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

HMS Swordfish (61S)

S-class submarine

HMS Swordfish (61S)
Royal Navy official photographer — This photograph FL 4076 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 8308-29) — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate British S class submarine HMSM SWORDFISH at anchor at Weymouth .

Service

  1. Royal Navy as Swordfish28 November 1932 — 7 November 1940433 days of the war
S-class submarine Particulars
Name
HMS Swordfish
Builder
Chatham Dockyard
Ordered
2 July 1930
Laid down
1 December 1930
Launched
10 November 1931
Commissioned
28 November 1932
Fate
Sunk by mine, 7 November 1940
By mine (1940)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
730 long tons (742 t)
Displacement, submerged
927 long tons (942 t)
Length
61.57 m (202 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
3,700 nmi (6,852 km)
Complement
38
Main gun
76 mm (3 in)

HMS Swordfish was a S-class submarine of the Royal Navy. Chatham Dockyard laid her keel on 1 December 1930. Launched on 10 November 1931, she entered service on 28 November 1932.

She was one of 111 ships of her class.

The boat displaced 730 long tons surfaced and 927 long tons submerged. She measured 61.6 m (202 ft) long with a beam of 7.3 m (24 ft). Her designed speed was 13.8 knots, and she carried a complement of 38. Her main battery was of 76 mm (3.0 in) calibre.

Her machinery developed 1,550 bhp.

She was in commission for 433 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 7 November 1940 by mine, at 58°48′N 10°19′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 Swordfish (61S) on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: Royal Navy official photographer — This photograph FL 4076 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 8308-29) — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons