KNM Delfin

KNM Delfin is a Norwegian FPB of the Tjeld-class. 20 boats of this class were built between 1959 and 1966. Boats of this class were also built in USA by license and used in Vietnam in the 60's.
The model:
 The model of KNM Delfin is built in scale 1:16 by Roger Fosland. Hull and deck are made by GRP, superstructure by 2 mm plywood and details by aluminum, brass, plastic and wood.
Propulsion is done by two 12 volt model airplane engine starters, with two 12 volt 12 Ah lead acid batteries.
The model is 1,5 m long, 0,47 m broad and weights 20 kg in water.
Plans for adding rotating radar, lanterns, rotating 40 mm gun and the theory  for making remote controlled torpedoes exist....

The hull was made first as a plug with plywood frames and filled with insulating foam. After sanding, filling and painting a mold for the hull was made in GRP. In this mold the hull was made in GRP. A mold for the deck was made in the same way.

History of the ship:
Tjeld-class FPBs were developed by the Norwegian ships designer Jan H. Linge in the mid-fifties. This FPB was a successor of the Norwegian Rapp-class FPB's produced in the early fifties. The Rapp-class FPB's were equipped with Packard petrol engines, expensive in use, dangerously inflammable and after a few years it became difficult to get spare parts for the Packard engines.

The prototype Nasty of the later called Tjeld-class was launched in 1957, the ship proved soon to be an excellent FPB compared to earlier boats.

The models origin was built in 1962 as KNM Gribb at the Båtservice Verft A/S in Mandal. Early in the 80's the Tjeld-class was taken out of service, and 8 of the ships were transferred to the reserve forces.
The bird names of the Tjeld-class were transferred to the new Hauk-class FPB, KNM Gribb (vulture) was renamed KNM Delfin (dolphin) and was used by the Sjøheimevernet (Coastal Defense) up to 1992. KNM Delfin ended in Fredrikstad and is now (1998) being stripped down, engines and other technical equipment is used in the KNM Hai-project.

The Tjeld-class FPB's is not in naval use, most boats are broken up or sold.
Left in Norway three boats of the Tjeld-class exist:
KNM Delfin as mentioned in Fredrikstad
KNM Hai is lying at Svela Marina in Fredrikstad and is being restored to its origin. The objective is to make KNM Hai a floating and living museum.
KNM Skrei is owned by the Marinemuseet (The Naval Museum) and will be restored and placed on land.

 delforg1.jpg (22337 bytes)
The photo shows KNM Delfin in service in "Sjøheimevernet" , Photo: B.A.Krohn Johansen
delfin2.jpg (30905 bytes)
The model of KNM Delfin. In the background KNM Gnist.
The photo is copied from a article in "Forsvarets Forum".
Technical data:
Displacement: 80 tons
Length 24,5 m, beam 7,5 m and draft 2,1 m.
Propulsion: Two Napier Deltic turbo blown diesel engines with a total of 6200 BHp
Performance: Maximum stated speed 45 knots
Armament: One 40 mm Bofors, one 20 mm Oerlikon and
four 21in torpedoes.

Source: Illustrert norsk skipsliste 1990, Krohn Johansen Forlag
  Back to Models Back to Homepage