Ships on Stamps

Four ship stamps were issued in 2013 by the Russian Postal Authority to commemorate weapons that helped contribute to the "Russian" victory in WWII.



The first stamp in the set depicts the minesweeper Mina.

The Mina was built as a fast coastal minesweeper for the Soviet Russian Navy at Sevastopol. Completed in the same year construction started she was launched on August 20, 1937.

Mina's particulars are:
Displacement 410 ton standard, 503 ton full load. Dim. 62.0 x 7.2 x 2.26m (draught); Powered by two 42-BMRN-6 diesel engines producing 2,000 hp; twin shafts; speed 18.5 knots.

Armament 1 – 100mm gun B-24; 1 – 45mm gun 21-K; 3 – 12.7mm MG (Machine Guns); 2 DCR (Depth Charge Racks) (20); 31 mines and sweeps. The Mina was designed to have a Crew 44

She was delivered to the Russian Navy on August 28, 1938 and served in the Black Sea. Through the four years of WWII, she sailed 47 000 miles through mine infested waters and was responsible for escorting numerous ships. Through her service during the war she had come under air attack no less than 300 times. In July 1944 the Mina was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.



The next stamp features the patrol boat Metel. This ship was constructed in sections that were shipped via train and sent to the Soviet Far East and assembled at the Dalzavod Shipyard in Vladivostok.

Metel's particlars are:
Displacement 450 ton standard, 530 ton full load, dim. 71.5 x 7.4 x 2.6m. (draught); Powered by Curtiss geared steam turbines, 6,290 hp, speed 24 knots, economical 14 knots; Range by a speed of 14 knots, 1,200 mile.

Armament 2 – 102mm; 3 – 37mm guns; and 3 – 12.7mm MG.; 3 – 450mm torpedo tubes; 2 – mortars; carried 48 mines and 30 depth charges. Fitted out with mine sweeping equipment. She had a crew compliment of 108.

Throughout WWII the Metel escorted ships through minefields. During the battle of Chongjin, in Northern Korea the ship and crew distinguished themselves through expert fire support shooting down enemy aircraft, destroying an armoured train, taking out enemy coastal batteries and searchlight installations, destroying eight concreted fortifications and gun positions, and causing serious damage to an enemy landing craft.

64 of the Metel's crew were awarded with orders and medals. Her Captain was conferred with the title "Hero of the Soviet Union".


The river armoured craft BKA-75 is the next stamp in the set. She was built at Zelenodolsk and completed in December 1941.

The particulars of the BKA-75 are:
Displacement: 49.75 standard, 52.16 full load, dim. 25.3 x 4.04 x 0.87m (draught); Powered by engines of 1,800 hp, maximum speed 37.4 km/h, economical speed 23 km/h; Range up to 680 km.

Armament 2 – 76.2mm guns; 2 – 12.7 and 2 – 7.62mm MG. The BKA-75 had a crew 17.

Through out WWII BKA-75 served along side Russian army units and participated in the defence of Stalingrad and worked on the Volga river until September 1943 when she was loaded on a rail car and transported to the Azov Sea. After suffering serious damage and repairs she joined the Danube Flotilla where she took part in the liberation of: Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Austria. She also particpated in the liberation of Belgrade.


The last stamp in this set displays the gunboat Usyskin. Orinally built as a paddle steamer tug for service on rivers, she was converted to a gun boat in July 1941.

The Usyskin's particulars are:
Displacement 400 tons, dim. 56.4 x 17.1 x 1.2m;
One 480 hp steam engine , speed 8.5 knots.

Armament: 2 – 45mm guns; 1 – 7.62mm MG.

The Usyskin participated in the defence of Stalingrad as a unit in the Volga River Flotilla. In February of 1943 she received the Order of the Red Banner.

In April of 1943 the Usyskin was severely damaged as a result of a mine. In July 1943, she was converted back to a tug.

References:
www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12938&p=14161&hilit=Mina#p14161
www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12942&p=14169&hilit=Metel#p14169
www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12941&p=14167&hilit=BKA+75#p14167
www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12939&p=14165&hilit=Usyskin+Russia#p14165

Sweden's 10 ore blue and black, perf. 12.5 horizontal stamp featuring a merchant vessel in Oresund in 1661 (Scott 738; 1967)

Thread revival



  

  

  

  

This one from China SG985 covers a few different topicals.

The S.S. Adriatic is featured on this 12 cent green, perf. 12 stamp issued by the U.S. in 1869 (Scott 117).

Great Britain: Beautiful set of 6 Ocean Liners by De La Rue issued in April 2004. Includes the RMS Queen Mary and the SS City of New York.

The Norwegian post ship Constitution is featured on this stamp issued on April 15, 1947 (Scott 284). As noted on the stamp, the ship was christened in 1827.

France 1939 - Battleship Clemenceau by Albert Decaris.
The stamp depicts the wrong class of ship and was never finished.
Just a bit of propaganda by the French government.

