HMS Alderney (P416)

Last updated

HMS Alderney (P416).jpg
HMS Alderney at Plymouth Sound in 1954.
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameAlderney
Builder Vickers-Armstrongs, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down6 February 1945
Launched25 June 1945
Commissioned10 December 1946
DecommissionedNovember 1967
Identification Pennant number P416
FateSold to be broken up for scrap on 6 June 1972
General characteristics
Class and type Amphion-class submarine
Displacement1,360/1,590 tons (surface/submerged)
Length293 ft 6 in (89.46 m)
Beam22 ft 4 in (6.81 m)
Draught18 ft 1 in (5.51 m)
Propulsion2 × 2,150 hp (1,600 kW) Admiralty ML 8-cylinder diesel engine, 2 × 625 hp (466 kW) electric motors for submergence driving two shafts
Speed18.5 kn (34.3 km/h) surface, 8 kn (15 km/h) submerged
Range
  • 10,500 nmi (19,400 km) at 11 kn (20 km/h) surfaced
  • 16 nmi (30 km) at 8 kn (15 km/h) or 90 nmi (170 km) at 3 kn (5.6 km/h) submerged
Test depth350 ft (110 m)
Complement60
Armament

HMS Alderney (P416/S66), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Barrow and launched 25 June 1945 [1] by Mrs Molly Wallis, wife of Sir Barnes Wallis. She was the 12th of the class and was scrapped in 1972.

Contents

Design

Like all Amphion-class submarines, Alderney had a displacement of 1,360 tonnes (1,500 short tons) when at the surface and 1,590 tonnes (1,750 short tons) while submerged. It had a total length of 293 feet 6 inches (89.46 m), a beam of 22 feet 4 inches (6.81 m), and a draught of 18 feet 1 inch (5.51 m). The submarine was powered by two Admiralty ML eight-cylinder diesel engines generating a power of 2,150 horsepower (1,600 kW) each. It also contained four electric motors each producing 625 horsepower (466 kW) that drove two shafts. [2] It could carry a maximum of 219 tonnes (241 short tons) of diesel, although it usually carried between 159 and 165 tonnes (175 and 182 short tons). [2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph) and a submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). [3] When submerged, it could operate at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) or at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) for 16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi). When surfaced, it was able to travel 15,200 nautical miles (28,200 km; 17,500 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) or 10,500 nautical miles (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph). [2] Alderney was fitted with ten 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, one QF 4 inch naval gun Mk XXIII, one Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, and a .303 British Vickers machine gun. Its torpedo tubes were fitted to the bow and stern, and it could carry twenty torpedoes. Its complement was sixty-one crew members. [2]

Operational service

Alderney completed three commissions between 1954 and 1963 with the 6th Submarine Squadron at Halifax, Nova Scotia, carrying out exercises with the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force. In September 1952 Artemis replaced the damaged Alderney, which had developed issues while training with vessels of the Royal Canadian Navy off Bermuda. [4] She was modernised during a long refit in Portsmouth Dockyard between 1956 and 1958. In 1965 she recommissioned for the eighth time and was allocated to the 1st Submarine Squadron at HMS Dolphin. In 1965 and 1966 she was present at Portsmouth Navy Days. [5] [6] She was decommissioned in 1966 and was broken up at Troon, Scotland on 1 February 1970. [7]

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>Astute</i> (P447) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Astute (P447) was an Amphion-class submarine. Her keel was laid down by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness. She was launched in 1944 and commissioned in 1945.

HMS A2 was an A-class submarine built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

HMS Acheron (P411) was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, laid down 26 August 1944, launched 25 March 1947 and completed in 1948.

HMS Alaric (P441), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Cammell Laird laid down in May 1944 and launched 18 February 1946.

HMS <i>Alcide</i> (P415) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Alcide (P415), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers-Armstrongs and launched 12 April 1945.

HMS Ambush (P418/S68/S18), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers Armstrong and launched 24 September 1945.

HMS <i>Andrew</i> (P423) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Andrew (P423/S23/S63), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers Armstrong and launched on 6 April 1946.

HMS <i>Amphion</i> (P439) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Amphion (P439), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers Armstrong and launched 31 August 1944.

HMS <i>Auriga</i> (P419) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Auriga (P419/S69), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers Armstrong and launched 29 March 1945.

HMS Anchorite (P422/S22), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers Armstrong and launched 22 January 1946.

HMS <i>Artful</i> (P456) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Artful (P456), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Greenock and launched 22 May 1944.

HMS Artemis (P449) was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Scotts Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. of Greenock and launched 28 August 1946. The submarine sank while refueling in 1971, was raised and sold for breaking up in 1972.

HMS <i>Saga</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Saga was a S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She survived the war and was sold to Portugal.

HMS <i>Sea Scout</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Sea Scout was a S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1965.

HMS <i>Seneschal</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Seneschal was a S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1965.

HMS <i>Sentinel</i> (P256) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Sentinel was a S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She was not completed until after the war and was sold for scrap in 1962.

HMS <i>Spur</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Spur was a S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She survived the war and was sold to Portugal in 1948.

HMS <i>Spearhead</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Spearhead was a S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She survived the war and was sold to Portugal. She was scrapped in 1967.

HMS <i>Sea Devil</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Sea Devil was a S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1966.

HMS <i>Unrivalled</i> British submarine

HMS Unrivalled (P45) was a U-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War II. The boat has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to ever bear the name Unrivalled. Completed in 1942, the boat spent most of the war in the Mediterranean. She sank a number of small merchant ships and naval auxiliaries, but major success eluded her during the war. Too small and slow for the post-war environment, Unrivalled was scrapped in 1946.

References

  1. "HMS Alderney (P 416) of the Royal Navy - British Submarine of the a class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net".
  2. 1 2 3 4 Paul Akermann (1 November 2002). Encyclopedia of British Submarines 1901-1955. Periscope Publishing Ltd. p. 422. ISBN   978-1-904381-05-1.
  3. "Acheron class". World Naval Ships, Cranston Fine Arts. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  4. "Submarine Artemis Back for Second Time". The Crowsnest. Vol. 4, no. 12. Queen's Printer. October 1952. p. 3.
  5. Programme, Portsmouth Navy Days, 28–30 August 1965, HMSO, p15
  6. Programme, Portsmouth Navy Days, 27–29 August 1966, HMSO, p19
  7. HMS Talent, uboat.net

Publications