Warships Military
HMAS Diamantina (K377), named after the Diamantina River in Queensland, is a River-class frigate that served the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Constructed in the mid-1940s, Diamantina was active from 1945 until 1946, was placed in reserve, then was recommissioned as a survey ship from 1959 until 1980.
Following her second decommissioning, the frigate was preserved at the Queensland Maritime Museum as a museum ship. She was the last World War II-era frigate to leave RAN service, and of the 151 River-class frigates constructed for 19 navies worldwide, Diamantina is the only one preserved as a museum ship.
Diamantina had a displacement of 2,120 tons fully loaded, or 1,420 standard displacement tons. She was equipped with two triple expansion engines driving twin screws at 5,500 indicated horsepower (4,100 kW). She had a range of 5,180 nautical miles (9,590 km; 5,960 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph), with a top speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). She was armed with two single-mounted QF 4-inch (101.6 mm) Mk.XVI guns fore and aft and eight single-mounted QF 20 mm Oerlikons, although these were later replaced by three single-mounted QF 40 mm Bofors and four twin-mounted QF 20 mm Oerlikons. For anti-submarine warfare the ship was fitted with one Hedgehog 24 spigot A/S projector, and carried up to 50 depth charges. She had a complement of 140.
Diamantina was laid down on 12 April 1943 at Walkers Limited in Maryborough, Queensland. She was launched on 6 April 1944, and commissioned into the RAN at Hervey Bay, Queensland, on 27 April 1945 carrying pennant number K377. She was named for the Diamantina River in Queensland, and was one of eight River-class frigates built for the RAN during World War II. More details
Diamantina had a displacement of 2,120 tons fully loaded, or 1,420 standard displacement tons. She was equipped with two triple expansion engines driving twin screws at 5,500 indicated horsepower (4,100 kW). She had a range of 5,180 nautical miles (9,590 km; 5,960 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph), with a top speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). She was armed with two single-mounted QF 4-inch (101.6 mm) Mk.XVI guns fore and aft and eight single-mounted QF 20 mm Oerlikons, although these were later replaced by three single-mounted QF 40 mm Bofors and four twin-mounted QF 20 mm Oerlikons. For anti-submarine warfare the ship was fitted with one Hedgehog 24 spigot A/S projector, and carried up to 50 depth charges. She had a complement of 140.
Diamantina was laid down on 12 April 1943 at Walkers Limited in Maryborough, Queensland. She was launched on 6 April 1944, and commissioned into the RAN at Hervey Bay, Queensland, on 27 April 1945 carrying pennant number K377. She was named for the Diamantina River in Queensland, and was one of eight River-class frigates built for the RAN during World War II. More details
