The Submarine Heritage Centre - HMS Onyx

Olympus Facts:

- Constructed at Cannel Laird, Birkenhead
- Laid down November 6th 1964
- Machinery 2 Admiralty Standard Range 1, 16VMS Diesels: 3680 hp; 2 Electric Motors; 6000shp; 2 shafts
- 3-bladed 7ft dia. Propeller, 400rpm
- Eight 21inch torpedo tubes for homing torpedoes
- Speed - 12 knots surfaced, 17 knots submerged
- Diving Depth 800-900ft
- Complement 69 (7 Officers, 62 Ratings)
- Cost approx. £2,305,000

Sponsor: Not known

The Oberon Class of submarines built for the Royal Navy between 1959 and 1964 were a class of 13 Diesel Electric Boats, the first of class Oberon, Pennant No. S09, being built at HM Dockyard Chatham in 1959. They were capable of high underwater speeds, had improved detection equipment over the Porpoise Class and were able to maintain continuous submerged patrols in any part of the world, armed with homing torpedoes. Before and abaft the bridge, glass reinforced plastic was used for the superstructure for the first time. The Oberon Class were acknowledged as the quietest submarines of their day and are considered the classic submarine of their era.

Vickers-Armstrongs at Barrow built a batch of 3 O-boats - HMS Orpheus S11, HMS Olympus S12 and HMS Osiris S13.

More information to follow.

Mike Light for the Submarine Heritage Centre - Barrow

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