HMS Tiger (C20)

HMS Tiger before her conversion
History
United Kingdom
NameTiger
Ordered1942 Additional Naval Programme
BuilderJohn Brown Shipyard
Cost£12,820,000 [1]
Laid down1 October 1941
Launched25 October 1945
Commissioned18 March 1959
Decommissioned20 April 1978
Motto
  • Quis eripiet dentes
  • Latin: 'Who shall draw my teeth'
FateScrapped, starting October 1986
General characteristics
Class and typeTiger-class light cruiser
Displacement
  • as built: 9,550 tons standard, 11,700 tons deep load
  • after conversion: 9,975 tons standard, 12,080 tons deep load[2]
Length
  • 555.5 ft (169.3 m) overall
  • 538 ft (164 m) between perpendiculars
Beam64 ft (20 m)
Draught21 ft (6.4 m)
Propulsion
Speed31.5 knots (58 km/h)
Range
Complement698 (885 after conversion)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • as built: Types 277Q, 903 (x5), 960, 992Q radars, Types 174, 176 and 185 sonars
  • after conversion: Types 278, 903 (x4), 965M, 992Q radars, Types 174, 176 and 185 sonars
Armament
Aircraft carriedAfter conversion: Four helicopters (originally Westland Wessex, then Westland Sea King HAS 2 )

HMS Tiger was a conventional cruiser of the British Royal Navy, one of a three-ship class known as the Tiger class. Ordered during the Second World War, she was completed after its end.

Tiger was in service by 1960 and served in the Far East and then with the Home Fleet before going into reserve at the end of 1966.

From 1968 Tiger was converted to a "helicopter and command cruiser" and equipped with guided missile anti-aircraft defence before returning to service in the early 1970s. She remained in service until 1978 when she was put into reserve and marked for disposal. There were moves to return her to service during the Falklands War for her flight deck capacity, but this did not proceed. Tiger was finally sold for scrap in 1986.

  1. ^ Navy Estimates, 1959-60, pages 230-1, "List and particulars of new ships which have been accepted or are expected to be accepted into HM service during the Financial Year ended 31st March 1959"
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Conwaysp504 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Janes1975-76 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).