HMS Astute (P447)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Astute.
HMS Astute (P447/S45)
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Astute
Builder: Vickers Armstrongs
Laid down: 04 April 1944
Launched: 30 January 1945
Commissioned: 30 June 1945
Fate: Scrapped, 1 October 1970
General characteristics
Class and type: Amphion-class submarine

HMS Astute (P447) was an Amphion-class submarine. Her keel was laid down by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness. She was launched in 1944 and commissioned in 1945.[1]

In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[2] Astute was scrapped on 1 October 1970 at Dunston on Tyne.

Design

Like all Amphion-class submarines, Astute 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.[3] 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).[3]

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).[4] 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).[3] Astute 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.[3]

Astute was laid down at Vickers-Armstrongs Barrow-in-Furness shipyard on 4 April 1944, was launched on 30 January 1945 and completed on 30 June 1945.[5]

Service history

Astute arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia on 11 April 1950 for a six-week training period with the Royal Canadian Navy ending on 1 July.[6]

Commanding officers

FromToCaptain
19531953Lieutenant-Commander R W Garson RN
19651966Lieutenant-Commander J M Slaughter RN

References

  1. "HMS Astute (P 447)". uboat.net.
  2. Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
  3. 1 2 3 4 Paul Akermann (1 November 2002). Encyclopedia of British Submarines 1901-1955. Periscope Publishing Ltd. p. 422. ISBN 978-1-904381-05-1.
  4. "Acheron class". World Naval Ships, Cranston Fine Arts. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  5. Blackman 1962, p. 275.
  6. "Submarine Arrives". The Crowsnest. Vol. 2 no. 7. King's Printer. May 1950. p. 4.

Publications

External links

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