- 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 laid down (1 x 75mm, 4 x 12,7mm, 40 x mines)
- WW2 refit (1 x 75mm, 2 x 20mm, depth charges)
- 1946 refit (1 x 40mm, , 1 x 37mm, 1 x 20mm)
- I said “No” in the first question.
Today I’m going to suggest a very famous and iconic minesweeper of the Netherlands Navy.
This is the Jan van Amstel-class, HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen!
HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen in 1937
Source: Foto's
History
Spoiler
The small Motorsloop of the HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen whilst retrieving more foliage to use for the disguise
Source: Foto'sThe design for what would become the Jan van Amstel-class minesweeper was started in 1935. At this time it was simply known as the “Mijnenvegers 1935-1936”. The overall look of the class would become a little bit iconic as time went on. The class didn’t have any kind of weapons on the bow of the ships, all that was present on the front was a machine gun turret. Towards the back however the ships looked a lot more “busy”. A 75mm deck gun, another machine gun turret, cranes, minesweeping gear and a sloop and lifeboats.
One interesting feature the ships had is that they were also capable of carrying and laying mines. But this was not done very often, they were made for minesweeping after all.
HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen was the third ship made of the class, out of the planned eight. She was laid down in 1936, and would be commissioned in 1937. The plan was to send four ships of the Jan van Amstel-class to the Dutch East Indies, and keep the other four in the Netherlands to be used in the homewaters. HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen was one of the four that would be send to the Dutch East Indies.
A cool little detail about the Jan van Amstel-class ships is their callsign that was clearly visible on the sides of the ships. The ships would be named after old Admirals and Officers, and the first letter of the last names of these Admirals and Officers would be used as the callsign, which would be written on the sides of the ships. In case of the HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen it would have a large C written on the side.
Once HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen arrived in the Dutch East Indies in 1937 she, together with her three sister ships, would be assigned to the new 2nd Minesweeper division. But the ship also carried out escort duties during this time. She would also have her callsign increased to two letters around this time. The C which stood for Crijnssen was changed to CR.
When Japan invaded the Dutch East Indies in 1942 most smaller Dutch ships present there didn’t do so well, or were scuttled by their own crews to avoid capture. The three sister ships of HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen didn’t make it out of this time. One was destroyed by Japanese attacks, and the other two were scuttled by their own crews.
HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen however was very well prepared for what was to come thanks to her commander A. van Miert. Seeing that the ship stood to chance of getting out of the East Indies in her current condition, it was decided to camouflage her and make it look like an island. The entire ship was painted to give it more of a rocky surface look. And tons of foliage was gathered to cover the entire ship. Then from this point the ship would anchor right next to islands during the day, and would slowely move to Austratial during the night.
HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen whilst being camouflaged as an island, March 1942
Source: Foto'sThis amazing amazing feat of Improvisation worked, by replacing the dying leaves every single day the camouflage looked real. She would hop from island to island from the 6th of March 1942 till the 15th when she arrived in the Australin port of Geraldton.
Once she was there she was a real odd duckling. None of her sister ships survived, and there was no Dutch flotilla within the Australian Navy. She would be send out on solo missions at this time, mostly escorting missions.
In May 1942 HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen was put under American command, but was still just used for escort and patrol duties. Due to difficulties with repairs and a shortage of crew members, the ship was loaned to the Australian Navy for some time. I do not know if her Dutch CR callsign was still kept at this point.
In May of 1943 HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen was back in Dutch service, and for the rest of the war her duties were more patrol and escort missions.
HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen (CR) during the second world war. Note all the additional depth charge equipment and the 20mm autocannon that replaced the twin 12,7mm machine gun turret
Source: Foto'sAfter the second world war HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen would return to the Netherlandsin 1946 for some much needed maintanence. Once she was back in service she was also given a new Callsign, this being MV1. She would be send back to the Dutch East Indies to meet up with her other suviving sister ships. These sister ships were the onces that had been made for use in the Netherlands. Some had survived and were send to the East Indies after the second world war.
HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen (MV1), just after the second world war
Source: Mijnenveger "Abraham Crijnssen" van de Koninklijke Marine | Nationaal ArchiefOnce in the Dutch East Indies she was used as a patrol vessel. At this point the original weaponry was not onboard anymore. Instead she had 40mm, 37mm and 20mm weapons onboard.
HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen (M801) arriving in Malta 1951
Source: Foto'sOnce the ships returned to the Netherlands in 1951 she was refitted once again and turned into Netlaying/support ship. In 1961 she, together with her sister ships, was taken out of service. Her sister ships would be scrapped soon after, but HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen was thankfully spared and would remain to become a Museum Piece in the Den Helder Naval Museum.
HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen (CR) in the Den Helder Naval Museum, 2012
Source: Bestand:AbrahamCrijnssen Den Helder.jpg - Wikipedia
Design
Spoiler
A blueprint of the Jan van Amstel-class
Source: | Nationaal ArchiefHNLMS Abraham Crijnssen was 55,8 metres long, had a beam of 7,8 metres and a draft of 2,2 metres, and had a standard displacement of 460 tons, and a full displacament of 620 tons. She had a crew of 45 men and were able to reach a top speed of 15 knots.
