Abdiel-class minelayer

	HMS Apollo in August 1945
Class overview
Name	Abdiel class
Operators	Royal Navy
In commission	1941–1972
Completed	6
Lost	3
Retired	3
General characteristics
Type	Minelayer
Displacement	2,650 tons (standard); 3,415 tons (full load) (1938 group); 3,475 tons (full load) (WEP group);
Length	400 ft 6 in (122.07 m) (p/p); 418 ft (127 m) (o/a);
Beam	40 ft (12 m)
Draught	11 ft 3 in (3.43 m); 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m) (full load);
Propulsion	4 × Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boilers; Parsons geared steam turbines; 2 shafts; 72,000 shp (54,000 kW);
Speed	38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph) (up to 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph) at light load)
Range	1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph)
Complement	242
Armament	1938 group:; 6 × QF 4-inch (100 mm) Mark XVI guns on twin mounts HA/LA Mk.XIX; 4 × QF 2-pounder (40 mm) Mk.VIII on quadruple mount Mk.VII; 8 × 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) Vickers machine guns on quadruple mount Mk.I (later up to 12 × 20 mm Oerlikon on single mounts P Mk.III or twin mounts Mk.V); 156 mines; WEP group:; 4 × QF 4 in Mark XVI on twin mounts HA/LA Mk.XIX; 4 (Apollo) / 6 (Ariadne) × 40 mm Bofors on twin mounts "Hazemeyer" Mk.IV; Up to 12 × 20 mm Oerlikon on single mounts P Mk.III or twin mounts Mk.V (later up to 6 × 40 mm Bofors on single mounts Mark V "Boffin"; 156 mines;

The Abdiel class were a class of six fast minelayers commissioned into the Royal Navy and active during the Second World War. They were also known as the Manxman class and as "mine-laying cruisers". These ships were armed with a wide variety of defensive weapons from 0.5-inch (13 mm) machine guns to the 4-inch (100 mm) main armament. They were also equipped with a wide array of radars, along with their normal complement of mines. They were easily mistaken for destroyers. Half the class was lost through enemy action during the Second World War; the others saw post-war service, and the last example was scrapped in the early 1970s.

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