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HMS Ambush (P418)

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History
Royal Navy Ensign
OrderedVery late in World War II
BuilderVickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down17 May 1945
Launched24 September 1945
Commissioned22 July 1947
DecommissionedNovember 1967
FateSold to be broken up for scrap on 24 June 1971. Scrapped at Inverkeithing in July 1971.[1]
General characteristics
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 Admiralty ML 8-cylinder diesel engine, 2 × 625 hp electric motors for submergence driving two shafts
Speed18.5/8 knots (surface/submerged)
Range
  • 10,500 nautical miles (19,400 km) at 11 knots (20 km/h) surfaced
  • 16 nautical miles (30 km) at 8 knots (15 km/h) or 90 nautical miles (170 km) at 3 knots (6 km/h) submerged
Test depth350 ft (110 m)
Complement5 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 Ambush (P418), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers Armstrong and launched 24 September 1945.

In 1948 she took part in trials of the Schnorkel.[2] In 1951 she heard and decoded a distress message from HMS Affray, which was sunk with the ultimate loss of all 75 hands.[3] In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[4]

Design

Like all Amphion-class submarines, Ambush 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.[5] 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).[5]

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).[6] 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).[5] Ambush 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.[5]

Decommissioning and disposal

Following decommissioning, she was sold to T W Ward and arrived at Inverkeithing for breaking up on 5 July 1971.[7]

Commanding officers

From To Captain
1947 1948 Lieutenant-Commander G E Hunt RN
1953 1953 Lieutenant-Commander W T J Fox RN
1959 1962 Lieutenant-Commander John Hervey RN
1965 1966 Lieutenant-Commander P F Grenier RN

References

  1. ^ Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  2. ^ "1948 trials". Naval History. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  3. ^ http://www.submariners.co.uk/Dits/Articles/disaster.php
  4. ^ Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
  5. ^ a b c d Paul Akermann (1 November 2002). Encyclopedia of British Submarines 1901-1955. Periscope Publishing Ltd. p. 422. ISBN 978-1-904381-05-1.
  6. ^ "Acheron class". World Naval Ships, Cranston Fine Arts. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  7. ^ Warlow, Ben Lt Commander, Channel Sweep, (Maritime Books,Liskeard), p7 ISBN 0-907771-40-8