Dates: 1943 - 1960
HMS Superb (pennant number 25) was a Minotaur class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, of Wallsend, Tyne and Wear on 23 June 1942, launched on 31 August 1943 and commissioned on 16 November 1945.
Superb was the last of the Minotaurs to be built, and was completed to a slightly different design to that of the previous members of the class. Construction on her unfinished sisters was halted after the end of the war and they were later scrapped, or converted into the new Tiger class missile cruisers. Superb had an unremarkable career, spending some time as the flagship of Rear admiral Sir Herbert Packer, and was decommissioned in 1957. She was sold three years later and arrived at the Dalmuir yards of Arnott Young on 8 August 1960 to be broken up. She was also involved in the Corfu Channel Incident.
Eleven ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Superb, or HMS Superbe:
HMS Superb was a 64-gun third rate, previously the French ship Superbe. She was captured by HMS Kent in 1710 and was broken up in 1732.
HMS Superb was 60-gun fourth rate launched in 1736 and broken up in 1757.
HMS Superb was a 74-gun third rate launched in 1760 and wrecked in 1783.
HMS Superbe was a 22-gun sixth rate. She was previously a French ship, captured in 1795 by HMS Vanguard and used as a prison ship from 1796. She was sold in 1798.
HMS Superb was a 74-gun third rate, launched in 1798 and broken up in 1826.
HMS Superb was an 80-gun second rate, launched in 1842 and broken up in 1869.
HMS Superb was to have been a broadside ironclad battleship, but she was renamed HMS Alexandra in 1874 before being launched in 1875. She was sold in 1908.
HMS Superb was a battleship launched in 1875. She was built for the Turkish Navy, and was to have been named Hamidiyeh. She was purchased by Britain in 1873 and was sold in 1906.
HMS Superb was Bellerophon class battleship launched in 1907 and sold in 1923.
HMS Superb was a Minotaur class light cruiser launched in 1943 and sold in 1960.
HMS Superb is a Swiftsure class nuclear powered hunter killer submarine launched in 1974, and currently in service.
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving HMS Superb
" Aircraft Carriers. Ship Name, Launch Date, Displacement, Total Crew. HMS Invincible 1977--22,000--1051. HMS Illustrious 197--22,000--1051. HMS Ark Royal 1981--22,000--1051. Amphibious Assault Ships Ship. HMS Ocean 1995--20,700--265. HMS Albion 2001--18,500--363. HMS Bulwark ..."
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" The HMS Superb, the nuclear powered attack submarine that hit a rock in the Red Sea last month, could be scrapped according to defence sources. Ministers yesterday updated Parliament on the situation, telling MPs that HMS Superb is currently docked in Jordan for emergency repairs. Eventually the ..."
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" Royal Navy officials have quietly taken the decision to scrap HMS Superb after a crash in May wrecked her sonar systems. Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth confirmed the move in a statement to MPs, but said the decommissioning had been planned all along. Superb will leave service next ..."
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" One of the Royal Navy’s longest serving nuclear submarines, HMS Superb, will de-commission this week after more than 30 years of service to the Royal Navy. The de-commissioning event, which takes place at Plymouth and which will include a performance from a Royal Marine Band, is ..."
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" HM Naval Base Clyde at Faslane has suffered a number of major safety breaches over the last few years including radioactive leaks according to a new report. A report collated by MoD and released under the Freedom of Information act detailed a number of safety problems that have occurred at the ..."
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