SYDNEY, NSW. C.1947. PORT BOW VIEW OF THE RIVER CLASS FRIGATE HMAS BARCOO IN HER INITIAL ...

SYDNEY, NSW. C.1947. PORT BOW VIEW OF THE RIVER CLASS FRIGATE HMAS BARCOO IN HER INITIAL CONFIGURATION AS A SURVEY VESSEL. HER ANTI SUBMARINE ARMAMENT HAS BEEN REMOVED. THE FORWARD 4 INCH MK XX MOUNTING HAS REPLACED THE HEDGEHOG ON THE FORECASTLE. ILLUMINATION ROCKET RAILS HAVE BEEN FITTED TO THE SIDES OF THE GUN MOUNTING. THE AFTER 4 INCH MOUNTING REMAINS UNCHANGED. THE 20 MM AA GUNS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. A SINGLE COVERED 40 MM BOFORS AA GUN IS FITTED ON TOP OF THE DECKHOUSE BEFORE THE BRIDGE. A SIMILAR MOUNTING, FITTED ON THE DECKHOUSE AFT, CAN BE DISCERNED ABOVE THE BOAT. THE TYPE 271 RADAR LANTERN HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE BRIDGE AND REPLACED BY A TYPE A276 SET, THE AERIAL OF WHICH IS MOUNTED ON A SMALL PLATFORM HALF WAY UP THE FOREMAST, WHERE IT REPLACES THE CROWSNEST. JUST BENEATH IT IS THE DIRECTION FINDER, MOVED FROM THE TOP OF THE FORWARD DECKHOUSE. THE SC RADAR REMAINS AT THE HEAD OF THE MAST. A SUBSTANTIAL FRAMEWORK FOR AN AWNING HAS BEEN FITTED OVER THE BRIDGE. THE SUPERSTRUCTURE HAS BEEN PAINTED WHITE ALTHOUGH THE HULL AND FUNNEL REMAIN GREY. ALONGSIDE IS THE GENERAL PURPOSE VESSEL HMAS TALLAROOK (GPV 968) WHICH ACTED AS A TENDER TO THE BARCOO DURING HER SURVEY OPERATIONS AT THIS TIME. (NAVAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION).