Technical information
Type | Submarine |
Displacement | 640 / 927 BRT |
Length | 202.5 feet |
Complement | 4 officers + 29 men men |
Armament | 1 3" gun 1 MG AA 6 21" torpedo tubes 12 torpedoes |
Max speed | 13.75 / 10 knots (surfaced/submerged) |
Engines | Diesel / electric, 2 shafts |
Power | 1550 / 1300 HP (surfaced/submerged) |
Notes on class | The S class was a medium sized patrol submarine, designed with the proposed international restriction of 600 tons displacement in mind. Intended for use in north European or Mediterranean waters, they were highly manoeuvrable and fast diving with a heavy armament of torpedoes. This allowed large salvoes to be fired from long range in an effort to counter the improved A/S techniques. This proved to be a very successful design that was put back into production during the war, 62 boats of this class being built. Some boats were partially welded and the later ones fully welded construction, improving the strength of the pressure hull and consequently increasing their diving depth. The specifications as given above is for the first group. Further specifications on the later groups; 2nd Group; Same as the first group except; Displacement: 670 / 960 BRT Complement: 4 officers + 35 men. Length: 208.75 feet Sunfish had more powerful diesel engines 1900 HP instead of 1550 HP. Therefore her surface speed was 15 knots. 3th Group; Same as the first group except; Displacement: 715 / 990 BRT Complement: 6 officers + 42 men. Length: 217 feet Armament: 1 3" gun 3 MG AA 7 21" torpedo tubes (6 bow, 1 external stern) 13 torpedoes Speed: 14.75 / 9 knots Power: 1900 / 1300 HP 4th Group; Same as the first group except; Displacement: 715 / 990 BRT Complement: 6 officers + 42 men. Length: 217 feet Armament: 1 3" gun 3 MG AA 6 21" torpedo tubes (6 bow) 12 torpedoes Speed: 14.75 / 9 knots Power: 1900 / 1300 HP The fourth group was actually the same as the third group but without the external stern torpedo tube. Although some early units of this group were fitted with the external stern tube. Some ships in the third or fourth group carried a 4" gun instead of a 3" gun. Submarines of this class that have detailed patrol info added are shown in bold in the list below. |
All ships of the S class
| ||
HNMS Zeehond (N 73) (ex. HMS Sturgeon) | ||
First Group | ||
| ||
HMS Seahorse (98 S) | Lost on 7 Jan 1940 | |
HMS Starfish (19 S) | Lost on 9 Jan 1940 | |
HMS Sturgeon (N 73) (To the Royal Netherlands Navy as HrMs Zeehond) | ||
HMS Swordfish (N 61) | Lost on 7 Nov 1940 | |
Fourth Group | ||
| ||
HMS Saga (P 257) | ||
HMS Sanguine (P 266) | ||
HMS Scorcher (P 258) | ||
HMS | ||
HMS Sea Scout (P 253) | ||
HMS Selene (P 254) | ||
HMS Seneschal (P 255) | ||
HMS Sentinel (P 256) | ||
HMS Sidon (P 259) | Lost on 16 Jun 1955 | |
HMS Sleuth (P 261) | ||
HMS Solent (P 262) | ||
HMS Spearhead (P 263) | ||
HMS | ||
HMS Springer (P 264) | ||
HMS Spur (P 265) | ||
HMS Sturdy (ii) (P 248) | ||
HMS Stygian (P 249) | ||
HMS Subtle (P 251) | ||
HMS Supreme (P 252) | ||
HMS | ||
HMS | ||
Second Group | ||
| ||
HMS Salmon (N 65) | Lost on 16 Jul 1940 | |
HMS Sealion (N 72) | ||
HMS Seawolf (N 47) | ||
HMS Shark (i) (N 54) | Lost on 6 Jul 1940 | |
HMS Snapper (N 39) | Lost on 12 Feb 1941 | |
HMS Spearfish (N 69) | Lost on 1 Aug 1940 | |
HMS Sterlet (N 22) | Lost on 18 Apr 1940 | |
HMS Sunfish (N 81) (To Soviet Union as V-1) | ||
| ||
V-1 (ex. HMS Sunfish) | Lost on 27 Jul 1944 | |
Third Group | ||
| ||
HMS P 222 (P 222) | Lost on 12 Dec 1942 | |
HMS | ||
HMS | ||
HMS | ||
HMS | ||
HMS | ||
HMS | ||
HMS | ||
HMS Safari (P 211) | ||
HMS Sahib (P 212) | Lost on 24 Apr 1943 | |
HMS Saracen (P 247) | Lost on 14 Aug 1943 | |
HMS Satyr (P 214) | ||
HMS Sceptre (P 215) | ||
HMS Scotsman (P 243) | ||
HMS Scythian (P 237) | ||
HMS Sea Devil (P 244) | ||
HMS Sea Nymph (P 223) | ||
HMS Sea Rover (P 218) | ||
HMS Seadog (P 216) | ||
HMS Seraph (P 219) | ||
HMS Shakespeare (P 221) | ||
HMS Shalimar (P 242) | ||
HMS Sibyl (P 217) | ||
HMS Sickle (P 224) | Lost on Jun 1944 | |
HMS Simoom (P 225) | Lost on Nov 1943 | |
HMS Sirdar (P 226) | ||
HMS Spark (P 236) | ||
HMS Spirit (P 245) | ||
HMS Spiteful (P 227) | ||
HMS Splendid (P 228) | Lost on 21 Apr 1943 | |
HMS Sportsman (P 229) | ||
HMS Statesman (P 246) | ||
HMS Stoic (P 231) | ||
HMS Stonehenge (P 232) | Lost on 22 Mar 1944 | |
HMS Storm (P 233) | ||
HMS Stratagem (P 234) | Lost on 22 Nov 1944 | |
HMS Strongbow (P 235) | ||
HMS Stubborn (P 238) | ||
HMS Surf (P 239) | ||
HMS Syrtis (P 241) | Lost on Mar 1944 | |
Full wartime service history on this vessel. |
See all Submarine classes.
S class ships hit by U-boats (1) | |||
1 Aug 1940 | HMS Spearfish | Sunk | U-34 |
Fighting Captain, The Burn, Alan |
Books dealing with this subject include:
Abandon Ship!, Newcomb, Richard F., 2000 |