Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Bangor-class minesweeper
open-in-new
<p>The <i>Bangor</i>-class minesweepers were a class of warships operated by the <a href="/facts/Royal_Navy/Xdy8YCH7">Royal Navy</a> (RN), <a href="/facts/Royal_Canadian_Navy/eSRkBetN">Royal Canadian Navy</a> (RCN), <a href="/facts/Imperial_Japanese_Navy/smLn7IyT">Imperial Japanese Navy</a> (IJN), and <a href="/facts/Royal_Indian_Navy/cQTu6FXB">Royal Indian Navy</a> (RIN) during and after the <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">Second World War</a>. Some were later operated by the navies of Norway, Pakistan, Egypt, Portugal, Greece and Turkey, and several civilian operators. </p><p>The class derives its name from the <a href="/facts/Lead_ship/s2NkkAdD">lead ship</a>, <a href="/facts/HMS_Bangor_(J00)/YLd7xFFH">HMS <i>Bangor</i></a>, which was <a href="/facts/Ceremonial_ship_launching/kFSJFllx">launched</a> on 19 February 1940 and <a href="/facts/Ship_commissioning/aPxGm7yB">commissioned</a> on 7 November of that year. Royal Navy ships were named after coastal towns of the United Kingdom. </p><p>Their lack of size gave vessels of the class poor sea handling abilities, reportedly worse even than the <a href="/facts/Flower-class_corvette/fq3sPQtN">Flower-class</a> <a href="/facts/Corvette/KrdbemWU">corvettes</a>. The diesel-engined versions were considered to have poorer handling characteristics than the slow-speed reciprocating-engined variants. Their shallow <a href="/facts/Draft_(hull)/MHGIRjC0">draught</a> made them unstable and their short <a href="/facts/Hull_(watercraft)/hY6LxATt">hulls</a> tended to bury the <a href="/facts/Bow_(ship)/7IMvUGon">bow</a> when operating in a head sea. </p><p>The <i>Bangor</i>-class vessels were also considered overcrowded, cramming six officers and over 90 <a href="/facts/Naval_rating/YsUSYzyl">ratings</a> into a vessel originally intended for a total of 40. </p>