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Thursday 25 April 2019

French river screw steam gunboat Balny 1908-1944

The Balny which became the Faku?
The Faku originally the Francis-Garnier?

Laid down by A.C. de Bretagne, Nantes, France in 1909, launched in September 1914, completed in 1920, laid up at Chungking in 1940 and broken up 1944. Jane’s Fighting Ships q958-1959 edition reports that she became the Communist Chinese Fa Ku. Displacement 201 (normal)-226 (full) tons and as dimensions 52,3 (between perpendiculars)-54,5 (over all) x 6,70 x 1 metres. Two shaft, w vertical triple expansions engines with 2 Fouché boilers delivering 900hp allowing a speed o14 knots. Coal bunker capacity 27 tons. Crew numbered 9 men. Armament consisted of 1-7,5cm/35 M1897 gun, 2x1-3,7cm/40 M1902 guns and 4xmachineguns. The Jane’s Fighting Ships 1944-1945 edition reports that it was the Francis-Garnier which became the Faku. Built by CNF, Caen, France in 1927. Displacement 639 tons and dimensions 106¾ x 33¾ x 7¼. Armed with 2-4”guns, 1-3” anti aircraft gun, 2-1pdr guns, 4 machine guns. The two sets triple expansion engines and 2 du Temple boilers delivered 3,200 ihp allowing a speed of 15 knots. Oil fuel capacity 100 tons.