BNC Algerine-class Minesweeper, M901 Georges Lecointe (not the F901)

Suggestions Naval
1
Would you like to see this in-game?
  • Yes
  • No
0 voters
Where would you like to see this vehicle?
  • (independent) BeNeLux tree
  • France: BeNeLux subtree
  • other
  • no/negative
0 voters
What versions would you like to see?
  • 1x 102 mm + 4x 40 mm (suggested)
  • other (please comment)
  • no/negative
0 voters

The Algerine-class minesweepers formed the backbone of the Belgian coastal fleet after WWII. Among them was M901 Georges Lecointe, transferred from the Royal Navy in 1950. Unlike its sister ship F901 (which retained 20 mm mounts for some years), M901 entered Belgian service already upgraded with four single 40 mm Bofors, making it a heavier-hitting platform for its time.

This configuration makes the M901 an ideal candidate for War Thunder as a rank II–III coastal escort, balancing its 102 mm dual-purpose gun with strong 40 mm anti-air capability.

TL;DR: A Belgian Algerine minesweeper with a 102 mm main gun and four 40 mm Bofors AA guns — perfect for coastal mid-BRs.

M901

M901 Georges Lecointe, Belgian Navy (1950s).

History

History

image

M901 Georges Lecointe was originally launched as HMS Cadmus (J230) at Harland & Wolff, Belfast, on 27 May 1942, and commissioned into the Royal Navy in September 1942. After WWII, she was redesignated M230 before being transferred to Belgium on 31 January 1950.

In Belgian service, she was renamed M901 Georges Lecointe, serving until 1959. Her duties included coastal patrol, NATO exercises, and training cruises, such as a 1955 voyage after refit in Ghent and deployments abroad (including Sydney, 1954).

image

Unlike the later F901, which initially carried 20 mm mounts, M901’s fit was heavier from the start, with four single 40 mm Bofors alongside her 102 mm main gun, ASW mortars, and depth charge rails.

image

She was decommissioned in April 1960 and scrapped shortly after at Antwerp. Though her career in Belgium was relatively short, she represented the first generation of Belgian Cold War mine warfare vessels (Marine Belge, n.d.).

Specifications

Shipyard: Harland & Wolff, Belfast, UK
Laid down: 24 July 1941 — Launched: 27 May 1942 — Commissioned: 9 Sept 1942 (RN)
Displacement: 950 t standard / 1,250 t full load
Dimensions: 69 m length × 10.82 m beam × 2.7 m draught
Propulsion: 2 steam turbines, 2,000 hp, 2 shafts
Speed: 16.5 knots max / 12 knots cruise
Range: 4,000 nm at 10 knots
Crew: ~106 (7 officers, 36 NCOs, 63 sailors)
Electronics: Radar types 271, 242, 253; ASDIC sonar

Armament (Belgian Service, 1950–1959)

Weapon Type Fit Notes
Main gun 1 × 102 mm/50 Mk XIX Dual-purpose, bow-mounted
Secondary AA 4 × 1 40 mm Bofors Good mid-range AA coverage
ASW 2 × depth charge rails, 4 × ASW mortars Coastal ASW duties

Place in War Thunder

  • Compared to F901’s early 20 mm version, M901 offers stronger AA punch right away with its 40 mm Bofors, making it a great defensive escort ship.
  • Its 102 mm gun is capable of dealing with enemy sub-chasers, corvettes, and smaller destroyers at range.
  • Its ASW weapons could be represented in-game either decoratively (as on similar ships) or integrated into mechanics if developed further.

It would fit around Rank III.

Pictures

Pictures

M901

M901 Georges Lecointe (Belgian Navy, mid-1950s)

image

Sources

Sources

Belgian Navy Forum. (n.d.). M901 Georges Lecointe (ex-HMS Cadmus). Retrieved August 26, 2025, from http://www.belgian-navy.be

Marine Belge. (n.d.). Le cointe. Retrieved August 26, 2025, from https://www.marinebelge.be/lecointe.html

Chesneau, R. (Ed.). (1980). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press.

Latinis, P. (2000). The Algerine I–III. Brussels: Belgian Navy Historical Review.

Minesweepers.org. (n.d.). Algerine Class Minesweepers. Retrieved from http://www.minesweepers.org.uk/algerine.htm