- quality handcrafted model ships -
- quality handcrafted model ships -
Other Ocean Minesweepers
Model featured: M909 "Francois Bovesse"
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The Ocean Minesweeper was built on lessons learned during the Korean War. Sweep operations off Wonson, Korea in 1950 proved that the Russian magnetic influence mines laid by North Koreans could defeat the degaussing systems then currently used in the steel-hulled United States minesweepers operating at the time. Soon after the conflict ended, the steel-hulled mine fleet became obsolete and the US Navy embarked on a new building program to overcome the developing technology of influence mines. Starting in 1951, a total of 102 "AM" hulls were built - 65 were for the States, 35 for foreign governments and one hull was cancelled. The new minesweepers were built almost entirely of wood with bronze and stainless steel fittings to minimize their magnetic signature. Additionally, an automatic degaussing system compensated for any changes in the ship's course. All of the 1950s era MSOs had UQS-1 mine-locating sonar (later updated with SQQ-14 sonar). The MSOs were capable of sweeping for moored, bottom contact, magnetic and acoustic mines. The "AM" Minesweepers were reclassified as Minesweeper, Ocean (MSO) on February 7, 1955 and the ships served the United States well for over 41 years. More than 50,000 "Iron Men" proudly served in the wooden ships until the last one was decommissioned in 1994. The MSOs participated in almost every conflict that occurred during those years including the Lebanon Crisis, The Naval Quarantine of Cuba, Vietnam (Operation Market Time and End Sweep), Operation Earnest Will and operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The ships earned numerous awards and one - the USS Leader - was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. The MSOs carried very large crews given their small size They were armed with one 40mm Bofors gun and additionally carried a 26-foot motor boat. However, the bulk of the manpower was consumed in monitoring electronic instruments and physically deploying the complicated mine sweeping equipment. Mine sweeping operations included mechanical sweeps using the Double Oropesa system done on the port side and starboard sides; a magnetic sweep of the MMKG type; an acoustic sweep on average frequency using the Mk4 Victor type; a different acoustic sweep on low frequency using the Mk6 Baker type; and the possibility of combined sweeping for acoustic and/or magnetic mines. In late 1970 to mid 1971 Ocean Minesweepers were extensively upgraded. The UQS-1 sonar was replaced by SQQ-14 sonar. Two PAP 104 cable-guided undersea tools were added to the already vast array of mechanical equipment. Also, two 40hp Zodiacs were carried for the purpose of mooring the new sonar reflectors. Additionally, the Bofors gun was exchanged for a 12.7mm Browning machine gun to provide additional space on the foc'sle for the installation of the SQQ-14 cabling. Finally a team of Mine Clearance Divers were added. To put it mildly, it was a lot in a very small package. The boats could carry 53 tons of fuel and 14.5 tons of drinking water. All United States ships of this type have now been disposed of. Four ships are still in service with Taiwan and possibly one with Italy. M909 "Francois Bovesse", ex-AM-516 The model is of the Belgian Mine Hunter (MHSO) M909. Authorized as AM-516, the ship was reclassified as Ocean Minesweeper MSO-516 on February 7, 1955. Laid down April 1, 1955 by the Tampa Marine in Florida, she was launched February 8, 1956, completed December 21, 1956 and transferred to Belgium as Francois Bovesse (M 909) on January 2, 1957. She was converted to a Mine Hunter (MHSO) in 1976. During Operation Earnest Will in 1987-88, which was designed to escort oil tankers that had been re-flagged as belonging to Kuwait, Francois Bovesse was one of eight minesweepers deployed to the Persian Gulf. The other ships were MSO-437 USS Enhance. MSO-438 USS Esteem, MSO-442 USS Fearless, MSO-448 USS Illusive, MSO-456 USS Inflict, MSO-488 USS Conquest and M906 Breydel (Belgian Navy) The crews performed extremely well in very demanding conditions and cleared hundreds of mines from the international waterway. Retired from service in 1993, Francois Bovesse currently rests in the Belgium Navy port of Zeebrugge and is up for bid - possibly to be scrapped. |
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