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Frigates – Leander Class – HMNZS Canterbury (F421) – Many images https://ift.tt/GzNb9Qx

HMNZS Canterbury (F421)

HMNZS Canterbury (F421) was one of two broad beam Leander-class frigates operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) from 1971 to 2005. She was built in Scotland and launched in 1970. Commissioned in 1971, Canterbury saw operational service in much of Australasia and other regions like the Persian Gulf. She undertook operations such as supporting UN sanctions against Iraq and peace-keeping in East Timor. With her sister ship HMNZS Waikato she relieved the Royal Navy frigate HMS Amazon in the Indian Ocean during the Falklands War. Early in HMNZS Canterbury’s career, in 1973, she relieved the frigate HMNZS Otago, as part of a unique, Anzac, naval operation or exercise at Moruroa during anti-nuclear protests, supported by a large RAN tanker, providing fuel and a large platform for Australian media. This was due to F 421 being a more modern RNZN frigate, with then current Rn surveillance radar and ESM and a more effectively insulated frigate from nuclear fallout, with the Improved Broad Beam Leander steam plant, for example, being remote controlled and capable of unmanned operation and therefore the ship provided a more effective sealed citadel for operations in areas of nuclear explosions.

HMNZS Canterbury acting as planeguard for USS America. This Photo was taken by a PO Seaman (whose name escapes me for the moment) who took my camera on a personnel transfer. ’82 or ’83.
HMNZS Canterbury
Broad beam Leander class frigate HMNZS Canterbury leaving Piraeus in 1991
HMAS Melbourne HMAS Brisbane HMNZS Canterbury Silver Jubliee trip 1977
HMNZS Southland and HMNZS Canterbury, Hong Kong 1987
HMNZS Canterbury in the Mediteranean with HMAS Brisbane and HMS Arrow
HMNZS Taranaki and HMNZS Canterbury
Jackstay transfer between Taranaki and Canterbury
HMNZS Canterbury flying her paying off pennant
HMNZS Canterbury at Opua
HMNZS Canterbury prepared for her fate
HMNZS Canterbury – being made into a reef
HMNZS Canterbury – prepares to dive
HMNZS Canterbury’s demise
HMNZS Canterbury disappears

Canterbury was decommissioned in 2005. In 2007 she was scuttled in the Bay of Islands to provide a dive wreck. She lies in 38 metres (125 ft) of water.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNZS_Canterbury_(F421)

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