HMS Ambush (P418)
| History | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ordered | Very late in World War II |
| Builder | Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness |
| Laid down | 17 May 1945 |
| Launched | 24 September 1945 |
| Commissioned | 22 July 1947 |
| Decommissioned | November 1967 |
| Fate | Sold to be broken up for scrap on 24 June 1971. Scrapped at Inverkeithing in July 1971.[1] |
| 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 | 18.5/8 knots (surface/submerged) |
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 350 ft (110 m) |
| Complement | 5 officers 55 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
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
- ^ 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.
- ^ "1948 trials". Naval History. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
- ^ http://www.submariners.co.uk/Dits/Articles/disaster.php
- ^ Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Acheron class". World Naval Ships, Cranston Fine Arts. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
- ^ Warlow, Ben Lt Commander, Channel Sweep, (Maritime Books,Liskeard), p7 ISBN 0-907771-40-8