HDML-class Motor Launch, INS Sa'ar (M-23)

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​Hello everyone! Time to suggest some more Israeli small boats!

This is the HDML-class Motor Launch, INS Sa’ar (M-23)

image
Source: File:SaarM23.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

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 Sa’ar used to be a guard ship of the British navy, but she was left behind when the British coastal police left. And so Sa’ar was taken by Israel and directly put into service and given the number M-23.

She participated in some small operations, such as bringing raiders to a railroad so it could be sabotaged.

The HDML ships Israel operated were in service for about 19 years, being retired in 1969.

As a guard ship Sa’ar was equipped with either one or two (Sources and photos vary) 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: 54 tons
Length: 72 feet (22,95 meters)
Breadth: 16 feet (4,88 meters)
Draught: 5 feet (1,52 meters)
Machinery: 2 x Diesel engines
Max speed: 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement: 12

Armament:
1 x 1 20 mm Oerlikon Flak 29
Sources say two guns, but I can only see one on the photos

Well that is all for this little boat. Many more suggestions like these to come in the future!

See you on the battlefield!

Sources

Spoiler

Main source:
אח"י דרור מ-21, אח"י סער מ-23, אח"י תרצה מ-35

Secondairy source:
https://www.navypedia.org/ships/israel/isr_cf_dror.htm

Extra:
https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/שייטת_הטרפדות
Category:INS Saar M-23 - Wikimedia Commons

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