List of specifications of submarines of World War II
Submarines of World War II represented a wide range of capabilities with many types of varying specifications produced by dozens of countries. The principle countries engaged in submarine warfare during the war were Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. The Italian and Soviet fleets were the largest. While the German and US fleets fought anti-shipping campaigns (in the Atlantic and Pacific respectively), the British and Japanese submarines were mostly engaged against enemy warships.[ 1]
Specifications
Specifications of the principle submarines of World War II
Country
Class
Type
Variants
First commissioned
Production
Class lost
Enemy ships sunk
Displacement (tons) surfaced submerged
Length (feet)
Beam (feet)
Draft (feet)
Propulsion
Speed (knots) surfaced submerged
Range (nautical miles) surfaced submerged
Diving depth (feet)
Complement
Armament (non-torpedo)
Torpedo tubes
Torpedoes
Notable
Comments
France
600 series [ 2]
Coastal patrol
Sirène , Ariane , Circé , Orion , Diane , Argonaute classes
1927
28
18
TBD
599–641 745–809
205–216
16–18
14–20
Diesel (1,200–1,420 hp) Electric (1,000 hp), 2 shafts
14 7.5–9
3,500–4,000 75–82
80
41
1×75–100 mm
6–7×22" (2–3 forward, 2 midships, 2 aft
France
Redoutable [ 3]
Oceangoing patrol
Types I, II
Jul 1931
31
28
3
1,572 2,082
303
27
16
Diesel (4,300 hp) Electric (1,200 hp), 2 shafts
17 10
14,000 90
120
85
1×100mm
9×22" 2×16"
11
Bévéziers
Served with Allies and Axis
Germany
Type VII [ 4]
Oceangoing attack
Types A, B, C, C/41
Jun 1938
695
437
277
753 857
218
20
14
Diesel (3,200 hp) Electric (750 hp), 2 shafts
18 8
8,700 90
720
44
1×88mm
5×21" (4 bow, 1 stern)
14
U-47 , U-99 , U-100
Very successful Atlantic commerce raider
Germany
Type IX [ 5]
Long-range oceangoing attack
Types A, B, C, D, D/42
Dec 1938
192
13?
TBD
1,032 1,053
251
22
15
Diesel (2,800 hp) Electric (1,000 hp), 2 shafts
18 7
12,000 65
755
54
1×105mm
6×21" (4 bow, 2 stern)
24
TBD
Very successful Atlantic commerce raider
Germany
Type XXI [ 6]
Long-range oceangoing attack electro-boat
Type A
Jun 1944
98
TBD
0
1,621 1,819
252
22
20
Diesel (4,000 hp) Electric (4,800 hp), Silent electric (226 hp), 2 shafts
16 17
15,500 385
850
57
2×twin 20mm
6×21" (all bow)
23
TBD
Significant post-war impact
Japan
I-15 [ 7]
Long-range oceangoing attack
Types B1, B2, B3
Sep 1940
20
TBD
TBD
2,590 3,655
356
30
17
Diesel (12,400 hp) Electric (2,000 hp), 2 shafts
24 8
14,000 100
330
100
1×140mm, 2×25, airplane,
6×21" (all bow)
18
TBD
Carried an airplane
Japan
Kaiten [ 8]
Midget suicide
Types 1, 2, 3,4
1944-1945
2000+
TBD
0?
18 18
48-54
3-4.5
3-4
Torpedo engine (550 hp) or Hydro-hydrazine (1,800 hp)
30-40 30-40
23–38 km
TBD
1-2
1,500 kg warhead
0
0
TBD
Commonly intended as a suicide craft
Japan
Kohyoteki [ 9]
Midget attack
Types A, B, C
1941?
101
TBD
0?
TBD 47
79
6
10
Electric (600 hp)
23 19
100 TBD
98
2
140 kg scuttling charge
2
2
TBD
Attacked Pearl Harbor and elsewhere
Netherlands
O21 Class
Oceangoing attack
None
1937
7
3?
TBD
990 1205
77.7m
6.8m
3.95.
Diesel (2×2,500 hp) Electric (2×500 hp), 2 shafts
19.5 9
10,000 28
115m
39
1×88mm
8×21" (4 bow, 2 stern, 2 traversed)
22
TBD
Very successful Pacific commerce raider
United Kingdom
T-class [ 10] [ 11]
Oceangoing patrol
1st, 2nd and 3rd group
Dec 1938
53
about 25%
TBD
1,095 1,585
276
25
14
Diesel (2,500 hp) Electric (1,450 hp), 2 shafts
16 9
7,000 80
300-350
up to 63
1×4" gun
10-11×21" (mostly bow)
16
Turbulent , Thrasher , Torbay
Served into the 1960s
United Kingdom
U-class [ 12]
Coastal patrol
Group I, II, III ("V ")
1938
70
TBD
TBD
562 740
205
16
16
Diesel-electric[ note 1] (825 shp), 2 shafts
12.75 9
5,000 mi 120 mi
300
37
1×3" gun
4×21" (bow)
8
Venturer , Upholder
chiefly Mediterranean operations, used outside RN
United States
Gato [ 13]
Long-range oceangoing attack
Gato , Balao , Tench
Nov 1941
228[ 14]
31
TBD
1,526 2,424
312
27
15
Diesel (5,400 hp) Electric (2,750 hp), 2 shafts
20 9
12,000 95
300-400
80
2×50 cal, 2 × 30 cal MG, 1×3"
10×21" (6 bow, 4 stern)
24
Flasher , Tang , Wahoo , Archerfish , Bowfin
Very successful type, main U.S. submarine
Notes
Notes
^ The diesel engines were used for charging the batteries only
Citations
^ Miller, D., The Illustrated Directory of Submarines of the World pp. 124-127, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
^ Bagnasco, Erminio (1978), Submarines of World War Two , Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, p. 41, ISBN 0-87021-962-6
^ Bagnasco, Erminio (1978), Submarines of World War Two , Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, p. 44, ISBN 0-87021-962-6
^ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 144-150, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
^ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 150-153, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
^ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 156-158, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
^ Bishop, C., The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II p. 435, Metro Books, 1998, ISBN 1-58663-762-2
^ Croix, P., The Encyclopedia of the World’s Warships p. 184, Chartwell Books, 1985, ISBN 0-89009-780-1
^ Rekishi Gunzō, History of the Pacific War Vol. 35, Kō-hyōteki and Kōryū, Gakken (Tokyo, Japan), 2002, ISBN 4-05-602741-2 pp. 39-46
^ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 168-171, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
^ McCartney, I., British Submarines 1939–1945 (2006) Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84603-007-9 , p8-13
^ McCartney, I., British Submarines 1939–1945 (2006) Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84603-007-9
^ Friedman, N., U.S. Submarines Through 1945 , p. 295-296, Naval Institute Press, 1995, ISBN 1-55750-263-3
^ Lenton, H. T. American Submarines (Doubleday, 1973), p.5
References
Bishop, C., The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II , Metro Books, 1998, ISBN 1-58663-762-2
Croix, P., The Encyclopedia of the World’s Warships p. 184, Chartwell Books, 1985, ISBN 0-89009-780-1
Bagnasco, E. Submarines of World War Two , Naval Institute Press, 1978, ISBN 0-87021-962-6
Friedman, N., U.S. Submarines Through 1945 , Naval Institute Press, 1995, ISBN 1-55750-263-3
Miller, D., Submarines of the World MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
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