Argentina Offshore Patrol (MAP)-ex gunboats / torpedo-Fairmile D in the Coast Guard Argentina In 1948 start the negotiations for the acquisition from Britain of three (3) torpedo boats (MTB-Motor Torpedo Boat) type Fairmile D , to be used by the General Maritime Prefecture (PGM *) . Received between 1948 and 1950 were enrolled as Offshore Patrol receiving indicative PAM 1, PAM 2 and PAM 3 .
The first role of PAM was, however, serve as training vessels for the novice staff Prefecture School, complementing another ship that fulfilled that mission, the Notice "Petrel" .
Designed by Bill Holt for the Royal Navy the Fairmilie D torpedo boats were the last batch of a long series of British gunboats and torpedo boats, built to cope with the threatening E-Boat / Schnellboot Germans. Although they were at least 10 knots slower than their predecessors, the fire power of its powerful arms and excellent seamanship skills made up for this deficit. Their hulls were built mahogany double layer and was characteristic of these units and design sharp silhouette of the band reduced to bow to facilitate the launching of torpedoes.
Profile a Fairmile D MTB of the Royal Navy their original weapons, consisting of guns, machine guns, torpedo launchers, rockets and depth charges. Most of it was removed to reach the PGM (Source: http://www.mundohistoria.net)
nicknamed "Dog Boats" modular design (9 kits was made up) of these boats made that could be configured well as torpedo (MTB) or gunboats (MGB) , facilitators as well as its assembly held in more than 30 factories. Were built around 229 units before the end of World War 2 , missing a 30 operations. Its action effectively deployed in the North Sea the Channel and Mediterranean Sea .
In PGM (now Coast Guard Argentina) by becoming a Offshore Patrol, they are relieved of the excessive armaments, regardless of the guns 57mm, the 40mm Bofors gun, the Vickers machine guns of 12.7 and 7.7 mm, and of course the 4 torpedo tubes and depth charges which were normal manning. The configuration was reduced to only two (2) 20mm Oerlikon guns in single (one forward and one aft)
The dangerous, and high consumption, naphthenes engines (with a tendency to catch fire) that Total 5000 Hp supplied were also replaced by diesel engines more reliable.
Photo 1. The PAM 1 returns from a training trip made in 1957 along the banks of the river Paraná culminating in Puerto Iguazú, Misiones . In this journey officiated flagship, commanded by Provincial Governor Mario Mendoza, a squad which also consisted of the PAM 3 , the patrol boat GC-101 "Gold" and PAV 1 (Source: Chronicle Education in Argentina PNA)
TECHNICAL (in the PGM) type gunboat / torpedo boat (MGB / MTB)
Source: British Displacement: 105 tons Length: 35.15 m Beam: 6.26 m Height: 3.27 m Propulsion: diesel (unspecified) .
Speed: 30 knots Range: 1200 miles at 18 knots.
Crew: 20 to 30 men.
Armament: two Oerlikon 20mm guns (one forward and one aft)
Photo 2 and 3. Model of the PAM 3 found in the Central Historical Museum the PNA . Note its sleek design and naval gray used then the units of PGM dependent Admiralty. (Author: Mariano Agostini - www.patrullerasargentinas.blogspot.com)
After his assignment to the School Prefecture, began to operate in the Prefecture the River Zone Pla ta for River traffic control, search and rescue. also coated in the Patrol Division on missions security guards of the river border with the Republic Oriental del Uruguay .
Units PGM PAM 1 - In service from 1948 to 1957 PAM 2
- In service from 1949 to 1957
PAM 3 (later reclassified CG-36) - In service from 1950 to 1969 . Scrapped.
Photo 4. Portraits of PAM 1 navigating a raging river that is exposed in the Central Historical Museum the PNA . (Author: M. Agostini - www.patrullerasargentinas.blogspot.com)
Although final unaccounted the first two units, on an expedition in August 2007, members of
www.histarmar.com identified in a stream of the Paraná Delta
an abandoned boat, which despite being reformed as "yacht" has some features they do assume that this is one of the Fairmile D
of Prefecture (For more info click here
)
* PGM (General Maritime Prefecture): the current name of the PNA was 03/02/1922 to 04/12/1950 (depended on the time of the Admiralty).
Sources: http://www.prefecturanaval.edu.ar http://www.perfiles.elgrancapitan.org http://www.histarmar.com.ar http://www . kingstonmouldings.com http://www.mundohistoria.net Central Historical Museum of the PNA (Tigre) Book: "Chronicle of Education in the Coast Guard Argentina" - Mayor General (RE ) Andrés René Rousseaux. Edition of the Education of the PNA. Buenos Aires. 2008.
