HMS Sea Rover (P218)

HMS Sea Rover
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Sea Rover
Builder: Scotts, Greenock
Laid down: 14 April 1941
Launched: February 8, 1943
Commissioned: 7 July 1943
Fate: Sold for scrap, October 1949
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type: S-class submarine
Displacement:
  • 842 long tons (856 t) surfaced
  • 990 long tons (1,010 t) submerged
Length: 217 ft (66.1 m)
Beam: 23 ft 9 in (7.2 m)
Draught: 14 ft 8 in (4.5 m)
Installed power:
  • 1,900 bhp (1,400 kW) (diesel)
  • 1,300 hp (970 kW) (electric)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) surfaced
  • 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Range: 6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surface; 120 nmi (220 km; 140 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) submerged
Test depth: 300 feet (91.4 m)
Complement: 48
Armament:

HMS Sea Rover was a S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1949.

Design and description

The third batch was slightly enlarged and improved over the preceding second batch of the S-class. The submarines had a length of 217 feet (66.1 m) overall, a beam of 23 feet 9 inches (7.2 m) and a draft of 14 feet 8 inches (4.5 m). They displaced 842 long tons (856 t) on the surface and 990 long tons (1,010 t) submerged.[1] The S-class submarines had a crew of 48 officers and ratings. They had a diving depth of 300 feet (91.4 m).[2]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 950-brake-horsepower (708 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 650-horsepower (485 kW) electric motor. They could reach 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) on the surface and 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) underwater.[3] On the surface, the third batch boats had a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) and 120 nmi (220 km; 140 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) submerged.[2]

The boats were armed with seven 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes. A half-dozen of these were in the bow and there was one external tube in the stern. They carried six reload torpedoes for the bow tubes for a total of thirteen torpedoes. Twelve mines could be carried in lieu of the internally stowed torpedoes. They were also armed with a 3-inch (76 mm) deck gun.[4]

Construction and career

HMS Sea Rover was built by Scotts, of Greenock and launched on 8 February 1943. Thus far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Sea Rover. The boat spent most of her career in the Far East, where she sank a number of Japanese ships, including the ship Matsu Maru No.1, the transport Shobu Maru, the auxiliary gunboat Koshu Maru, three sailing vessels, a coaster and four unidentified Japanese vessels.[5] Sea Rover survived the Second World War, and was sold in October 1949 before being broken up at Faslane from June 1950.

Notes

  1. Chesneau, p. 51
  2. 1 2 McCartney, p. 7
  3. Bagnasco, p. 110
  4. Chesneau, pp. 51–52
  5. HMS Sea Rover, Uboat.net

References

Coordinates: 4°56′N 100°17′E / 4.933°N 100.283°E / 4.933; 100.283

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