Vickers and Barrow are names synonymous with the development of the submarine. Hundreds of submarines covering virtually every class have been built for the Royal Navy and foreign Navies. This site is dedicated to not only to those who have served on Her Majesty's Submarines but also to those employees past and present whose skills and efforts have given pride to the phrase 'Barrow built' and made the name Vickers known and respected throughout the world.
| 1916 | Platypus (I 56) 1916 - 1957 | Launched |
| 1918 | G 2 (I A4) | Sank the German U-boat U78 |
| 1939 | Seal (N 37) | HMS Seal then departed Portsmouth for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea near the Doggerbank. |
| 1939 | Sealion (N 72) | Left Portsmouth on her first war patrol in the North Sea. |
| 1941 | Thrasher (N 37) | HMS Thrasher sinks the Italian sailing vessel Esperia with gunfire north-east of Benghazi, Libya. |
| 1943 | Veto (P 88) | Laid Down |
| 1949 | Spark (P 236) | Sold to be scrapped at Faslane |
| 1949 | Surf (P 239) | Sold to be scrapped at Faslane |
| 1962 | Opportune (S 20) | Laid Down |
Perseus (N 36) |
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| Class: | 1927 - 1946: Parthian Class |
| Built By: | |
| Build Group: | P |
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Fate: On 6th December 1941 the boat was mined off Cephallonia. The sole survivor was L/S John Capes whose extraordinary escape has become a legend within the Submarine Service |
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The atom bombs dropped on Japan at the end of the Second World War opened the door to the nuclear age. Seeing the potential for developing nuclear energy for the US Navy, Captain Hyman Rickover initiated a research programme that culminated in the launch of USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine.
Meanwhile, ballistic missile technology was developing fast but was still reliant on complex liquid fuels. The US Navy partnered with the army to develop a ballistic missile for both services but withdrew when solid fuels became a practical proposition.
Under the leadership of Rear Admiral William Raborn, the US Navy set up its own project: the Polaris weapon system. In 1960, the first missile-armed nuclear-powered submarine left on patrol, with forty more to follow in subsequent years.
Two years later, when Britain's Blue Streak and Skybolt plans were cancelled, Harold Macmillan and John F Kennedy agreed for Polaris to be supplied to the Royal Navy.
At a time of intensive re-examination of the NATO alliance, the 'special relationship' between the UK and USA, and Britain's role as a nuclear power, this is the first comprehensive history of Polaris.
It brings together technical aspects, the key characters, and the full stories of the American and British programmes.
13 pages added or updated in the last 1 month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
Perseus (N 36) |
|
| Class: | 1927 - 1946: Parthian Class |
| Built By: | |
| Build Group: | P |
|
Fate: On 6th December 1941 the boat was mined off Cephallonia. The sole survivor was L/S John Capes whose extraordinary escape has become a legend within the Submarine Service |
|
The atom bombs dropped on Japan at the end of the Second World War opened the door to the nuclear age. Seeing the potential for developing nuclear energy for the US Navy, Captain Hyman Rickover initiated a research programme that culminated in the launch of USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine.
Meanwhile, ballistic missile technology was developing fast but was still reliant on complex liquid fuels. The US Navy partnered with the army to develop a ballistic missile for both services but withdrew when solid fuels became a practical proposition.
Under the leadership of Rear Admiral William Raborn, the US Navy set up its own project: the Polaris weapon system. In 1960, the first missile-armed nuclear-powered submarine left on patrol, with forty more to follow in subsequent years.
Two years later, when Britain's Blue Streak and Skybolt plans were cancelled, Harold Macmillan and John F Kennedy agreed for Polaris to be supplied to the Royal Navy.
At a time of intensive re-examination of the NATO alliance, the 'special relationship' between the UK and USA, and Britain's role as a nuclear power, this is the first comprehensive history of Polaris.
It brings together technical aspects, the key characters, and the full stories of the American and British programmes.
13 pages added or updated in the last 1 month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.