Bras d'Or (R-103) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 Canada |
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| Name | Bras d'Or |
| Namesake | Bras d'Or Lake, Nova Scotia |
| Ordered | September 1953 |
| Builder | Saunders-Roe, United Kingdom |
| Launched | 22 May 1957 |
| In service | 26 June 1957 |
| Out of service | 1973 |
| Homeport | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Fate | Stored Museum ship at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa |
| Notes | Renamed Baddeck 1962 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Hydrofoil |
| Displacement | 17 t (17 long tons) |
| Length | 18.00 m (59 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion | 2 Rolls-Royce Griffon gasoline engines 1,500 hp at 3,000 rpm |
| Speed | 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
| Complement | approx. 2+ |
| Armament | None |
Bras d'Or (R-103) was a very special type of boat called a hydrofoil. It was built for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) in the 1950s. This small, experimental ship helped engineers learn how to build faster boats. The lessons learned from Bras d'Or led to the creation of a much larger and more advanced hydrofoil, HMCS Bras d'Or (FHE 400), which was developed in the late 1960s.
What is a Hydrofoil?
A hydrofoil is a boat that uses special wing-like structures, called foils, under its hull. When the boat moves fast enough, these foils lift the hull out of the water. This reduces drag, allowing the boat to travel much faster than a regular boat of the same size. It's like an airplane wing, but for water!
Building and Testing the Bras d'Or
The Bras d'Or was built by a company called Saunders-Roe in the United Kingdom. Its design was based on an earlier test hydrofoil, the R-101, used by the Royal Navy. The Bras d'Or was launched into the water on May 22, 1957.
After its launch, the ship went through important tests off the coast of Wales. These trials helped engineers understand how well the hydrofoil worked. In July 1957, the Bras d'Or arrived in Canada. The Royal Canadian Navy took ownership of the ship, but it was never officially used as a warship. Instead, it remained an experimental vessel.
A New Name and Final Home
In 1962, the Bras d'Or (R-103) was given a new name: Baddeck. This change happened because the name "Bras d'Or" was going to be used for the new, larger hydrofoil, HMCS Bras d'Or (FHE 400).
The Baddeck continued its role as a test ship until 1973. That year, it was retired from the Canadian Forces. Later, the ship was acquired by the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, Ontario. Today, the Baddeck is kept in storage at the museum. Its three foils, which helped it lift out of the water, have been removed and are stored separately.
