The official AHF Equipment of Allies & Neutrals quiz

BIGpanzer · Post by **BIGpanzer** » 21 Apr 2006 09:49

Hi, The Edge!
Yes, this is not easy. I never saw this photo before. Could it be the patrol ship, reequipped from merchant vessel? Yugoslavian?

Any hints, please

varjag · Post by **varjag** » 21 Apr 2006 10:45

Looks like a Greek kaik - modified to AA-cruiser

, Varjag

fredleander · Post by **fredleander** » 21 Apr 2006 11:04

The surroundings remind me of a Norwegian fishing community.

BIGpanzer · Post by **BIGpanzer** » 21 Apr 2006 11:34

Hi, varjag! I also thought about Greek origin but I suppose Yugoslavian as The Edge is from Serbia

But Greek forces had much more time to reequip civil vessels into warships, so may be you are right!

The surroundings look like Mediterranean villages for me

varjag · Post by **varjag** » 21 Apr 2006 13:17

BIGpanzer wrote:Hi, varjag! I also thought about Greek origin but I suppose Yugoslavian at The Edge is from Serbia
But Greek forces had much more time to reequip civil vessels into warships, so may be you are right!

The surroundings look like Mediterranean villages for me

Hi BIG-P - I am glad you agree. Greek shipbuilding traditions spilled over into the Adriatic - and as our Edge
comes from those parts, and 'his ship' - is only locally known, I speculate that it is something from the
fledgling 'Partisan Navy' of Marshal Broz but haven't got the slightest clue what it is. The men on the photo -
are obviously 'posing' for the camera - it's a propaganda shot! @ leandros - I don't think any hull - built in
Norway - would look like that. This ship was timbered for fair seas, like the Med - not the Norwegian Sea!
Varjag

BIGpanzer · Post by **BIGpanzer** » 21 Apr 2006 15:30

I've checked my sources - it could be, for example, NB-11 armed ship (Naoruzani brodovi-11, "Crvena Zvijezda") - Ex-German anti-partisan ship "Anton" (150 t).
Armament -
1944: 40mm, 37mm, seven 20mm, 81mm mortar and light mortar;
1945: two 37mm, six 20mm, four 12,7mm machine-guns.

There were 17 NB ships (ex-fishing ships, motor sailing ships, passengers ships, fishing boats and other vessels with permanent installed armament) which entered Yugoslavian Partisan Navy (NOVJ, Mornarica Narodnooslobodilacke Vojske Jugoslavije) after capitulation of Italy in September 1943. Out of 17 armed ships, 14 were made of wood and two of steel construction.

But as I have only text no photos of those ships - this is only my supposition!

BP

The Edge · Post by **The Edge** » 21 Apr 2006 18:47

BIGpanzer, my congratulations!

It is really NB-11 (I darkened the markings on side)

Picture shows ex-Anton, a German anti-partisan ship; these were a trap-ships designed to surprise similar partisan ships with its deceptive appearance (but faster and much better armed, 150 to 200 tons displacement). Code name for such ships were „Tintenfisch“ (Squid), and to ensure succes, they should operate in pairs.
This ship was first prepared by Italians (who originated the idea), named Bianca Stella, but in September Germans take over all Italian asets, including this ship. Armament was further increased, and named Anton. Together with similarly equipped Dora, this ship went to its maiden mission in April, in the region of Zara. They encountered first the British planes, that attacked this “innocent looking” duo, but after loosing two planes in a matter of seconds, they give up further attacks. Few days later, during night of 25/26th April, they run into storm and became separated. Anton found safety in St. Nicholas bay on Olib Island; however, just a couple of miles further were anchored two partisan ships (PC-3 & PC-4), who also put a recon patrol on shore. So in the morning of 27th, crews from mentioned two partisan ships made a surprise attack from the ground side and captured Anton in short fight.
In Partisan hands, ship was renamed NB-11 (Naoruzani Brod – Armed Ship) Crvena Zvijezda (“Red Star”) and became the best armed ship in their Navy (one Italian Bofors 40mm, one Flak-37, three Breda 20 mm, one 20mm Flakvierling, plus one 8cm mortar and couple of machineguns), and made numerous missions. But, the ship was bad luck in any case – she run into a mine about a year after (near Fuime) and sunk with majority of her crew.

