Landing Craft, Gun (Medium) (Mark II) - "Lighten Up"

Suggestions Naval
1
Would you like to see the Landing Craft, Gun (Medium) (Mark II) in game?
  • Yes, as a tech tree vehicle
  • Yes, as a premium vehicle
  • Yes, as an event vehicle
  • Yes, as a squadron vehicle
  • No, I would not like to see the L.C.G.(M)(2) in game.
0 voters

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L.C.G.(M)(2) general arrangement, showing the redistributed armor plate and new secondary weapons.

Description

The Landing Craft, Gun (Medium) (Mark II) was a modified version of the L.C.G.(M)(1) meant for service in the Far East. Designed in 1944, it was very similar to the previous Mark. The Mark II trimmed down the armor plate; whether this was a cost-saving measure or a perceived lack of threat from Japanese coastal defenses is unclear. The ballast was also reduced. Overall, these measures did reduce the weight and draught of the vessel, enabling it to operate in shallower waters. The armament was altered from the L.C.G.(M)(1), whose two 20mm Oerlikon guns were replaced with a total of eight .50 caliber Vickers machine guns in four hand-operated twin mounts, with two on the aft deck, one on the bridge, and one just in front of it.

L.C.G.(M)(2)s were reserved the pennant numbers 501-524. Out of these, №s 513-523 were the only ones laid down, with only №s 513-519 actually being launched. The reason for this is their late start date for construction - they only began in early 1945, and by the time the craft were launched, the war was mere weeks from ending. 25-pdr. guns were issued for some of the launched ships, but only №515 was completed with the .50 caliber machine gun arrangement, with the rest retaining the L.C.G.(M)(1)'s two Oerlikon guns. Presumably without purpose in the postwar world, they were broken up for scrap before the turn of the decade.

Unfortunately, I do not have any photographs of the launched hulls, but some were confirmed to have been launched by the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust, with №s 514, 515, and 516 being built and launched by Arrol & Co. in Meadowside, Scotland.

Specifications

Landing Craft, Gun (Medium) (Mark II)

Dimensions

  • Length: 154 ft. 6 in. (47.1 m)
  • Beam: 22 ft. 4 in. (6.8 m)
  • Draught:
    • Extreme light: For’d 4 ft. 10 in. (1.47 m), Mid. 5 ft. 5 ½ in. (1.66 m), Aft 6 ft. 2 in. (1.88 m)
    • Landing trim: For’d 5 ft. 5 in. (1.65 m), Mid. 5 ft. 11 in. (1.80 m), Aft 6 ft. 6 in. (1.98 m)
    • Ocean trim: For’d 6 ft. 5 in. (1.96 m), Mid. 6 ft. 6 ½ in. (1.99 m), Aft 6 ft. 9 in. (2.06 m)

Displacement

  • Extreme light: 280 tons
  • Landing trim: 316 tons
  • Ocean trim: 360 tons

Crew: 33 (3 officers, 30 men)

Propulsion: 2 x Paxman diesel engines (1,000 shp)

Max Speed: 13.5 kt. (15.5 mph, 25.0 km/h)

Range: 1,730 miles

Armament

  • Primary: 2 x 25-pdr. gun-howitzer (150 rounds/gun, 300 total)
  • Secondary: 4 x 2 Vickers .50 caliber machine gun (2,400 rounds/gun, 19,200 rounds total)

Armor

  • Side plate: 1" (25.4 mm)
  • Bulkheads: 1" (25.4 mm)
  • Deck plate: 0.5" (12.7 mm)
  • Conning tower sides: 2" (50.8 mm)
  • Conning tower roof: 1" (25.4 mm)
  • Navigation bridge shields: ⅜" (9.5 mm)

Additional Equipment

  • Mark XII fire control director
  • Army type 1 meter coincidence rangefinder

Conclusion

While the L.C.G.(M)(2) never saw combat service, and information on it is limited, I think it would fit well with the L.C.G.(M)(1) as a heavy gunboat for the British coastal tree. Provided the latter was added, the L.C.G.(M)(2) would be an excellent, low-effort addition in a folder in the tech tree, or alternatively as a premium/event counterpart to the L.C.G.(M)(1). We at least know the hull was launched, which more than qualifies it to be in the game, and the different armor layout and new armament provides it some flavor to set it apart from its predecessor.

Sources