HMS Alderney (P416)

For Royal Navy ships of this name, see HMS Alderney.
HMS Alderney at Plymouth Sounds in 1954.
History
Ordered: Very late in World War II
Builder: Vickers-Armstrongs, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down: 6 February 1945
Launched: 25 June 1945
Commissioned: 10 December 1946
Decommissioned: November 1967
Fate: Sold to be broken up for scrap on 6 June 1972
General characteristics
Displacement: 1,360/1,590 tons (surface/submerged)
Length: 293 ft 6 in (89.46 m)
Beam: 22 ft 4 in (6.81 m)
Draught: 18 ft 1 in (5.51 m)
Propulsion: 2 × 2,150 hp Admiralty ML 8-cylinder diesel engine, 2 × 625 hp electric motors for submergence driving two shafts
Speed: 18.5 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 depth: 350 ft (110 m)
Complement: 5 officers 55 enlisted
Armament:
  • 6 × 21" (2 external)bow torpedo tube, 4 × 21" (2 external) stern torpedo tube, containing a total of 20 torpedoes
  • Mines: 26
  • 1 × 4" main deck gun, 3 × 0.303 machine gun, 1 × 20 mm AA Oerlikon 20 mm gun

HMS Alderney (P416), 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.

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 length of 22 feet 4 inches (6.81 m), and a draught length 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 inches (530 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. 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.[4][5] She was decommissioned in 1966 and was finally scrapped at Troon, Scotland on 1 February 1970.[6]

Commanding officers

19561960Lieutenant Commander Hedgcock. RN.
19611963
19651965Lieutenant Commander A M Bruce RN
19661966Lieutenant Commander F D Lown RN

References

  1. http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3618.html
  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. Programme, Portsmouth Navy Days, 28–30 August 1965, HMSO, p15
  5. Programme, Portsmouth Navy Days, 27–29 August 1966, HMSO, p19
  6. HMS Talent, Uboot.net

Publications

External links

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