HMS Alcide (P415)
HMS Alcide (P415), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers-Armstrongs and launched 12 April 1945.[1]
 HMS Alcide | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name: | Alcide |
| Builder: | Vickers-Armstrongs, Barrow-in-Furness |
| Laid down: | 2 January 1945 |
| Launched: | 12 April 1945 |
| Commissioned: | 18 October 1946 |
| Identification: | P415 |
| Fate: | Sold to be broken up for scrap on 18 June 1974. Scrapped at Hull. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Amphion-class 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 (1,600 kW) Admiralty ML 8-cylinder diesel engine, 2 × 625 hp (466 kW) electric motors for submergence driving two shafts |
| Speed: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 350 ft (110 m) |
| Complement: | 5 officers 55 enlisted |
| Armament: |
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Design
Like all Amphion-class submarines, Alcide 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] Alcide 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]
Service
In 1952 Alcide deployed to Canada for anti-submarine training with the Royal Canadian Navy.[4] In 1968 she took part in Navy Days at Portsmouth.[5]
Commanding officers
| From | To | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 1966 | Lieutenant-Commander S S R Conway RN |
| 1968 | 1968 | Lieutenant-Commander J R Stevenson RN |
References
- "Alcide". Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
- 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.
- "Submarine Artemis Back for Second Time". The Crowsnest. Vol. 4 no. 12. Queen's Printer. October 1952. p. 3.
- Programme, Navy Days at Portsmouth 31 August – 2 September 1968, p. 21.
Publications
- 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.