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Welcome to the HMNZS Waikato
Assn Web site.
Patron; Rear
Admiral E.C.Thorne CB CBE
Links to similar Associations
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Taranaki Assn
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Otago Assn
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Royalnavalmans Association of NZ
Webmaster
Ray
Dunbar
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HMNZS
WAIKATO
Z M P S
HMNZS Waikato was built by Harland & Wolfe Ltd,
Belfast, she was laid down on 10th January 1964, and launched by HRH
Princess Alexandra on 18 February 1965. She was the first Leander
Class frigate to be built for the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was
first commissioned in Belfast on 16th September 1966. Captain
S.F.Mercer RNZN.
The ship took her name from the North Island province
of Waikato and from the river that flows through it. She was the
first ship of that name to serve in the Royal New Zealand Navy.
Waikato's badge was designed in a competition among
school children of the Waikato. A pupil from Tauranga Boys Colledge
William Foster submitted the winning entry. It features a Taniwha
" a water monster" legendary guardian of the Waikato people
and their river.The Taniwha in the crest copied from a lintel on a
Maori meeting house in the Hauraki plains.
Specifications
DISPLACEMENT 3182 Tonnes
LENGTH 113.4 metres BEAM 12.4
metres DRAUGHT 5.6 metres
MACHINERY Twin steam turbines driving twin shafts 30,000
horsepower total
ARMAMENT Twin 115mm guns Wasp
helicopters carrying homing torpedoes Two twin
barreled torpedo tubes. One Phalanx close range weapon
system. SPEED 30 knots COMPLEMENT 239 (19 Officers)
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RIP Waikato
HMNZS Waikato was sunk at Tutukaka on the 25th Nov 2000
She now lies in 28 metres of water 2km south of Tutukaka Heads.
This photo shows Waikato on her way to the bottom. |
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Reunion 2008
For pictures and a report got to the reunion page click
This Link. |