Allied Warships

Submarines

T class

53 ships


The submarine HMS Thule (P 325) of the Royal Navy.

Technical information

TypeSubmarine
Displacement1090 / 1575 BRT 
Length275 feet 
Complement59 men 
Armament1 4" gun
3 MG AA
10 21" torpedo tubes (6 bow, 2 bow external, 2 amidships external firing forward)
16 torpedoes 
Max speed15.25 / 9 knots (surfaced/submerged)
EnginesDiesel / Electric, 2 shafts 
Power2500 / 1450 HP  (surfaced/submerged)
Notes on class

The T class were the designed as replacements for the O, P and R class boats. Their size (1325 tons) was kept down to allow more hulls to be built within the tonnage restrictions of the London Treaty. In common with the S class boats they had a very powerful torpedo armament, carried all their fuel internally and were constantly being improved throughout the war. Boats specifically intended for the far east had extra fuel tanks fitted to increase the range.

The specifications as given above is for the first group.
The first T class submarine to be completed, HMS Triton had a slightly different displacement; 1095 / 1579 BRT.
At least two boats from the first group, HMS Tigris and HMS Torbay, had an external stern torpedo tube fitted giving them 11 torpedo tubes. They also carried an extra torpedo.

Further specifications for the later groups;
2nd Group;
Same as the first group except;
Complement: 61 men
Armament
1 4" gun
3 MG AA
11 21" torpedo tubes (6 bow, 2 bow external, 2 amidships external firing aft, 1 stern external)
17 torpedoes

3th Group;
Same as the first group except;
Complement: 61 men
Armament:
1 4" gun
1 20mm AA
3 MG AA
11 21" torpedo tubes (6 bow, 2 bow external, 2 amidships external firing aft), 1 stern external
17 torpedoes

Unidentified T-class submarine in the Irish Sea. Photograph taken by Charles James Sadler, RCNVR. First Class Stoker, Official number V-4963.

T-class submarines that have detailed patrol info added are shown in bold in the list below.

 


All ships of the T class


First Group


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Taku (N 38)
HMS Talisman (N 78) Lost on 17 Sep 1942
HMS Tarpon (N 17) Lost on 10 Apr 1940
HMS Tetrarch (N 77) Lost on 2 Nov 1941
HMS Thistle (N 24) Lost on 10 Apr 1940
HMS Thunderbolt (N 25) Lost on Mar 1943
HMS Tigris (N 63) Lost on 10 Mar 1943
HMS Torbay (N 79)
HMS Triad (N 53) Lost on 15 Oct 1940
HMS Tribune (N 76)
HMS Trident (N 52)
HMS Triton (N 15) Lost on 18 Dec 1940
HMS Triumph (i) (N 18) Lost on 14 Jan 1942
HMS Truant (N 68)
HMS Tuna (N 94)

Second Group


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Tempest (N 86) Lost on 13 Feb 1942
HMS Thorn (N 11) Lost on 6 Aug 1942
HMS Thrasher (N 37)
HMS Traveller (N 48) Lost on 12 Dec 1942
HMS Trooper (N 91) Lost on 17 Oct 1943
HMS Trusty (N 45)
HMS Turbulent (N 98) Lost on 6 Mar 1943

Third Group


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS P 311 (P 311) Lost on 8 Jan 1943
HMS P 345 (P 345)
HMS P 346 (P 346)
HMS P 347 (P 347)
HMS P 348 (P 348)
HMS Tabard (P 342)
HMS Taciturn (P 334)
HMS Tactician (P 314)
HMS Talent (i) (P 322) (To the Royal Netherlands Navy as Zwaardvisch)
HMS Talent (ii) (P 343)
HMS Talent (iii) (P 337)
HMS Tally-Ho (P 317)
HMS Tantalus (P 318)
HMS Tantivy (P 319)
HMS Tapir (P 335)
HMS Tarn (P 336) (To the Royal Netherlands Navy as Tijgerhaai)
HMS Taurus (P 339)
HMS Telemachus (P 321)
HMS Templar (P 316)
HMS Teredo (P 338)
HMS Terrapin (P 323)
HMS Theban (P 341)
HMS Thermopylae (P 355)
HMS Thor (P 349)
HMS Thorough (P 324)
HMS Threat (P 344)
HMS Thule (P 325)
HMS Tiara (P 351)
HMS Tiptoe (P 332)
HMS Tireless (P 327)
HMS Token (P 328)
HMS Totem (P 352)
HMS Tradewind (P 329)
HMS Trenchant (P 331)
HMS Trespasser (P 312)
HMS Truculent (P 315)
HMS Trump (P 333)
HMS Truncheon (P 353)
HMS Tudor (P 326)
HMS Turpin (P 354)


Royal Dutch Navy Royal Dutch Navy (more on Royal Dutch Navy)

HNMS Tijgerhaai (P 336)
HNMS Zwaardvisch (P 322)


53 Submarines (55 names) of the T class. 15 of them were lost.

Strikeout means that ship was cancelled (not finished) - not counted in class figures.

Full wartime service history on this vessel.

See all Submarine classes.


T class ships hit by U-boats (1)

10 Apr 1940HMS ThistleSunkU-4


Fighting Captain, The

Burn, Alan

Books dealing with this subject include:

Abandon Ship!, Newcomb, Richard F., 2000
Above Us the Waves, Warren, C.E.T. and Benson, James, 1971 (transl.)
Advance Force - Pearl Harbor, Burlingame, Burl, 2002
Air war over the nore, Jonathan Sutherland, 2010
Aircraft Versus Submarine, Price, Alfred, 1980 (transl.)
Airships vs. Submarines, Van Treuren, Richard G., 2009
Allied Submarine Attacks of World War Two, Rohwer, Jürgen, 1997
Allied Submarines, Watts, Anthony J., 1977
Allied Submarines of World War Two, Poolman, Kenneth, 1990 (transl.)
American Submarine War Patrol Reports: U.S.S. Wahoo (SS-238), McDaniel, J.T. (editor), 2003
American Submarines, Lenton, H.T., 1973
Assault on a Queen, Finney, Jack, 1959
Axis Submarines, Watts, Anthony J., 1977
Bacalao, McDaniel, J.T., 2004
Back from the Deep, LaVO, Carl, 1998



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