Espadon

About

Espadon was a Narval-class submarine of the French Navy. Along with sister boat Marsouin, the boat was the first French submarine to steam under sea ice. The boat is currently a museum ship.

Career: Espadon was commissioned in 1960. In 1961, as she served as a target for mock torpedo exercises, Espadon was hit by two inert torpedoes, damaging her propeller. She nevertheless managed to surface, but had to be taken to Toulon. In September of the same year, while cruising underwater, Espadon collided with the submarine Laubie, sustaining extensive damage to her bowl and to the front of her sail.

On 13 August 1963 a fire in the torpedo room stoned and intoxicated oven shells, one of whom later died of his sounds. In May 1964, Espadon and Marsouin steamed under sea ice in the Norwegian Sea as far as 70° north. Espadon undertook significant changes from 1966 to 1968, notably upgrading the boat's sonar, sail and rudders. Espadon has been a museum ship at the "ville-port" of Saint-Nazaire in the German-built submarine base since 1987.

See also: List of submarines of France

Espadon squadron submarine, netmarine.net (in French)