Monday 22 March 2021

HMNZS Otago - HMNZS Otago (F111) was a Rothesay-class (Type 12M) frigate acquired from the United Kingdom by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) before completion. I joined her in February 1961 shortly after she arrived in Auckland, wonderful ship. ( Many photos on my blog)



HMNZS Otago
Description courtesy of Jim Blackburn
The photo was taken at 1128 on Monday 29 October 1962.
Otago Had just fired a salvo of 6 live Limbo mortar bombs
Directly ahead and was "hard a starboard" to avoid running over the top of them. A second salvo was to be fired immediately but when the bombs were being 
loaded the ones from the Port
Magazine ran back in to the 
Handling room and so the second salvo was not fired.
Royalist and Pukaki were in company for this operation
"Shop Window" and most of 
Parliament were aboard the 
ships. From memory, we, Otago had Walter Nash , and the Minister of Defence, and 
CNS Rear Admiral Sir Peter Phipps on board.
When the mortar bombs detonated, the Royalist went "dead in the water" for about 45 minutes.

HMNZS Otago leaving Pearl for Singapore -  no markings

HMNZS Otago F111 during RAS.

HMNZS Otago - Sembawang Basin, Singapore


Crossing the line 1971



HMNZS Otago and the new ensign is hoisted


HMNZS Otago returns from another overseas deployment

HMNZS Otago comes alongside for the final time






HMNZS Otago and USS Bennington



All photos here - HMNZS Otago F111 Type 12

Otago and Taranaki were the only two Otago-class frigates; they differ from the Rothesays that served in the Royal Navy as they were not reconstructed to the Type 12I Leander-class standard with hangar and landing pad for a Westland Wasp anti-submarine helicopter as the main weapon system with torpedoes, depth charges and SS.12/AS.12 missiles to engage fast attack craft and surfaced submarines.


Otago was launched on 11 December 1958 by Princess Margaret,[1] and was commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy on 22 June 1960. The ship was named after the province of Otago in New Zealand's South Island, and associated with the city of Dunedin.


The sensors of the Otago were generally updated in line with those of the Royal Navy's Rothesays to year 1980 standard but Otago unlike the RN frigates, was not fitted as a specialised anti-submarine frigates and retained the medium range air- and surface-warning Type 277Q radar, and original Type 275 and Type 262 fire control.


Otago had Seacat anti-aircraft missiles fitted in New Zealand in 1963-64.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNZS_Otago_(F111)

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