TYNE BUILT SHIPS
  A history of Tyne shipbuilders and the ships that they built

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Name: TARANTULA
Type: River Gunboat
Launched: 18/12/1915
Completed: 28/01/1916
Builder: Wood, Skinner & Co Ltd
Yard: Bill Quay
Yard Number: 202
Dimensions: 625disp - 855disp, 230.0 x 36.0 x 4.0(draft)ft
Engines: VT3cyl, 2000ihp
Engines by: North-Eastern Marine Engineering Co Ltd, Wallsend
Propulsion: 2 x Screws, 14.0knots
Construction: Steel
Armament: 2 x 1 x 6.0ins, 1 x 12pdr AA, 10 x 1 x 0.3ins AA guns
History:
28/01/1916 British Royal Navy
01/05/1946 Sunk
Comments: An 'Insect Class' gunboat
Designed by Yarrow, with the propellers placed in tunnels because of the shallow draft
They were in effect small monitors, being well armed for their displacement
Designed for operations on the Danube against the Austro-Hungarian river flotilla
However not required there when completed so served in other theaters
1941: Converted to a depot ship at Trincomalee
01/05/1946: Sunk as a target off Trincomalee


Above photo is courtesy of the Robert Peace collection

Above photo as a depot ship at Trincomalee. Photo is copyright of the Imperial War Museum

Above photo of a model of TARANTULA, is copyright of the National Maritime Museum

Above photo of a model of TARANTULA, is copyright of the National Maritime Museum

Above photo of a model of TARANTULA, is copyright of the National Maritime Museum