 A RCN Avenger AS.3 over HMS Artful in the mid-1950s
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Ordered | 7 April 1943 |
| Builder | Scotts of Greenock |
| Laid down | 8 June 1944 |
| Launched | 22 May 1947 |
| Commissioned | 23 February 1948 |
| Decommissioned | September 1969 |
| Identification | Pennant number P456 |
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Amphion-class submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| 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 |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 350 ft (110 m) |
| Complement | 60 |
| Armament |
|
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.[1]
In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[2] In 1955 she was the first of her class to be rebuilt and streamlined. In 1966 she completed a refit and recommissioned for service with the Home Fleet. In 1967 she undertook a Home Fleet Squadron tour to the West Indies and later that year attended Portsmouth Navy Days.[3]
Design[edit]
Like all Amphion-class submarines, Artful 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.[4] 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).[4]
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).[5] 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).[4] Artful 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.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ "Artful". Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
- ^ Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15 June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
- ^ Programme, Navy Days Portsmouth, 26–28 August 1967, HMSO, p. 21.
- ^ 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.
Publications[edit]
- 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.