Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Royal Navy — Submarine

HMS Spearfish

S-class submarine

Displacement
768 long tons (780 t)
Length
63.4 m (208 ft)
Beam
7.32 m (24 ft)
Speed
13.8 knots (25.5 km/h, 15.8 mph)
Complement
40
Main gun
76 mm (3 in)

Service

  1. Royal Navy as Spearfish11 December 1936 — 1 August 1940335 days of the war
S-class submarine Particulars
Name
HMS Spearfish
Builder
Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
Ordered
18 February 1935
Laid down
23 May 1935
Launched
21 April 1936
Commissioned
11 December 1936
Fate
Sunk, 1 August 1940 (1940)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
768 long tons (780 t)
Displacement, submerged
960 long tons (975 t)
Length
63.4 m (208 ft)
Beam
7.32 m (24 ft)
Draught
3.35 m (11 ft)
Speed
13.8 knots (25.5 km/h, 15.8 mph)
Range
6,000 nmi (11,112 km)
Complement
40
Main gun
76 mm (3 in)

HMS Spearfish was a S-class submarine, operated by the Royal Navy. Her keel was laid at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead on 23 May 1935. Launched on 21 April 1936, she entered service on 11 December 1936.

She was one of 111 ships of her class.

The boat displaced 768 long tons surfaced and 960 long tons submerged. She measured 63.4 m (208 ft) long with a beam of 7.3 m (24 ft). Her designed speed was 13.8 knots, and she carried a complement of 40. Her main battery was of 76 mm (3.0 in) calibre.

Her machinery developed 1,550 bhp.

She was in commission for 335 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 1 August 1940, at 57°50′N 11°00′E. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 2 × diesel engines
  • 2 × electric motors
Power
  • 1550 bhp (diesel)
  • 1300 hp (electric)
Armament
  • 6 × bow 21 in torpedo tubes
  • 1 × 3-inch (76 mm) deck gun

Sister ships

86 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from HMS Spearfish on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.