she had to flee to Britain unarmed, she was given British weaponry there. Her main weaponry would become three twin 10,2cm No. 2 guns, these are the British 4 inch QF Mark XVI guns in Mk. XIX RPC 51 twin turrets. The ship had one turret at the front, and two in a superfiring fair at the rear.
The secondairy guns stayed the same as was originally planned, that being four 40mm Bofors autocannons. Only now they were not mounted in Hazemeijer made twin turrets. Instead they were the British licence production of the Hazemeijer turrets, that being the Mark IV.
The British 40mm Mark IV onboard HNLMS Isaac Sweers
Source: Foto'sFurthermore HNLMS Isaac Sweers was given eight 12,7mm machine guns in two British Mark III quad mounts. These were located right next to the rear smoke funnel.
The British 12,7mm Mark III machine gun mount onboard HNLMS Isaac Sweers
Source: Foto'sThe ship also had two quad 533mm torpedo tube launchers. I’m very certain that the planned Dutch torpedo launchers were not onboard the ship when she left the Netherlands, so she must have been given British torpedoes instead. These were most likely the Mark 9 torpedoes. These had a 330 kg TNT warhead, and a range of 9.600 meters at 36 knots, or a range of 12.300 meters at 30 knots.
A Photo of two men performaing maintanence on the torpedoes onboard HNLMS Isaac Sweers
Source: Foto'sThe ship was also fitted with four depth charge launchers.
One thing that was not carried over from the original design was the ability to carry a floatplane.
A very small refit was made to the ship sometime during 1942. During this refit the eight 12,7mm machine guns were replaced with four 20mm Oerlikon autocannons. Two autocannons were put in the same spot where the 12,7mm machine guns used to be. And the other two are located next to the bridge.
Ingame
Spoiler
HNLMS Isaac Sweers would be a really unique addition for a Dutch/BeNeLux (Sub)tree. Whilst she is a Gerard Callenburgh-class destroyer, she completely changed from the original design. Ingame the lower rank 4 inch armed British destroyers are a lot of fun to play, and HNLMS Isaac Sweers combines those main guns with good anti-air weapons too!
My first choice would be to have this ship be added into a independent BeNeLux techtree. But ofcourse the BeNeLux has been added to France, so this is now the only option where Dutch vehicles will go to. But it must be said that the Netherlands and France have nothing in common, and do not make sense to combine together ingame.
In the French tree HNLMS Isaac Sweers would be a nice lower rank destroyer. Compared to the British 4 inch armed ship already in the French tree (The La Combattante) HNLMS Isaac Sweers has a more powerfull anti-aircraft battery. I’d say that HNLMS Isaac Sweers might even work as a nice premium destroyer.
Specifications
Spoiler
A blueprint of Isaac Sweers with her British weaponry fitted
Source: | Nationaal ArchiefStandard Displacement: 1.628 tons
Full Displacement: 2.240 tons
Length: 106,3 m
Beam: 10,3 m
Draft: 3,2 m
Installed powerplant: 2 x Werkspoor-Parsons steamturbines, 3 x Yarrow boilers (45.000 hp)
Propulsion: 2 x shafts, three bladed propellors
Maximum speed: 36 knots
Crew: 194 menArmament: (As comissioned)
3 x 2 10,2cm No. 2 guns (British 4 inch QF Mark XVI in Mk. XIX RPC 51 turret)*
2 x 2 40mm Mark IV autocannons
2 x 4 12,7mm Mark III machine guns
2 x 4 533 mm torpedo tubes firing (most likely) Mark 9 torpedoes
4 x 1 Depth Charge launchersArmament: (1942 refit)
3 x 2 10,2cm No. 2 guns (British 4 inch QF Mark XVI in Mk. XIX RPC 51 turret)*
2 x 2 40mm Mark IV autocannons
4 x 1 20mm Oerlikn autocannons
2 x 4 533 mm torpedo tubes firing (most likely) Mark 9 torpedoes
4 x 1 Depth Charge launchers
HNLMS Isaac Sweers sometime during 1941 - 1942
Source: File:Isaac Sweers (NIMH2158 028954).jpg - Wikimedia Commons
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And there you have it! I hope you enjoyed reading about this amazing machine.
See you on the battlefield!
Sources
Spoiler
Dutch sources:
- “Nederlandse marineschepen 1939-1945” book, by Peter Kimenai
- Tjerk Hiddes class Destroyers (1939)
Secondairy sources:
- Gerard Callenburgh-class destroyers (1938)
- Gerard Callenburgh-class destroyer - Wikipedia
- HNLMS Isaac Sweers (1940) - Wikipedia
- HNMS Gerard Callenburgh of the Royal Dutch Navy - Dutch Destroyer of the Gerard Callenburgh class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net
Photos:
Blueprints: