HMS Mounts Bay was a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named after Mount's Bay in Cornwall. In commission from 1949 until 1960, she saw active service in the Korean War, and was sold to Portugal in 1961 to serve as NRP Vasco da Gama until 1971.

HMS Mounts Bay (K627) as NRP Vasco da Gama (F478)
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Mounts Bay
NamesakeMount's Bay
BuilderWilliam Pickersgill & Sons Ltd., South Bank, Middlesbrough
Laid down23 October 1944
Launched8 June 1945
Commissioned11 April 1949
DecommissionedMay 1960
Identificationpennant number K627
Honours and
awards
Korea 1950–53
FateSold to Portugal, 1961
Portugal
NameNRP Vasco da Gama
NamesakeVasco da Gama
Acquired1961
IdentificationF478
FateScrapped 1971
General characteristics
Class and typeBay-class frigate
Displacement
  • 1,600 long tons (1,626 t) standard
  • 2,530 long tons (2,571 t) full
Length
  • 286 ft (87 m) p/p
  • 307 ft 3 in (93.65 m) o/a
Beam38 ft 6 in (11.73 m)
Draught12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Propulsion2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 shafts, 4-cylinder vertical triple expansion reciprocating engines, 5,500 ihp (4,100 kW)
Speed19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph)
Range724 tons oil fuel, 9,500 nmi (17,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement157
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament

Decommissioning and disposal

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In May 1960 the ship was decommissioned and put into Reserve at Portsmouth.[1] She was modernized by John I Thornycroft in Southampton, before being commissioned by the Portuguese Navy on 3 August 1961.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Mason, Geoffrey B. (2004). Gordon Smith (ed.). "HMS Mounts Bay, frigate". naval-history.net. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  2. ^ Blackman, Raymond V B (ed.). Jane's Fighting Ships 1963-4. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd. p. 207.

Publications

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