HMS Amphion (P439)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Amphion.

HMS Amphion (P439), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers Armstrong and launched 31 August 1944.^[1]

HMS Amphion (P439)
History
United Kingdom
Ordered	Very late in World War II
Builder	Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down	14 November 1943
Launched	31 August 1944
Commissioned	27 March 1945
Identification	Pennant number P439
Fate	Sold to be broken up for scrap on 24 June 1971. Scrapped at Inverkeithing in July 1971.
Badge
General characteristics
Class & type	Amphion class
Type	submarine
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	60
Armament	6 × 21 inch (533 mm) (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 Amphion (S43), modernised configuration, completed c. 1955–60

HMS Amphion, later S43, was the first of the class to be launched in August 1944. She was originally to be named as HMS Anchorite but their names were exchanged before launch.^[2] Of the class, only Amphion and HMS Astute were completed before the end of the war, and neither were involved in hostilities. In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.^[3]

Design

Like all Amphion-class submarines, Amphion had a displacement of 1,360 long tons (1,380 t) when at the surface and 1,590 long tons (1,620 t) while submerged. She 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. She also contained four electric motors each producing 625 horsepower (466 kW) that drove two shafts.^[4] She could carry a maximum of 219 tonnes (241 short tons) of diesel, although she 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, she 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, she 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] She 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. Her torpedo tubes were fitted to the bow and stern, and she could carry twenty torpedoes. Her complement was sixty-one crew members.^[4]