BAP Abtao

About

BAP Abtao (SS-42) is an Abtao-class submarine of the Peruvian Navy. The vessel which was originally named BAP Tiburón ("Shark"), was constructed by the American Electric Boat company in the United States and launched in 1953. The Abtao class were the last submarines constructed by the United States for the export market. The submarine entered service in 1954 and by presidential decree, was renamed Abtao for the battle during the Chincha Islands War. Armed with six 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes and a 5 in (127 mm)/25 caliber gun, the 243 ft (74.1 m) submarine took part in the rescue of the crew of BAP Pacocha, another submarine that had sunk following a collision with a fishing trawler in August 1988. Abtao was taken out of service in 1999 and converted into a museum ship located in central Callao, Peru. Abtao was the first museum ship in Latin America.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.