Falls of Clyde International ~ FOCI

[Pelican]

A Royal Navy heritage attraction on the Clyde – bringing the former HMS Ambuscade home

A Scottish maritime heritage group, Falls of Clyde International (FOCI), has embarked on a project that will return the Type 21 frigate PNS Tariq, (formerly HMS Ambuscade) to her birthplace on the Clyde. Here we look at the history of the vessel and consider the plan to preserve her as a museum ship.

FOCI was founded with the intention of bringing the tall ship, Falls of Clyde back to Glasgow for renovation and to be used as an active sail training ship. She was built on the Clyde in 1878 and is the only surviving iron-hulled and four-masted full-rigged ship in the world. She is currently berthed at Honolulu, Hawaii and FOCI has been working to restore and rescue her since 2014. They had a contract with authorities in Hawaii to remove her, although this was withdrawn in 2021 due to an insurance issue but work is ongoing to start again. This will provide the funds for the tow and some of the restoration work. (The full story is outside the scope of this article but there is more on their website here.) The plan to bring PNS Tariq to Glasgow is a separate venture by FOCI, but part of a wider vision to establish an attraction that celebrates the epic maritime and shipbuilding history of the Clyde.

Ambuscade
HMS Ambuscade was the 4th of 8 Type 21 frigates commissioned into the RN between 1974-78. She was the first of five of the class built by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Scotstoun on the Clyde. Ambuscade served all over the world, including participation in the Falklands War where she spent 83 days continuously at sea, steamed 29,229 miles and fired 500 4.5″ rounds. (Her war is recounted in more detail by her CO here). She was involved in a serious collision with the USS Dale in April 1983, fortunately, there were no casualties but she had to be dry-docked in Mumbai and have a complete new lower bow section fabricated and fitted. The later part of Ambuscade’s career was predominantly spent as either West Indies or Falkland Islands guard ship. Along with the five other surviving Type 21s, she was sold to the Pakistani Navy, formally being handed over in a ceremony at Devonport on 28th July 1993.

Continues at - https://www.navylookout.com/a-royal-nav ... cade-home/

See - viewtopic.php?t=3945
Also - viewtopic.php?p=30686&hilit=TYPE+21+AMBUSCADE#p30686

[Pelican]

Today Pakistan formally transferred ex-PNS Tariq to Falls of Clyde International at a ceremony in London ahead of her being brought to Glasgow to become a museum ship.

Photos at - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 1022701723