Flower-class. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Part of the Flower-class sometimes also called Gladioulus-class after the lead ship succeeded by Castle-class. Totally were 225 of the original design under the 1939 and 1940 building programmes and 69 of the modified design since 1940built and were 5 original and 6 modified design cancelled. Partly built in Canada of which some were transferred by the British Royal Navy to the US Navy where they were commissioned as the Temptress- and Action-class patrol gunboats. The modified design was slightly larger and with an improved armament. The original design was based on that of the whaler catcher Southern Pride of Smiths Dock Company, South Bank-on-Tees, England. In the original design was the mast positioned forward the bridge, in the modified design aft the bridge, but apparently not always and also not always in modified original vessels. Ordered on 26 October 1939, laid down by Blyth Shipbuilding&Dry Dock Co. Ltd., Blyth, England on 26 October 1939, launched on 22 April 1940, commissioned on 12 August 1940, sold in November 1949, sold as buoy tender Pelkan to Norway on 3 October 1950, converted into a whale catcher in 1951, sold in December 1963, renamed Østfold and broken up on 1 November 1964.