Over to Central Europe, once more.

BIGpanzer · Post by **BIGpanzer** » 21 Apr 2006 18:55

Thanks a lot, The Edge, for the very interesting info!!!

Lets return back to my old questions

The image is from http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/Grea ... X-1942.jpg

As far as I remember you answered correct as always

The Edge wrote:
Loyd Light Tank
(designed by Vivian Loyd in 1942 for airborne operations)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Here is another one:
Well, name the type of that small ship.....

The Edge wrote:
Santa Luccia, used to transport flowers to Capri by signore Agostinni from Napoli...
(Who used to sing to she every morning: Mamma mia, che bella barca...)
Of course, it could be also some AU30 boat.

No....., both answers are wrong (but the first seems to be very close

)
Could you remind me what is AU30 boat, please?

PS. The same complicated question as yours about NB-11 by the way

So I am asking to give only the name of the ship's type (as individual ships of that type had only tactical numbers and it is impossible to identify exact ship on the photo), and, of course, the class of such ships (battleships, cruisers or something like this

)

The image is from http://sovnavy-ww2.by.ru/smallaaw/pic/motobot.jpg

Michael Emrys · Post by **Michael Emrys** » 22 Apr 2006 06:35

Frankly, I would find it difficult to call any vessel that small that a ship. Although I can't say exactly where the dividing line would fall (somewhere around 500 tons? Lloyds' might know), I'd be far more likely to think of it as a boat. (Just picking a nit here.)

Michael

BIGpanzer · Post by **BIGpanzer** » 22 Apr 2006 09:15

Ok, Michael, of course, lets call it boat!

I believe that the border line is near 500 t, you are right.
Please, give the name of the warship class of these boats and the name of the type (optionally).

As we are talking about displacement - such boats had the displacement slightly less than 100 t (hint!

).

Regards, BP

varjag · Post by **varjag** » 22 Apr 2006 11:59

BIGpanzer wrote:Ok, Michael, of course, lets call it boat! I believe that the border line is near 500 t, you are right.
Please, give the name of the warship class of these boats and the name of the type (optionally).

As we are talking about displacement - such boats had the displacement slightly less than 100 t (hint! ).

Regards, BP

The line between ships and boats, is often in the eyes of the beholder. But THIS BOAT is nowhere near 100 tons displacement! A fishing smack - without fishing gear..a trawler without trawling gear.....what's left - a patrol vessel
of some sort (class?) - we're really getting in amongst the 'light fleet' here aren't we? The best thing I can say - is that
with the gunwhale cut down to a well-deck - she was originally intended for fishing - not military duties....Varjag

fredleander · Post by **fredleander** » 22 Apr 2006 12:49

Trawler or whaler?

Brian Ross · Post by **Brian Ross** » 22 Apr 2006 14:27

Trawler. Whalers tended to be built for speed and had high bows for the rough Antarctic weather.

BIGpanzer · Post by **BIGpanzer** » 22 Apr 2006 14:49

Well, guys! The boats of that type were really fishing motor-sailing boats(!) before WWII (built in 1937-1939). But they were reequipped into.....when the war began and became the warships (later most of them were reequipped into.... and became the warships of another sort/class). Not 100% exactly into the patrol boats, sorry dear Varjag!
Name these two warship classes, please!

There is one thing (it is visible on the photo, but not very good to understand for sure what type is it) which can give the correct answer about the first class of warships, as for the second class - it is obvious taking into account that those boats were fishing boats during the peaceful time.

BP

Robb · Post by **Robb** » 22 Apr 2006 15:06

Is it some sort of minesweeper?
Looks as though it would be more at home providing support carrying supplies, for clandestine operations. Is that a Lewis gun on the bows?

Regards Robb