HMSExcalibur
This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(June 2008) |
![]() HMSExcalibur(S40)
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History | |
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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 |
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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]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Elie_Golf_Course_Starter_Hut_-_geograph.org.uk_-_20451.jpg/220px-Elie_Golf_Course_Starter_Hut_-_geograph.org.uk_-_20451.jpg)
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]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 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.