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Amphion (P 439)

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: Amphion
Fate: Scrapped in July 1971 at Inverkeithing.

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Commanders
1944: Commander   Ronald Hugh Dewhurst DSO
1946: Lieutenant Commander   Stephen Lynch Conway Maydon DSO
1946: Lieutenant Commander   Henry Carty Gowan
1948: Lieutenant Commander   Ernest John Donaldson Turner DSO DSC

Was laid down as Anchorite During the 1960 was refitted with a 4" gun for service in the Far East during the Indonesian troubles. Pennant number later changed to S43.

Streamlined in the late fifties class conversion programme. Maximum submerged speed on battery increased to 10 knots. Unlike eight of this class of sixteen submarines that received a telescopic snort induction mast, Amphion retained the folding induction mast.

All external torpedo tubes were removed though on many of this class the external tubes were actually removed in the years prior to the conversion programme.

A bow buoyancy tank was required to be added after intial trials in 1945. This gave the A Class their distinctive appearance. The tank was removed during conversion. The bow shape being more or less restored to that intended in the original design.

Amphion in the floating dock at Singapore during a refit in 1962
Amphion in the floating dock at Singapore during a refit in 1962
Related Pages

Spread Awnings

After calling at Gibraltar and Malta the next port of call was Port Said were we secured 'stern to' to the Admiralty Jetty. It was here that I heard a pipe that I never heard repeated again in my twenty - four years in 'boats'. It was 'Clear lower Deck of Seamen, Spread awnings

Events

 14-11-1943   Laid Down
 31-08-1944   Launched
 27-03-1945   Completed

Official
Amphion Specification
Length overall  280 ft 6in
Beam  22 ft
Depth  16ft
Displacement   1385 tons (surface)
  1620 tons (submerged)
Diving Depth  350 ft
Speed  Surface 18.5 knots (design)
  Submarged 8 knots (design)
No. of shafts  2
Armament  6 x 21 inch bow tubes (2 external)
  4 x 21 inch stern tubes (2 external)
  20 torpedoes carried
  1 x 4 inch gun
  1 x 20mm Qerlikon cannon
  3 x 0.303in machine-guns
Endurance  Surface: 10 500 miles at 11 knots (design)
  Submerged: 16 miles at 8 knots or 90 miles at 3 knots
Complement  6 Officers and 55 Ratings.
  6 Officers and 58 Ratings after modernisation.
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Otus (N 92)

Class: 1925 - 1946: Odin Class
Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: O2
Fate:
The last submarine of this type to be taken out of service in April 1946. Scuttled in September 1946 off the coast of Durban.
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