General The Type 42 Class were designed in the late 1960's to provide fleet area defence, after it was decided
that the larger and more expensive Type 82 destroyers were not required. A total of 14 were built in three batches.
Two vessels were built for the Argentine Navy. The first two batches were given shortened hulls and this resulted
in poor seakeeping qualities. the lengthened (or original lenght?) batch 3 vessels were much better.
Armament A single 4.5in gun in Mk8 turret, 1 Sea Dart twin launcher, 2 triple STWS torpedo launchers, decoy
launchers and one Westland Lynx helicopters. Two single 20mm Oerlikon, and 2 twin 30mm Oerlikon were later added.
The 30mm mounts were replaced with Phalanx CIWS.
HMS Newcastle D87 Built by Swan Hunter (Wallsend) Batch 1. She was laid down in 1973, launched in 1975,
and commissioned in 1978. West Indian guard ship in November 1997. Escort to HMS Invincible during the Kosovo war
in 1999. Decommissioned in 2005, she was scrapped in November 2008.
HMS Cardiff D108 Built by Vickers Shipbuilders (Barrow in Furness). Batch 1. She was laid down in 1972,
launched in 1974, and commissioned in 1979. Participated in both the Falklands and Gulf conflicts. Decommissioned
in 2005 she was scrapped in November 2008
HMS Exeter D89 Built by Swan Hunter (Wallsend). Batch 3. She was laid down in 1976, launched in 1978, and
commissioned in 1980. Participated in the Falklands conflict and the 1991 Gulf war. Attended the 2007 25th Falkland
anniversary as the last ship still in commission. Decommissioned in May 2009, and scrapped in 2011.
HMS Edinburgh - D97 Built by Cammell Laird. Batch 3. She was laid down in 1980, launched in 1983 and
commisioned in 1985. Participated in the second Gulf war in 2003. Refitted in 2010 she is still active
Further Information - available on the web from a variety of sources.
