Amphion-class submarine
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HMS Alliance at Gosport submarine museum
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Class overview | |
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Builders |
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Operators | Royal Navy |
Preceded by | V class |
Succeeded by | Explorer class |
In service | 1945 - 1974 |
Planned | 46 |
Completed | 16 |
Cancelled | 30 |
Preserved | 1 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Submarine |
Displacement | 1,385 tons surfaced, 1,620 tons submerged |
Length | 280.5 ft (85.5 m) |
Beam | 22.3 ft (6.8 m) |
Draught | 16.8 ft (5.1 m) |
Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 500 feet (150 m) |
Complement | 61 officers and men |
Armament |
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The Amphion class (also known as the "A" class and Acheron class) of British diesel-electric submarines were designed for use in the Pacific War. Only two were completed before the end of hostilities, but following modernisation in the 1950s, they continued to serve in the Royal Navy into the 1970s.
Development and service
The Amphion class were ordered by the British Admiralty in 1943, upon the realisation that the new Pacific theatre of war following the attack on Pearl Harbor needed a new type of submarine. They were originally designed to replace the S-class and T-class submarines, which were too slow and unable to dive deep enough to be suited to Pacific waters during World War II. They were essentially the same size as the T class,[1] arranged for fast, simple construction and to utilize much of the materials and equipment set aside for the T boats. They had a high, flared bow for excellent sea performance and had effective air conditioning, essential for Far East submarine operations. They were operated by a crew of between 60 and 68.
Originally, 46 submarines were ordered, but only 18 were
The Amphion class was one of only two new British submarine designs produced during World War II, the other being the
After World War II various modifications were made to these Overseas Patrol Submarines, as they were known. A snort mast based on the schnorkel used by U-boats during the war, a radar which could be used from periscope depth, and a night periscope were added to the A- and surviving T-class submarines.
In response to the start of the
The A and T classes were refitted for their new role between 1955 and 1960 with a complete rebuild of the forward and after hull section, lengthening and streamlining of the upper decks and conning towers, removal of deck guns to improve underwater speed and noise, removal of external torpedo tubes, and greatly improved sonar. When Affray was lost in 1951 all the Amphion class were briefly confined to port pending investigation into her loss.
During the
The Amphion class served the
Boats
Built at Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness
- Amphion (P439/S39/S43) (laid down as Anchorite but name changed before launch)
- Astute (P447/S47/S45)
- Auriga (P419/S19/S69)
- Aurochs (P426/S26/S62)
- Alcide (P415/S15/S65)
- Alderney (P416/S16/S66)
- Alliance (P417/S17/S67) (now at Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport)
- Ambush (P418/S18/S68)
- Anchorite (P422/S22/S64) (originally laid down as Amphion but name changed before launch)
- Andrew (P423/S23/S63)
Built at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
- Affray (P421) (the last British submarine lost at sea)
- Aeneas (P427/S27/S72/SSG72)
- Alaric (P441/S41)
Built at Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Greenock
Built at HM Dockyard, Chatham
Built at HM Dockyard, Plymouth
These were the two vessels which were launched but not completed.
Cancelled orders
In 1945, besides the two vessels at Devonport, the following orders were cancelled:
Vickers-Armstrongs, Barrow-in-Furness;
- HMS Andromache (P424)
- HMS Answer (P425)
- HMS Antagonist (P428)
- HMS Antaeus (P429)
- HMS Anzac (P431)
- HMS Aphrodite (P432)
- HMS Approach (P435)
- HMS Arcadian (P436)
- HMS Ardent (P437)
- HMS Argosy (P438)
- HMS Atlantis (P442)
Vickers-Armstrongs, Walker-on-Tyne;
- HMS Admirable (P434)
- HMS Asperity (P444)
- HMS Austere (P445)
- HMS Adversary (P457)
- HMS Awake (P459)
- HMS Aztec (P455)
Portsmouth Dockyard;
- HMS Abelard (P451)
- HMS Acasta (P452)
Cammell Laird;
- HMS Agate (P448)
- HMS Aggressor (P446)
- HMS Agile (P443)
- HMS Aladdin (P454)
- HMS Alcestis (P453)
Scotts of Greenock
- HMS Asgard (P458)
- HMS Assurance (P462)
- HMS Astarte (P461)
Chatham Dockyard
- HMS Adept (P412)
See also
- List of ship classes of the Second World War
Notes and references
- ISBN 1-55750-161-0.
- ISBN 0-85368-958-X.
- ^ "Boat Database - Andrew". www.rnsubs.co.uk. The Barrow-in-Furness Branch of the Submariners Association. Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
External links
- Media related to Amphion class submarines at Wikimedia Commons
- Maritimequest Amphion Class Index
- Submarines On Stamps