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HMS Excalibur (S40)
History
United Kingdom
NameExcalibur
Ordered26 August 1947
BuilderVickers Armstrong[2]
Launched25 February 1955
Completed22 February 1958
IdentificationPennant number: S40
Nickname(s)The Excruciator[1]
FateScrapped, 1968
NotesBuilt at a cost of £1,142,000
General characteristics
Class and typeExplorer-class submarine
Displacement
  • 780 long tons (790 t) (surfaced)
  • 1,000 long tons (1,000 t) (submerged)
Length178 ft (54 m)
Beam15 ft 8 in (4.78 m)
Draught11 ft (3.4 m)
Propulsion
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) (submerged)
Complement41
ArmamentNone

HMS Excalibur was the sister ship of HMS Explorer, the two submarines being the only high-test peroxide (HTP) powered submarines to be constructed for the Royal Navy. She is the only ship to be named as such, in honour of the sword of Arthurian legend.

Operation

Both Excalibur and Explorer were assigned to the 3rd Submarine Squadron although due to their experimental nature, they tended to operate independently, accompanied by their depot ship HMS Kingfisher and a fuel carrier, RFA Spabeck. They later acted as high-speed underwater targets for the Royal Navy's prototype nuclear-powered submarine HMS Dreadnought.

Periscope

The periscope at the golf course, used to see over an adjacent sand dune and tell if the first green is clear

The submarine's periscope survives. It was installed in the starter's hut at the Golf House Club, the golf club at Elie and Earlsferry, Scotland; players and visitors may use it to view the golf course.[3]

References

  1. ^ Submarine Heritage Centre
  2. ^ Oldships.org.uk HMS Excalibur
  3. ^ Ronnie Leask (12 October 2008). "NO4800 : Periscope in starters hut Elie Golf Course". www.geograph.org. Retrieved 19 September 2011.

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Excalibur (S40).


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