View source for Soviet submarine B-427

{{Short description|Soviet submarine renamed Scorpion after being decommissioned}}
{{Coord|33.753283|N|118.191399|W|type:landmark_scale:5000_region:US|display=title}}
{| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = B-427 Scorpion.jpg
| Ship caption = ''B-427'', on display in Long Beach, California
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = 
| Ship country = Soviet Union
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Soviet Union|naval}}
| Ship name = ''Б-427''
| Ship namesake = 
| Ship ordered = 
| Ship builder = 
| Ship laid down = 10 April 1971
| Ship launched = 22 June 1971
| Ship acquired = 
| Ship commissioned = 4 December 1971
| Ship decommissioned = 1994
| Ship in service = 
| Ship out of service = 
| Ship struck = 1994
| Ship reinstated = 
| Ship homeport = 
| Ship motto = 
| Ship nickname = 
| Ship honours = 
| Ship status = [[Museum ship]]; shut down {{As of|2016|lc=on}}
| Ship notes = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship class = {{sclass2|Foxtrot|submarine}}
| Ship displacement = *{{convert|1952|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced
* {{convert|2475|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged
| Ship length = {{convert|299|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|24|ft|7|in|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft = {{convert|20|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship propulsion = *3 × Kolomna 2D42M {{Convert|2000|hp|0|abbr=on}} diesel engines
* 3 electric motors; 2 × {{Convert|1350|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and 1 × {{Convert|2700|hp|0|abbr=on}}
* 1 × {{Convert|140|hp|0|abbr=on}} auxiliary motor
* 3 shafts, each with 6-bladed propellers
| Ship speed = *{{convert|16|kn|lk=in}} surfaced
* {{convert|15|kn}} submerged
* {{convert|8|kn}} snorkeling
| Ship range = *{{convert|20000|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|8|kn|abbr=on}} surfaced
* {{convert|11000|nmi|abbr=on}} snorkeling
* {{convert|380|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|2|kn|abbr=on}} submerged
| Ship endurance = 3&ndash;5 days submerged
| Ship test depth = {{convert|270|-|280|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Ship complement = 12 officers, 10 warrants, 56 seamen
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = *10 × {{convert|21|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (6 bow, 4 stern)
* Up to 22 torpedoes
| Ship armour = 
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

'''''B-427''''' was a Project 641 ({{sclass2|Foxtrot|submarine|0}}) diesel-electric attack [[submarine]] of the [[Soviet Navy]]. The "B" (actually "Б") in her designation stands for большая (''bolshaya'', "large"). Commissioned in 1971, the submarine operated with the [[Russian Pacific Fleet]] until decommissioning in 1994.

The boat was sold to a group of Australian businessmen, who converted her into a [[museum vessel]], which was placed on display at the [[Australian National Maritime Museum]] (under the name '''Foxtrot-540''') from 1995 until 1998, then at [[Long Beach, California]] (under the name '''Podvodnaya Lodka B-427 ''Scorpion'''''<ref name="TNS">{{cite news |work=Target News Service |title=The Queen Mary and Soviet 'Scorpion' Sub Join Forces }}</ref>) in 1998.

The submarine fell into disrepair, and has been closed to the public since 2015.<ref name="Martín 2019">{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-11-19/soviet-submarine-docked-next-to-queen-mary-sold-to-anonymous-buyer |title=That Soviet Submarine next to the Queen Mary Is Being Sold to an Anonymous Buyer |last=Martín |first=Hugo |date=2019-11-19 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=2021-02-26 }}</ref>

