Looks like an American Yangtze River gunboat, but the weapons which appear to include Bofors 40 mm and Oerlikon 20 mm, suggest this is post WWII, so it was probably under Chinese control at the time.
I looked at the USN gunboats and none of them had the spacing between the two funnels or the lack of a bridge elevated above the rest of the superstructure.
DER, Yes, I saw that too, but it still looked American to me.
I checked the British Gunboats and none of them seemed to match
Trying to think where river gunboats might have been used, I suppose it might have been used on the Amazon as you suggest or perhaps the Mekong or the Nile
DER, You were correct that it was on the Amazon. I found it in my 1982 Janes, it was commissioned in 1904. their comment, "...America now reported non-operational after only 77 years."
well done,B.A.P.America,now a museum ship and looking very good for her years. I think I read somewhere she had British origins but I have been unable to confirm that.
D.E.Reddick,I have just read Mike Columbaro's piece but much of it is incorrect and a good deal else guesswork.
Most importantly it completely ignores the most important thing. The United Kingdom is now committed to joint European defence forces. There is a reason why small European navies are suddenly building ocean going fleet escorts while the Royal Navy cuts it's surface fleet.
Even though this is now enshrined in U.K. law and published in official documents over and over again,nobody seems to even notice it!
British and other European armed forces are being deliberately reduced in size to create military interdependence which then justifies the joint European defence forces which have already been publicly agreed to by European governments.
My immediate impression is that it is likely a Brazilian river gunboat.
ReplyDeleteLooks like an American Yangtze River gunboat, but the weapons which appear to include Bofors 40 mm and Oerlikon 20 mm, suggest this is post WWII, so it was probably under Chinese control at the time.
ReplyDeleteHaven't been able to find a match yet.
Chuck,
ReplyDeleteI looked at the USN gunboats and none of them had the spacing between the two funnels or the lack of a bridge elevated above the rest of the superstructure.
GL / tangosix,
ReplyDeleteOT moment:
In case you haven't seen it yet - Mike Colombaro has a really good analysis of the RN's future over at Combat Fleets Of The World.
Future of the Royal-Navy...growing concerns...
http://combatfleetoftheworld.blogspot.com/2010/11/future-of-royal-navygrowing-concerns.html
DER, Yes, I saw that too, but it still looked American to me.
ReplyDeleteI checked the British Gunboats and none of them seemed to match
Trying to think where river gunboats might have been used, I suppose it might have been used on the Amazon as you suggest or perhaps the Mekong or the Nile
Chuck,
ReplyDeleteAlso there are possibilities with the Dutch East Indies and also British-controlled Burma.
Then, too - there's the Belgian Congo...
Chuck,
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention this...
Forget the Nile. That's a tropical rainforest shown on the shore in the background of the picture.
Well, unless this was a gunboat in British or Imperial German service on Lake Victoria or Lake Tanganyika during WW-I.
Peruvian River Gunboat "America"
ReplyDeleteDER, You were correct that it was on the Amazon. I found it in my 1982 Janes, it was commissioned in 1904. their comment, "...America now reported non-operational after only 77 years."
ReplyDeleteHello Chuck Hill,
ReplyDeletewell done,B.A.P.America,now a museum ship and looking very good for her years.
I think I read somewhere she had British origins but I have been unable to confirm that.
D.E.Reddick,I have just read Mike Columbaro's piece but much of it is incorrect and a good deal else guesswork.
Most importantly it completely ignores the most important thing.
The United Kingdom is now committed
to joint European defence forces.
There is a reason why small European navies are suddenly building ocean going fleet escorts while the Royal Navy cuts it's surface fleet.
Even though this is now enshrined in U.K. law and published in official documents over and over again,nobody seems to even notice it!
Read this from 2008 for example:
http://eurodefenseuk.blogspot.com/2008/11/european-carrier-group-interoperability.html
British and other European armed forces are being deliberately reduced in size to create military interdependence which then justifies the joint European defence forces which have already been publicly agreed to by European governments.
GrandLogistics.
According to my Janes she was built by Tranmere Bay Development Co., Ltd, Birkenhead
ReplyDelete240 tons, 133x19.5x4.5 feet 2x40mm and 4x20mm. 350iHP=14 kts.
This is the second Peruvian vessel you have done. Sounds like you have been there.