| 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