HMS Spearhead

HMS Spearhead 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 to Portugal. She was scrapped in 1967.

Design and description
The last 17 boats of the third batch were significantly modified from the earlier boats. They had a stronger hull, carried more fuel and their armament was revised. The submarines had a length of 217 ft overall, a beam of 23 ft and a draft of 14 ft. They displaced 814 LT on the surface and 990 LT submerged. The S-class submarines had a crew of 48 officers and ratings. They had a diving depth of 350 ft.

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 950 bhp diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 650 hp electric motor. They could reach 14.75 kn on the surface and 9 kn underwater. On the surface, the third batch boats had a range of 7500 nmi at 10 kn and 120 nmi at 3 kn submerged.

Spearhead was armed with six 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes in the bow. She carried six reload torpedoes for a grand total of a dozen torpedoes. Twelve mines could be carried in lieu of the torpedoes. The boat was also equipped with a 4-inch (102 mm) deck gun.

Construction and career
HMS Spearhead was laid down at Cammell Laird's Birkenhead shipyard on 18 August 1943, was launched on 2 October 1944 and completed on 21 December 1944. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Spearhead. Spearhead survived the Second World War and was sold to the Portuguese in August 1948 and renamed NRP Neptuno.