A cross sections blueprint of the Jan van Amstel-class
Source: | Nationaal ArchiefHNLMS Abraham Crijnssen was armed with a single 7,5cm Semi-Automatisch No. 2 gun towards the rear of the ship. This gun had a max rate of fire of 26,2 rounds per minute. But pratical fire rate was around 14 rounds per minute.
The boats were also armed with two twin 12,7mm Colt-Browning machine gun turrets. One was in front of the bridge, and another just behind the rear 7,5cm gun.
A photo taken of two sister ships of HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen, giving us an excellent view of the 7,5cm Semi-Automatisch No. 2 gun and in the background we see the front 12,7mm machine gun turret
Source: Foto'sDespite the HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen being a minesweeper, the ship was also able to carry and launch mines. For this the ship had two mine rails, each carrying 20 mines. Giving the ship a total of 40 mines. The mines used are most likely the Model 1921 mines with an Trotyl warhead of 200 kg.
A mine getting loaded onto HNLMS Eland Dubois (DB), a sister ship of HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen
Source: Foto's
During the second world war the HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen would have it’s 7,5cm Semi-Automatisch No. 2 gun was replaced with a 7,6cm 12-pdr 12cwt gun. The two twin 12,7mm machine guns would also be replaced with two 20mm Oerlikon autocannons in Mark I mounts.
The mine rails onboard the ship were removed and in it’s place the HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen carried depth charges. There were two depth charge rails at the rear, and one depth charge thrower.
A photo taken of the depth charge thrower onboard HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen (CR) during the second world war
Source: Foto's
After the war HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen would be turned into a patrol boat for use in the Dutch East Indies. At the front a 3,7cm Semi-automatic AAC cannon was added. A 40mm Bofors autocannon was put on the rear where the old 75/76mm used to be. Something interesting to mention is that this 40mm Bofors was in a German Flak 28 mount.
The 40mm Bofors autocannon onboard a sister ship of HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen
Source: Vertrek Pieter Florisz en Abraham van der Hulst | Nationaal ArchiefLastly on the rear a single 20mm Oerlikon autocannon remained.
When HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen returned to the Netherlands in 1951, she was turned into a Netlaying/support ship. Her armaments were changed to two 20mm autocannons, and her crew was reduced to 20 men.
A blueprint of HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen (A925) after the Netlaying/support ship refit
Source: | Nationaal Archief
Ingame
Spoiler
The HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen would be a very cool addition to the game. The ship is historically speaking a very inconic ship, and the 7,5cm gun has a nice high firerate which would be fun to play with. I think HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen should be added ingame as a premium pack boat that comes with the bushes decoration as a pre-order bonus or something like that.
Now where should these boats go to? As usualy with my Dutch vehicle suggestions, I ofcourse want to see this ingame in a Dutch or BeNeLux techtree. Ofcourse the BeNeLux has been added to France, so this is now the only option where Dutch vessels 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 the HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen would actually be a nice addition. It will be a nice low BR gunboat that is still pretty big. Right now Gaijin mostly has small boats for the French coastal tree Rank 1 and 2, so adding the HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen would give a nice bigger gunboat to the French.
Specifications
Spoiler
A blueprint of the Jan van Amstel-class
Source: | Nationaal ArchiefStandard displacement: 460 tons
Max displacement: 620 tons
Length: 55,8 m
Beam: 7,8 m
Draft: 2,2 m
Powerplant: 2 x tripple expansion engines, 2 x Yarrow boilers
Power output: 2 x 800 hp
Maximum speed: 15 knots (27,78 km/h)
Crew: 45 menArmament: (As laid down and as it was when camouflaged as an island)
1 x 1 7,5cm Semi-Automatisch No. 2 gun
2 x 2 12,7mm Colt-Browning machine guns
40 x Model 1921 naval minesWW2 refit:
1 x 1 7,6cm 12-pdr 12cwt gun
2 x 1 20mm Oerlikon autocannons in a Mark I mount
2 x Depth charge racks at the rear
2 x Depth thrower1946 refit:
1 x 1 40mm Bofors autocannon in a Flak 28 mount
1 x 1 3,7cm Semi-automatic AAC cannon
1 x 1 20mm Oerlikon autocannons in a Mark I mount
A blueprint of the Jan van Amstel-class
Source: | Nationaal Archief
HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen whilst being camouflaged as an island, 1942
Source: Foto's
And there you have it! I hope you enjoyed reading about this little boat.
See you on the battlefield!
Sources
Spoiler
History and information:
- Hr.Ms. Abraham Crijnssen. - ONZE MARINE VLOOT
- Abraham Crijnssen - ONZE MARINE VLOOT
- Abraham Crijnssen - ONZE MARINE VLOOT
- Stalen mijnenvegers van de Jan van Amstel-klasse - TracesOfWar.nl
- Jan van Amstel-class minesweepers
Extra sources:
- Jan van Amstel-class minesweeper - Wikipedia
- HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen (1936) - Wikipedia
- Stalen Mijnenvegers van de Jan van Amstel klasse - ONZE MARINE VLOOT
Photos:
Blueprints: