V Class

Small Patrol Submarine

V Class Small Patrol Submarine

 

There was very little difference between this and the preceding 'U' class, they were able to dive deeper by adopting a partly welded construction.   They had more powerful diesel engines which improved the surface speed and they were some ten feet longer in length.

The construction of the class was cut back after the close of the Mediterranean war, and eventually abandoned at the end of the hostilities in Europe.   Fortytwo of this class were originally authorised but twenty were cancelled.

They had a more raking stern than the 'U' class and were easily distinguished by the direction finding loop which was positioned aft of the casing as opposed to just aft of the conning tower in the 'U' class.

Considerable numbers of the 'U' and 'V' class were transferred to Allied Navies.

1942 V Class Build Programme

14 Built

Upshot, Urtica

Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
1943 - 1944
Vagabond, Variance
Varne, Vengeful
Vineyard, Virulent
Vivid, Volatile
Voracious, Votex
Votary, Vulpine
Vickers, Tyne.
1943 - 1944

Ulex, Unbridled, Upas, Upward, Utopia, Vantage, Vehement,Venom, Verve, Veto, Virile, Visitant - All were cancelled January 1944.

Variance was transferred to the Norwegian Navy in August 1944 and renamed Utsira.
Votary was tranferred to the Norwegian Navy in July 1946 and renamed Uthaug.

Vengeful was loaned to the Greek Navy from 1945 to 1957 and renamed Delfin.
Virulent was loaned to the Greek Navy from May 1946 to October 1958 and renamed Argonaftis.
Volatile was loaned to the Greek Navy from May 1946 to October 1958 and renamed Triaina.

Vineyard was loaned to the Free French Navy from June 1944 to November 1947 and renamed Doris.
Vortex was loaned to the Free French Navy from November 1944 to September 1946 and renamed Morse.  

On being returned from the French Vortex was loaned to the Danish Navy from 1947 to January 1958 and renamed initially U.3 and renamed again in 1948 to Saelen.
Vulpine was loaned to the Danish Navy from September 1947 to January 1957 and renamed initally U.2 and renamed again in 1948 to Storen.

 








Technical Information

Displacement:
545 sf
740 sm

Length (ft):
204.5 (loa)

Breadth (ft):
16

Draught/Height (ft):
15.25

Machinery:
2 x 6 cylinder Davey Paxman diesel engines.
800/760 h.p. General Electric Motors.

Speed (kts):
12.75 kts sf
9 kts sm

Oil Supply (tons):
55

Armament:
4 x 21 inch bow tubes. 8 torpedoes.
1 x 3 inch/45 QF MkI
3 x 0.303 inch Lewis or Vickers MG.

Range:
5,000/120 nmiles at 10/2 kts sf/sm.

Complement:
37 (4 Officers and 33 Others).