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

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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

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Notes
  1. ^ The diesel engines were used for charging the batteries only
Citations
  1. ^ Miller, D., The Illustrated Directory of Submarines of the World pp. 124-127, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
  2. ^ Bagnasco, Erminio (1978), Submarines of World War Two, Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, p. 41, ISBN 0-87021-962-6
  3. ^ Bagnasco, Erminio (1978), Submarines of World War Two, Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, p. 44, ISBN 0-87021-962-6
  4. ^ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 144-150, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
  5. ^ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 150-153, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
  6. ^ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 156-158, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
  7. ^ Bishop, C., The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II p. 435, Metro Books, 1998, ISBN 1-58663-762-2
  8. ^ Croix, P., The Encyclopedia of the World’s Warships p. 184, Chartwell Books, 1985, ISBN 0-89009-780-1
  9. ^ 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
  10. ^ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 168-171, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
  11. ^ McCartney, I., British Submarines 1939–1945 (2006) Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84603-007-9, p8-13
  12. ^ McCartney, I., British Submarines 1939–1945 (2006) Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84603-007-9
  13. ^ Friedman, N., U.S. Submarines Through 1945, p. 295-296, Naval Institute Press, 1995, ISBN 1-55750-263-3
  14. ^ Lenton, H. T. American Submarines (Doubleday, 1973), p.5

References

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  • 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