HMS Halcyon (J42)

History
United Kingdom
Name	Halcyon
Builder	John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering
Laid down	27 March 1933
Launched	20 December 1933
Commissioned	18 April 1934
Identification	Pennant number: J42
Fate	Sold for scrapping on 19 April 1950
General characteristics
Class and type	Halcyon-class minesweeper
Displacement	815 long tons (828 t) standard; 1,370 long tons (1,392 t) full;
Length	245 ft 9 in (74.90 m) o/a
Beam	33 ft 6 in (10.21 m)
Draught	8 ft 3 in (2.51 m)
Installed power	1,770 ihp (1,320 kW); 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers;
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 compound-expansion steam engines;
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range	7,200 nmi (13,300 km; 8,300 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	157
Armament	2 × single QF 4-inch (100 mm) guns; 8 × single .303-inch (7.7 mm) machine guns;

HMS Halcyon was the lead ship in

Invasion of Normandy during World War II. The ship was sold for scrapping

in 1950.

Design and description

The Halcyon class designed as a replacement for the preceding

deep load. The ship had an overall length of 245 feet 9 inches (74.9 m), a beam of 33 feet 6 inches (10.2 m) and a draught of 8 feet 3 inches (2.5 m).^[1]

She was powered by two vertical

Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 1,770 shaft horsepower (1,320 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). Halcyon carried a maximum of 243 long tons (247 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 7,200 nautical miles (13,300 km; 8,300 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).^[2] The ship's complement consisted of 80 officers and ratings.^[3]

Halcyon was armed with two QF 4-inch (10.2 cm) guns; the forward gun was in a high-angle mount while the aft gun was in a low-angle mount. She was also equipped with eight .303-inch (7.7 mm)

anti-aircraft guns. For escort work, her minesweeping gear could be exchanged for around 40 depth charges.^[4]