- Yes
- No
- (independent) BeNeLux tree
- France: BeNeLux subtree
- other
- no/negative
TL;DR: F903 is a Canadian-built Algerine in Belgian service — same hull, but with Squid + Hedgehog for ASW and Oerlikons instead of Bofors.
History
History
The F903 A.F. Dufour was a Canadian-built Algerine-class minesweeper/frigate that served first with the Royal Canadian Navy as HMCS Winnipeg before joining the Belgian Navy in 1959. Compared to Belgium’s earlier Algerines, she carried a very different fit: 20 mm Oerlikon twins for AA instead of Bofors, and an extensive anti-submarine armament package including both a Squid mortar and a Hedgehog launcher in addition to depth charges.
Her Cold War service was short but notable — she participated in Operation Camoens during the Congo Crisis in 1960, helping secure Belgian naval presence in Central Africa. She was decommissioned in 1966 and scrapped soon after.
Near the Banana naval base, 1960s.
- 01 February 1942 – laid down at Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Ontario, Canada.
- 19 September 1942 – launched as HMCS Winnipeg (J337).
- 29 July 1943 – commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy.
- 1949–1959 – redesignated AM 177 and later FSE Winnipeg during NATO standardization.
- 07 August 1959 – transferred to Belgium and renamed F903 A.F. Dufour.
- 1960 – took part in Operation Camoens, supporting Belgian operations in Congo.
- 1966 – decommissioned and sold for scrap.
She was named in honor of Auguste François Dufour, a 19th-century officer of the Belgian Royal Navy.
Specifications
Shipyard: Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Ontario (Canada)
Laid down: 01 Feb 1942 — Launched: 19 Sep 1942 — Commissioned: 29 Jul 1943
Displacement: 1,040 t standard / 1,335 t full load
Dimensions: 72 m length × 10.4 m beam × 2.4 m draught
Propulsion: 2 × Admiralty triple-expansion engines, 2,000 hp, 2 shafts
Speed: 16.5 knots max / 12 knots economic
Range: 5,000 nm at 10 knots
Crew: ~101 (9 officers, 37 NCOs, 55 sailors)
Electronics: Radars type 271, 242, 253; sonar ASDICArmament (Belgian fit)
Weapon Mounts Notes 1 × 102 mm/50 Mk XIX DP single mount main gun 4 × 2 20 mm Oerlikon twin mounts AA defense 1 × Squid ASW mortar 3-barrel forward-firing 1 × Hedgehog ASW mortar 24-round forward-firing 2 × DC rails — stern
Place in War Thunder
The F903 A.F. Dufour offers a unique twist compared to the other Belgian Algerines:
- ASW-heavy loadout – both Squid and Hedgehog mortars could give her a special role in-game, functioning like depth-charge projectors but with more forward firepower.
- Weaker AA – unlike the M901/M903 with Bofors, F903 carried Oerlikons, which are weaker against aircraft.
- Niche playstyle – good for hunting sub-chasers and small craft, but vulnerable to aircraft and destroyer-level guns.
A suitable placement would be Rank II or III in the BeNeLux coastal tree.
Pictures
Pictures
HMCS Winnipeg (J337) during RCN service, 1943.
- F903 A.F. Dufour in Belgian service, 1960.
- Naval base deployment during Operation Camoens (Congo).
Sources
Sources
Marine Belge. (n.d.). F903 A.F. Dufour. Retrieved Aug 26, 2025, from https://www.marinebelge.be
Chesneau, R. (Ed.). (1980). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich: Conway Maritime Press.
Macpherson, K., & Barrie, R. (2002). The Ships of Canada’s Naval Forces 1910–2002. Vanwell Publishing.
Minesweepers.org. (n.d.). Algerine-class Minesweepers. Retrieved from http://www.minesweepers.org.uk/algerine.htm