HMS Auriga (P419)

HMS Auriga (P419/S69), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers Armstrong and launched 29 March 1945.[1]

Auriga after launching
History
United Kingdom
NameAuriga
BuilderVickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down7 June 1944
Launched29 March 1945
Commissioned12 January 1946
IdentificationPennant number P419
FateSold to be broken up for scrap on 14 November 1974. Scrapped at Newport in February 1975.
General characteristics
Class and typeAmphion-class submarine
Displacement1,360/1,590 tons (surface/submerged)
Length293 ft 6 in (89.46 m)
Beam22 ft 4 in (6.81 m)
Draught18 ft 1 in (5.51 m)
Propulsion2 × 2,150 hp (1,600 kW) Admiralty ML 8-cylinder diesel engine, 2 × 625 hp (466 kW) electric motors for submergence driving two shafts
Speed
  • 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph) surfaced
  • 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range
  • 10,500 nautical miles (19,400 km) at 11 knots (20 km/h) surfaced
  • 16 nautical miles (30 km) at 8 knots (15 km/h) submerged
Test depth350 ft (110 m)
Complement60
Armament

Design

Auriga had a displacement of 1,360 long tons (1,380 t) when at the surface and 1,590 long tons (1,620 t) while submerged. It had a total length of 293 ft 6 in (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 2,150 horsepower (1,600 kW) each. Four electric motors each producing 625 horsepower (466 kW) drove two shafts.[2] It could carry a maximum of 219 long tons (223 t) of diesel, although it usually carried between 159 and 165 long tons (162 and 168 t).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h) and a submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h).[3] When submerged, it could operate at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) for 90 nautical miles (170 km) or at 8 knots (15 km/h) for 16 nautical miles (30 km). Surfaced, it could travel 15,200 nautical miles (28,200 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) or 10,500 nautical miles (19,400 km) at 11 knots (20 km/h).[2] Armament was ten 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, one QF 4 inch naval gun Mk XXIII, one Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, and a .303 British Vickers 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.[2]

Service history

In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[4] In March 1961, the submarine was among the vessels that took part in a combined naval exercise with the United States Navy off Nova Scotia.[5] Auriga departed Canada on 25 April 1961 after completing an 18-month tour with the Sixth Submarine Division at Halifax, Nova Scotia.[6]

References

  1. "Agriga". Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  2. Akermann, Paul (1 November 2002). Encyclopedia of British Submarines 1901-1955. Periscope Publishing Ltd. p. 422. ISBN 978-1-904381-05-1.
  3. "Acheron class". World Naval Ships, Cranston Fine Arts. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  4. Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15 June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
  5. "A/S Exercise Off Nova Scotia". The Crowsnest. Vol. 13, no. 6. Queen's Printer. April 1961. p. 2.
  6. "Auriga Returns to United Kingdom". The Crowsnest. Vol. 13, no. 7. Queen's Printer. May 1961. p. 3.

Publications

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