600-630 ton type
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The 600/630-ton Type had an average U-boat - ship class of the French Navy . In the French type classification of the time, it was a question of 2nd class boats. Between 1923 and 1935, 28 boats were built in six lots. During the Second World War , the submarines were used by the Vichy-French and from 1943 also by the Free French Navy. The Royal Navy and the Italian Navy were each able to capture two boats of the class. In addition, the Italians lifted several sunken submarines of the type and partially deployed them.
Constructive features
The ship class is divided into two main types and three construction lots each. The boats were built at five different shipyards and varied within the type in size, armament and external shape. However, all constructions were based on common technical specifications. The boats proved to be very maneuverable and had good torpedo armament, which was, however, very complicated.
The 600-tonne type built first had a number of shortcomings which were eliminated with the 630-tonne type built later. The first construction lots had problems with lateral stability during diving trips and the living conditions of the crew were very poor. Furthermore, the 630-ton type had a greater range both above and below water.
Between 1937 and 1938 the boats of the 600-ton type were modernized.
drive
The boats were two-hulled boats with classic propulsion by two diesel engines for surface travel and two electric motors for diving travel . The diesel engines came from Schneider , Sulzer or Vickers . The total output of the diesel engines varied between 1,200 PS (895 kW ) for the 600-ton type B and 1,420 PS (1056 kW) for the 630-ton type E. The total output of the electric motors was 1,000 PS (746 kW) for all construction lots.
The 600-ton boats reached a distance of 3,500 nm (6482 km ) over water at 7.5 kn (14 km / h ) and could go under water at 5 kn (9.3 km / h) up to 75 nm (139 km).
The 630-ton boats could travel over water at 10 kn (18.5 km / h) up to 4,000 nm (7408 km). Under water they reached up to 82 nm (152 km) at 5 kn.
Armament
With the exception of Type B, all boats were armed with a 76mm L / 35 deck gun. The four type B boats had a 100 mm L / 40 gun .
All 600 ton boats were equipped with two 8 mm machine guns for anti-aircraft defense . The 630-ton boats only carried an 8-mm MG.
The 600-ton boats carried a total of seven torpedo tubes with a diameter of 550 mm. Three were arranged in the bow, two of which were mounted outside the pressure hull. Two more torpedo tubes were arranged at the stern outside and a pivoting twin set amidships outside. A total of 13 torpedoes were carried.
The 630-ton boats were armed with six torpedo tubes with a diameter of 550 mm. Three were arranged in the bow (one inside, two outside). There was a swiveling twin set amidships and a swiveling outer tube in the stern. There were also two swiveling, externally located 400 mm tubes in the rear. A total of nine torpedoes were carried.
The external pivoting torpedo tubes that could not be reloaded during use were considered to be very complicated and prone to failure. In addition, the unfolded tubes impaired the steering and trimming of the boats. In addition, there was the high flow resistance when underwater. However, since the control of the French torpedoes was very unreliable at that time, the swiveling tubes could not be dispensed with.
Mission history
Two submarines of the class were lost in peacetime. The first ondine from the Sirène class collided with a merchant ship in 1928 and the nymph was scrapped in 1938.
When the war began on September 1, 1939, the 600/630 tonne type boats made up the largest proportion of French medium-range submarines. Until the surrender of France in June 1940, the boats took part in far-reaching operations. On May 9, 1940 there was the first loss in combat when Doris was sunk by U 9 . Orion and Ondine were in Great Britain in July 1940, where they were captured by the Royal Navy . The Royal Navy only used the two boats in reserve and decommissioned them in 1943. The remaining boats remained under the command of Vichy France. Some boats were taken out of service.
During Operation Torch in November 1942, six boats were lost in combat with Anglo-American forces. The Italian Navy captured two submarines in Bizerta , but never used them. When the Vichy French fleet on November 27, 1942 as a result of the German invasion of southern France in Toulon scuttled , also went five submarines of the 600/630-ton type below. Three sank themselves in North Africa. The seven remaining boats were used by the Free French Navy from 1943 and decommissioned in 1946.
Boats of the type
600 ton type
The twelve boats of the 600 ton type were built between 1923 and 1930 at three different shipyards.
Type A ( Sirène class)
The Sirène class was built between 1923 and 1927 at A. Chantier de la Loire in Saint-Nazaire . Type A has four boats. The design came from Loire-Simonot.
boat | Keel laying | Launch | Start of duty | End of service | comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Galatée | 1924 | 1925 | 1942 | sunk in Toulon | |
Naïade | 1923 | 1925 | 1942 | sunk in Toulon | |
Ondine | 1928 | sunk in collision | |||
Siren | 1923 | 1925 | 1942 | sunk in Toulon |
Type B ( Ariane class)
The Ariane class was built between 1923 and 1929 at Chantier Augustin Normand in Le Havre . Type B has four boats. The design came from Normand-Fenaux.
boat | Keel laying | Launch | Start of duty | End of service | comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ariane | 1923 | 1925 | 1929 | 1942 | Sunk in front of Oran ( Algeria ) |
Danaé | 1924 | 1927 | 1942 | Sunk in front of Oran (Algeria) | |
Eurydicé | 1924 | 1927 | 1929 | 1942 | sunk in Toulon |
nymph | 1938 | scrapped |
Type C ( Circé class)
The Circé class was built between 1923 and 1930 at Chantiers Schneider et Cie in Chalon-sur-Saône . Type C has four boats. The design came from Schneider-Labeuf.
boat | Keel laying | Launch | Start of duty | End of service | comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Calypso | 1924 | 1926 | 1928 | 1942 | Captured by Italian units in Bizerta ( Tunisia ) |
Circé | 1924 | 1925 | 1927 | 1942 | Captured by Italian units in Bizerta (Tunisia) |
Doris | 1924 | 1927 | 1928 | 1940 | Sunk by a German submarine off the Dutch coast |
Thétis | 1924 | 1927 | 1928 | 1942 | sunk in Toulon |
630 ton type
The 16 boats of the 630 ton type were built between 1927 and 1935 at five different shipyards.
Type D ( Argonaute class)
The Argonaute class was built by Chantiers Schneider et Cie in Chalon-sur-Saône from 1927 to 1935. Type D has five boats. The design came from Schneider-Labeuf.
boat | Keel laying | Launch | Start of duty | End of service | comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aréthuse | 1928 | 1929 | 1933 | 1946 | 1942 to the Free French Navy |
Argonaute | 1927 | 1929 | 1932 | 1942 | Sunk by British destroyers off Oran (Algeria) |
Atalante | 1928 | 1929 | 1933 | 1946 | 1942 to the Free French Navy |
La Sultans | 1931 | 1932 | 1935 | 1946 | 1942 to the Free French Navy |
La Vestale | 1931 | 1932 | 1934 | 1946 | 1942 to the Free French Navy |
Type E ( Orion class)
The Orion- class was built between 1929 and 1932 at two shipyards. Type E has two boats. The design came from Loire-Simonot.
boat | Shipyard | Keel laying | Launch | Start of duty | End of service | comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ondine | A & Chantier Dubigeon, Nantes | 1929 | 1931 | 1932 | 1943 | Confiscated by the British in 1940, scrapped in 1943 |
Orion | A. Chantier de la Loire, Saint-Nazaire | 1929 | 1931 | 1932 | 1943 | Confiscated by the British in 1940, scrapped in 1943 |
Type F ( Diane class)
The Diane- class was built at two shipyards between 1927 and 1934. Type F has nine boats. The design came from Normand-Fernaux.
- Built by Chantier Augustin Normand in Le Havre between 1927 and 1933:
boat | Keel laying | Launch | Start of duty | End of service | comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amphitrite | 1928 | 1930 | 1933 | 1942 | Sunk by the US Navy off Casablanca ( Morocco ) . |
Diane | 1928 | 1930 | 1932 | 1942 | Sunk in front of Oran (Algeria) |
La Psyché | 1930 | 1932 | 1933 | 1942 | Sunk by US aircraft off Casablanca (Morocco). |
Méduse | 1928 | 1930 | 1932 | 1942 | Sunk by US aircraft off Casablanca (Morocco). |
Orphée | 1929 | 1931 | 1933 | 1946 | 1942 to the Free French Navy. |
- Built at Chantier de la Seine in Rouen between 1928 and 1934:
boat | Keel laying | Launch | Start of duty | End of service | comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amazon | 1929 | 1931 | 1933 | 1946 | 1942 to the Free French Navy. |
Antiope | 1928 | 1930 | 1933 | 1946 | 1942 to the Free French Navy. |
La Sibylle | 1931 | 1933 | 1934 | 1942 | sunk off Casablanca (Morocco) under unexplained circumstances. |
Oréade | 1929 | 1932 | 1933 | 1942 | Sunk by US plane off Casablanca. |
literature
- Erminio Bagnasco: Submarines in World War II. 5th edition. Motorbuchverlag, Stuttgart 1996, ISBN 3-613-01252-9 .
Web links
- 600 ton type A in uboat.net ( engl. )
- 600 ton type B in uboat.net (engl.)
- 600 ton type C in uboat.net (engl.)
- 630-ton Type D in uboat.net (Engl.)
- 630 ton type E in uboat.net (English)
- 630 ton type F on uboat.net (engl.)
Footnotes
- ↑ a b uboat.net states that the shipyard is Ch. Worms in Rouen . Erminio Bagnasco mentions Chantier de la Seine in Rouen as the shipyard in submarines during World War II .
- ↑ The French Navy distinguished three classes of submarines: 1st class boats were deep-sea boats. 2nd class boats were smaller coastal boats. 3rd class boats were mine layers .
- ↑ a b c uboat.net assigns Ondine to the Ariane class. Erminio Bagnasco indicates the ondine as a Sirène class boat in submarines during World War II . Both sources confirm the loss of the Ondine in 1928 and that an Orion- class boat received the same name.
- ↑ a b uboat.net assigns nymph to the Sirène class . Erminio Bagnasco names the nymph in submarines in World War II as the Ariane class boat. Both sources confirm the scrapping of the nymph in 1938.