Royal Navy Submarine Museum
Encyclopedia
The Royal Navy Submarine Museum at Gosport
is a museum tracing the international history of submarine
development from the age of Alexander the Great to the present day, and particularly the history of the Submarine Service
from the tiny Holland 1
to the nuclear powered Vanguard class submarine
. It is sited here due to HMS Dolphin shore-establishment
.
. In 2001 the museum opened a climate controlled building that houses Holland 1.
Gosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...
is a museum tracing the international history of submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
development from the age of Alexander the Great to the present day, and particularly the history of the Submarine Service
Royal Navy Submarine Service
The Royal Navy Submarine Service is the submarine element of the Royal Navy. It is sometimes known as the "Silent Service", on account of a submarine being required to operate quietly in order to remain undetected by enemy sonar...
from the tiny Holland 1
Holland 1
Holland 1 was the first submarine commissioned by the Royal Navy, the first in a six-boat batch of the Holland-class submarine. She was lost in 1913 while under tow to the scrapyard following decommissioning...
to the nuclear powered Vanguard class submarine
Vanguard class submarine
The Vanguard class are the Royal Navy's current nuclear ballistic missile submarines , each armed with up to 16 Trident II Submarine-launched ballistic missiles...
. It is sited here due to HMS Dolphin shore-establishment
HMS Dolphin shore-establishment
The seventeenth Royal Navy 'ship' to be named HMS Dolphin was the RN shore establishment sited at Fort Blockhouse in Gosport. Dolphin was the home of the Royal Navy Submarine Service from 1904 to 1999, and location of the Royal Navy Submarine School....
.
History
The museum's collection began life as the Submarine Branch Collection. and opened in 1963. In 1983 the museum gained a new display building and members of the public were allowed into HMS AllianceHMS Alliance (P417)
HMS Alliance is a Royal Navy A-class, Amphion class or Acheron class submarine, laid down towards the end of the Second World War and completed in 1947...
. In 2001 the museum opened a climate controlled building that houses Holland 1.
Submarines and other submersibles
These submarines may be viewed on site- HMS AllianceHMS Alliance (P417)HMS Alliance is a Royal Navy A-class, Amphion class or Acheron class submarine, laid down towards the end of the Second World War and completed in 1947...
, a full-sized hunter-killer post-war submarine now raised out of the water on stilts - Holland 1Holland 1Holland 1 was the first submarine commissioned by the Royal Navy, the first in a six-boat batch of the Holland-class submarine. She was lost in 1913 while under tow to the scrapyard following decommissioning...
- the Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's first submarine - X24 - the only X-craft to see service in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and survive. - Biber (No.105)- German World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
midget submarineMidget submarineA midget submarine is any submarine under 150 tons, typically operated by a crew of one or two but sometimes up to 6 or 8, with little or no on-board living accommodation...
. It was restored to working condition by apprentices from Fleet Support Limited in 2003 under the guidance of Ian Clark. The restoration featured on Channel 4’s salvage squad. - LR3 - a deep-seaDeep seaThe deep sea, or deep layer, is the lowest layer in the ocean, existing below the thermocline and above the seabed, at a depth of 1000 fathoms or more. Little or no light penetrates this part of the ocean and most of the organisms that live there rely for subsistence on falling organic matter...
survey and rescue submersibleSubmersibleA submersible is a small vehicle designed to operate underwater. The term submersible is often used to differentiate from other underwater vehicles known as submarines, in that a submarine is a fully autonomous craft, capable of renewing its own power and breathing air, whereas a submersible is...
. - Maiale - An Italian human torpedoHuman torpedoHuman torpedoes or manned torpedoes are a type of rideable submarine used as secret naval weapons in World War II. The basic design is still in use today; they are a type of diver propulsion vehicle....
- JIM suitJIM suitThe JIM suit is an atmospheric diving suit , which is designed to maintain an interior pressure of one atmosphere despite exterior pressures, eliminating the majority of physiological dangers associated with deep diving...
- atmospheric diving suit - Cutlet - an early ROV
Historic and Modern Galleries
Entitled From Pirate to Peacekeeper, these include:- A huge collection of submarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and torpedoTorpedoThe modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es - the periscopes of HMS ConquerorHMS Conqueror (S48)HMS Conqueror was a nuclear-powered fleet submarine that served in the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1990. She was built by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead...
of Falklands WarFalklands WarThe Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
fame through which one can see Portsmouth HarbourPortsmouth HarbourPortsmouth Harbour is a large natural harbour in Hampshire, England. Geographically it is a ria: formerly it was the valley of a stream flowing from Portsdown into the Solent River. The city of Portsmouth lies to the east on Portsea Island, and Gosport to the west on the mainland... - Remembrance Corner which commemorates those who devoted their lives to the Submarine Service
- Submariners' medals, including the Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
of Edward Courtney BoyleEdward Courtney BoyleRear Admiral Edward Courtney Boyle VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.... - Children's activities
- Control Room trainer - Submarine command simulation
Other nearby historic naval exhibits
- Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with its historic ships and the Royal Naval MuseumRoyal Naval MuseumThe Royal Naval Museum is the museum of the history of the Royal Navy in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard section of HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence. Its current Acting Director is Graham Dobbin....
- Explosion! Museum of Naval FirepowerExplosion! Museum of Naval FirepowerExplosion! is The Museum of Naval Firepower situated in the former Royal Naval Armaments Depot at Priddy's Hard, in Gosport, Hampshire, England. The museum tells the story of naval firepower from Gunpowder to the Exocet missile....
See also
- X-craft
- Royal Naval Submarine Service
- Submarine Force Library and Museum (United States)
- Naval Undersea MuseumNaval Undersea MuseumThe Naval Undersea Museum is an official naval museum located at Keyport, Washington, USA. The museum is one of the 12 Navy museums that are operated by the Naval History & Heritage Command. The museum sits next to a branch of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center...
(United States)