==Decommissioning and preservation==
The submarine was decommissioned by the Russian Navy in December 1994.<ref name="Walsh 1998 p105">{{cite journal |last=Walsh |first=Don |date=April 1998 |title=Soviet Sub Penetrates Sydney Harbour! |journal=Proceedings |publisher=United States Naval Institute |volume=124 |issue=4 |page=105 }}</ref> She was one of the last three Foxtrot-class submarines to serve in the Russian Pacific Fleet.<ref name="Walsh 1998 p105" /> The boat was acquired by a group of Australian businessmen on a three-year [[lease purchase contract]], and was towed from Vladivostok on 25 July 1995.<ref name="Walsh 1998 p105" /><ref name="HyDun223">Hyman & Dunsford, ''How to Value a Submarine'', p. 223</ref> En route to Sydney, the tow company claimed that the deal for the Russian Navy to cover the cost of the tow was invalid, and claimed that A$150,000 in towing expenses was required.<ref name="HyDun223" />{{clarify|How was this resolved?|date=July 2011}} The submarine arrived in Sydney on 31 August, and after some modifications, was loaned to the Australian National Maritime Museum for display as a museum vessel under the designation "Foxtrot-540" (the submarine's last [[pennant number]] while in service).<ref name="Walsh 1998 p105" /> As the submarine was still the property of the Russian Navy for the duration of the lease, an Australian ex-submariner was commissioned into the Russian Navy to command and look after Foxtrot-540, with the boat's former engineering officer assisting.<ref name="Walsh 1998 p105" /> The submarine was in near-operational condition; the diesel generators and electrical storage system, ballast tanks, and [[hotel load]] equipment were functional, and Russian personnel travelled to Australia to teach museum staff about maintenance and operation of the boat.<ref name="Walsh 1998 p105" /> Foxtrot-540 spent three years berthed at the museum, attracting over 700,000 visitors during this period (including intelligence analysts from multiple nations during the first weeks on display).<ref name="Walsh 1998 p105" />

In May 1998, the submarine was loaded onto a [[heavy lift ship]] and relocated to Long Beach, California.<ref name="Walsh 1998 p105" /> On arrival, she was berthed next to {{RMS|Queen Mary}}, and opened to the public on 14 July under the designation "Podvodnaya Lodka B-427 ''Scorpion''".<ref name="TNS" /> On 19 April 2011, the company operating ''Queen Mary'' (Delaware North) announced that they had acquired ''Scorpion'', and were planning to increase attendance at both attractions through combined ticketing and joint marketing campaigns.<ref name="TNS" /> Urban Commons took over the lease of the Queen Mary and the Scorpion in April 2016. The Scorpion Submarine is owned by NEWCO Pty Ltd and is on a long-term lease to Urban Commons.<ref name="Martín 2019" />

==Museum closure==
In November 2012, the vessel was discovered to have flooding and as a result was listing 24 degrees to the starboard side.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Water Flooding On Scorpion Submarine Causes Listing |url=http://lbpost.com/news/2000001425-water-flooding-on-scorpion-submarine-causes-listing |website=Long Beach Post |access-date=2012-11-26 }}</ref>  It was closed to the public in 2015, by which time the pressure hull had ruptured and raccoons had taken up residence on board.<ref name="Martín 2019" /> By 2021, when control of the ''Queen Mary'' returned to Long Beach, the city was attempting to have the submarine removed.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Henry |first1=Jason |last2=Munguia |first2=Hayley |title=Long Beach now controls the Queen Mary, but it may have to deal with a derelict submarine too |url=http://www.presstelegram.com/2021/07/08/long-beach-controls-the-queen-mary-but-it-may-have-to-deal-with-a-derelict-submarine-too |access-date=14 December 2021 |work=Press-Telegram |date=9 July 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Soviet submarine B-39|Soviet submarine ''B-39'']], a Foxtrot formerly on display in [[San Diego, California]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Foxtrot class submarine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:B-427}}
[[Category:1971 ships]]
[[Category:Cold War submarines of the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Foxtrot-class submarines]]
[[Category:Military and war museums in California]]
[[Category:Museum ships in California]]
[[Category:Museums in Long Beach, California]]
[[Category:Ships built in the Soviet Union]]