The MS Jutlandia was built for the East Asiatic Company (EAC) by the EAC at the Nakskov Shipyard in 1934. She was 461 feet long with a beam of 61 feet and a draught of 36 feet. The Jutlandia was a combined cargo and passenger ship. She had a cruise speed of 15 knots.



During WWII she was laid up after Germany invaded Denmark and was only manned by a skeleton crew. During an allied air raid in May of 1945 she only suffered some bullet holes and a minor fire. She returned to EAC service after the war and sailed between Europe and the US East Coast.

At the outbreak of hostilities on the Korean Peninsula the Danish government pledged support for the UN effort and the Jutlandia was converted to a hospital ship as part of the Danish contribution to the UN action.

The Jutlandia did three tours of duty as a hospital ship during the Korean War. During these tours she treated military and civilians. This included the treatment of orphans and at one point the creation of a childrens ward onboard. She received the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the ships crew and medical staff were officially decorated by the Danish Government. After her service in Korea she returned to her original service of sailing between Copenhagen and Bangkok.

In September 1960 the Jutlandia became a Royal Yacht, first serving the King of Thailand and then in 1963 serving as the Royal Yacht for Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

On January 14, 1965 the Jutlandia left on her final voyage to Bilbao where she was scrapped.

Sources: 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Jutlandia

On July 1st, 1942, the Canadian government issued a series of stamps to celebrate Canada and Canadians contributions to the war effort.



The 20¢ value was titled Corvette Ready for Launching and was designed by Herman Schwartz and engraved by Clifford Dawson and Walter Rosch. The Canadian Bank Note Company printed 62,028,166 copies of the stamp. It was perforated 12 on all sides. The design is based on a photograph of HMCS La Malbaie



Pictured on the stamp is a corvette ready to be launched. This design was relevant as many of Canada’s smaller ship yards constructed “Flower” class corvettes during the war. In total the Royal Canadian Navy ordered 104 corvettes from Canadian shipyards. Canadian shipyards also built the corvettes for the Royal and US navies.

Sources:
Canadian Postal Archives Database - Record on Corvette Ready for Launching
Canadian Postal Archives Database
Wikipedia - Flower-class corvette

Issued in 1981 as one in a set of 4 commemorating Norwegian lake shipping the Paddle Steamer (PS) Skibladner is featured on the 1k.10 value.



The PS Skibladner is the only paddle steamer operating in Norway. Her maiden voyage was on August 2nd, 1856. This makes her the worlds oldest paddle steamer operating a scheduled service. During her long career she has sunk twice, been re-floated and extensively renovated.

Still operating on lake Mjøsa between Eidsvoll, Gjøvik and Lillehammer she offers scenic tours and cultural events.

The PS Skipbladner is registered at 206 tons with a length overall of 164 feet and a beam of 16.6 feet. She has a draught of 8¼ feet and carries 230 passengers.

Sources:
www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6984&p=6980&hilit=Skibladner
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skibladner

Issued in 1981 as one in a set of 4 commemorating Norwegian lake shipping the Motor Vessel (MV) Victoria is featured on the 1k.30 value.



Built in 1882 as a Steam Ship the MV Victoria was converted to diesel propulsion in 1953. She served on the route between Skein to Dalen via the Bandak canal carrying both passengers and cargo until 1956.

The Victoria was extensively rebuilt and re-entered service in 1963 in the tourist trade. The route she operates on is considered one of the most scenic routes in Europe.

The MV Victoria is 152 gross tons with a length of 96½ feet. She has a beam of 18 feet and carries 150 passengers.

Sources:
www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10165&p=10584&hilit=Victoria#p10584

The Barbado's issued the 35 cent HMS Barbados stamp on August 16th, 1994 as one of a set of fourteen ships stamps issued.




Originally ordered as a patrol gunboat by the US Navy as the USS Halsted, she was reclassified as a patrol frigate of the Tacoma class and laid down in May 1943 at the Walsh-Kaiser Company of Providence, Rhode Island. The ship was renamed HMS Barbados once it was intended to be transferred to the Royal Navy as a Colony class frigate. Launched on the 27th of August, 1943 she was officially transferred to the Royal Navy under a lend-lease agreement in December 1943.


The Barbados displacement was 1,190 tonnes with a length overall of 303 feet 11 inches. She had a beam of 37 feet 6 inches wide and a draft of 13 feet 8 inches (how deep She sat in the water). Her three boilers powered her 2, 5500 shp turbines and shafts to a speed of 20 knots. 

She was armed with Three 3"/50 calibre dual purpose gun mounts, two twin 40mm gun mounts, nine 20mm guns, one Hedgehog depth charge projector, eight Y-gun depth charge projectors and two depth charge racks. The Barbados had a complement of 190 sailors and officers.



During her service with the Royal Navy the Barbados had two commanding officers: Lieutenant Commander Erik George Donald, RNVR and Lieutenant Arthur Horace Kent, DSC, RD, RNR.

In April 1946 the Barbados was returned to the US Navy and in 1947 she was sold for scrapping. 



Sources
uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/278.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony-class_frigate
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Barbados_(K504)

Polish WWII Vessels