*Australia, WW2, HMS Otway – Named Service Plaque of Odin-Class Submarine*
HMS Otway – Named Service Plaque of Odin-Class Submarine.
HMS Otway (originally HMAS Otway) was an Odin-class submarine serving both the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Royal Navy (RN).
Approximate Measurements:
Base: 18.5cm x 6cm
Relief Model: 18.4cm x 2.3cm
Design and Construction
Otway, built for Australian service, was 275 ft (84 m) long with a beam of 29 ft 7 in (9.02 m) and a draught of 13 ft 3 in (4.04 m). It displaced 1,350 tons surfaced and 1,870 tons submerged. Powered by diesel engines for surface operation and electric motors underwater, it achieved speeds of 15.5 knots (surface) and 9 knots (submerged). Armament included eight 21-inch torpedo tubes, a 4-inch deck gun, and two machine guns. Otway, with a crew of 54, was laid down by Vickers Limited in March 1925, launched on 7 September 1926, and commissioned into the RAN on 15 June 1927.
Operational History
Initially assigned to the RN’s 5th Submarine Flotilla, Otway and its sister ship, Oxley, embarked on the longest unescorted voyage by a British submarine in 1928. Engine issues delayed their journey, but both reached Sydney in February 1929. Placed in reserve during the Great Depression, Otway was maintained in operational condition but paid off on 10 May 1930.
In 1931, financial constraints and London Naval Treaty limits led to Otway and Oxley being transferred to the RN. During World War II, Otway, pennant number 51, served under Commander Howard Bone. Decommissioned in 1945, the submarine was scrapped in Inverkeithing, Scotland.
Odin Class
The Odin-class (or “O class”) was a series of nine submarines built for the Royal Navy in the 1920s. The prototype, Oberon, was followed by two boats initially ordered by the Royal Australian Navy but transferred to the RN in 1931, and six modified boats for the RN. Three modified boats were built for Chile in 1929.
Designed to replace the aging L-class, these submarines were intended for Pacific operations, with a depth capacity of 500 feet (though none exceeded 300 feet in testing). Armed with eight 21-inch torpedo tubes and a 4-inch gun, they featured saddle tanks for fuel, vulnerable to leaks after depth charge damage. These were the first British submarines equipped with Asdic and VLF radio.
*Condition*
Good used condition. Some marks to the model and base. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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