Meteorite (S 94)
Built By: | Blohm and Voss (Germany) |
Build Group: | XVIIB |
Fate: | Broken up by Thomas Ward Limited at, Barrow-in-Furness in September 1949. |
Commanders
1946: | Lieutenant William David Stewart Scott |
1947: | Acting Lieutenant Commander James Stuart Launders DSO DSC |
In 1945, the British and American forces in Europe had captured a number of U-boats, among which were two prototypes of the Walter design that were built around an experimental engine fuelled by High test peroxide (HTP). One boat, U-1406, was handed over to the Americans, while the other, U-1407, was raised from where she had been scuttled at Cuxhaven and rebuilt by the British, being commissioned as HMS Meteorite.
The reconstruction was supervised by Professor Hellmuth Walter and his staff at Barrow-in-Furness in England. Initial trials with HMS Meteorite arose considerable interest in the possibility of HTP as an alternative to nuclear power as Air-independent propulsion, and the construction of two larger submarines was ordered, these being HMS Explorer and Excalibur.
HMS Meteorite was not popular with its crews, who regarded it as a dangerous and volatile piece of machinery, and control was difficult due to its lack of forward hydroplanes and aircraft-type controls. Meteorite's Royal Navy service came to an end in September 1949
Events
13-11-1943 | Laid Down |
13-03-1945 | Completed |
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