Type 81 : a History of the Tribal Class Frigate

The Tribal or Type 81 frigates of the Royal Navy emerged in the early 1960's as a result of design work started towards the end of World War Two into future surface escort vessels. The opportunity was also taken to introduce new technologies, namely gas turbine propulsion and anti submarine helicopters to the ships in order to make them more valuable frigates. The resulting seven members of the Type 81 frigate class were not universally liked but they served the Royal Navy for over three decades in theatres as diverse as East of Suez, the Caribbean and on the Cod War in the Arctic with Iceland in the 1970's. This book tells the design and history of all seven ships of the class from their ordering to their eventual de-commissioning and draws on extensive research and interviews with former members of ships companies.