1 × 4 in (102 mm) main deck gun, 3 × 0.303 machine gun, 1 × 20 mm AAOerlikon 20 mm gun
Amphion-class submarine
HMS Acheron (P411) was an Amphion-classsubmarine of the Royal Navy, laid down 26 August 1944, launched 25 March 1947 and completed in 1948.
Design
Like all Amphion-classsubmarines, Acheron 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 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. It also contained four electric motors each producing 625 horsepower (466 kW) that drove two shafts.[1] 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).[1]
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).[2] 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).[1]Acheron 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 BritishVickers 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.[1]
Service history
Acheron took part in the Coronation Review of the Fleet to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.[3] It carried out 'General Naval Service' around the UK until the end of 1964. A geomagnetic storm in February 1956, during solar cycle 19, interfered with radio communications and prompted a search for the submarine after it lost radio contact.[4] From August to December 1959, It took part in a cruise to South Africa and Pakistan.[5]
It was decommissioned and broken up in 1972 at the yard of J Cashmore of Newport.[6]