HMSExcalibur
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(June 2008) |
 HMSExcalibur(S40)
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Excalibur |
| Ordered | 26 August 1947 |
| Builder | Vickers Armstrong[2] |
| Launched | 25 February 1955 |
| Completed | 22 February 1958 |
| Identification | Pennant number:S40 |
| Nickname(s) | The Excruciator[1] |
| Fate | Scrapped, 1968 |
| Notes | Built at a cost of £1,142,000 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Explorer-classsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 178 ft (54 m) |
| Beam | 15 ft 8 in (4.78 m) |
| Draught | 11 ft (3.4 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 25knots(46 km/h; 29 mph) (submerged) |
| Complement | 41 |
| Armament | None |
HMSExcaliburwas anExplorer-classsubmarine,the sister ship ofHMSExplorer,the twosubmarinesbeing the onlyhigh-test peroxide(HTP) powered submarines to be constructed for theRoyal Navy.She is the only ship to be named as such, in honour of theswordofArthurianlegend.
Operation
[edit]BothExcaliburandExplorerwere assigned to the 3rd Submarine Squadron although due to their experimental nature, they tended to operate independently, accompanied by their depot shipHMSKingfisherand a fuel carrier,RFASpabeck.They later acted as high-speed underwater targets for the Royal Navy's prototype nuclear-powered submarineHMSDreadnought.
Periscope
[edit]
The submarine's periscope survives. It was installed in the starter's hut at theGolf House Club,the golf club atElie and Earlsferry,Scotland; players and visitors may use it to view the golf course.[3]
References
[edit]- ^Submarine Heritage Centre
- ^Oldships.org.uk HMS Excalibur
- ^Ronnie Leask (12 October 2008)."NO4800: Periscope in starters hut Elie Golf Course".www.geograph.org.Retrieved19 September2011.
Bibliography
[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.ISBN978-1-86176-281-8.
- Preston, Antony(1995). "United Kingdom". In Chumbley, Stephen (ed.).Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995.Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 95–131.ISBN1-55750-132-7.
- Thomas, Steve (November 2022). "Fire and Water: Britain's Fast Submarine Program".Marine News Supplement: Warships.76(11): S599–S613.ISSN0966-6958.