Redoutable class (1928)

*Redoutable* class
	A class boat
Ship data
country	France
Ship type	Submarine
Construction period	1925 to 1934
Launch of the type ship	February 24, 1928
Units built	19th
period of service	1932 to 1946
Ship dimensions and crew
length	92.3 m ( Lüa )
width	8.2 m
Draft	Max. 4.7 m
displacement	above water: 1,570 tons;; below water: 2,084 tons
crew	61 men
Machine system
machine	Diesel engine ; electric motor (1,000 hp)
Machine ; performance	6,000 PS (4,413 kW)
Mission data submarine
Radius of action	over water (10 kn): 10,000 nm ; under water (7 kn): 100 nm
Dive time	45-50 s
Diving depth, normal	80 m
Top ; speed ; submerged	10 kn (19 km / h)
Top ; speed ; surfaced	17 kn (31 km / h)
Armament
	1 × deck gun 10.0 cm L / 40; 2 × Fla - MG 13.2 mm; 9 × torpedo tube ⌀ 55.0 cm (4 front, 3 amidships, 2 rear); 2 × torpedo tube ⌀ 40.0 cm;

The Redoutable class was a submarine - class of the French Navy . According to the French type classification of the time, these were Class 1 boats. From 1925 to 1934, 19 boats were built in eight shipyards . The Redoutable class was the French submarine class with the most boats during World War II , and boats of the class served in both the Vichy French and Free French navies.

Design features

The Redoutable class was the first assembly of the 1500 tonne type designed in 1922 . The main difference between the three assemblies of this type was the size and power of the diesel drive . The boats of the Redoutable class had two diesel engines with a total output of 6,000 hp (4,474 kW ) and achieved a surface speed of 17 kn (31 km / h ).

Mission history

Until the surrender in 1940

Two boats were lost in peacetime. The Prométhée sank in Cherbourg in 1932 in a diving accident. The Phénix was stationed in French Indochina and has been missing since 1939.

At the beginning of the Second World War, the submarines were scattered throughout the French colonial empire . Most of the boats, however, were stationed in northern French ports and were supposed to take action against German merchant shipping. The bemerkenswertesten success scored the Poncelet when she on 29 September 1939 in the vicinity of the Azores at position 38 ° 5 ' N , 30 ° 40' W German freighter Chemnitz muster. A prize squad took over the ship and brought it to Casablanca , where it was renamed Saint Bernard . 38.083333333333 -30.666666666667

When the German Wehrmacht began to occupy the French Atlantic ports in June 1940 , the two boats Achille and Pasteur were in Brest for repairs . They could no longer run out and were destroyed by their own crews to prevent access by the Navy .

Fighting in the colonies until November 1942

As a result of France's surrender , the British began to attack or capture French warships as part of Operation Catapult , fearing that the French fleet would be surrendered to the German Reich . The Protée located in Alexandria was interned for the time being . She was later used successfully by the Free French Navy.

The two boats Ajax and Persée were sunk by British destroyers off the Senegalese coast in September 1940 . The British had started the unsuccessful Operation Menace , the aim of which was to occupy Dakar .

In November 1940 British troops occupied Gabon together with free French units . In the course of the fighting, the Poncelet was lost.

The Pégase was in Indochina and was demobilized in Saigon on March 6, 1941 . The boat was never reactivated and was finally removed from the fleet register in 1946.

In the spring of 1942, the British attacked the Vichy-French controlled colony of Madagascar because they feared that Japan might occupy the island. During the operation known as Operation Ironclad , the Monge was sunk by two British destroyers.

Allied invasion of North Africa and German invasion of southern France

The Redoutable class suffered by far the heaviest losses in November 1942.

US and British forces began Operation Torch , the landing in French North Africa , on November 8, 1942 . During the fighting, the Actéon was sunk by a British destroyer off Oran .

Due to the low Vichy-French resistance to the Allied invasion of Africa, Germany also occupied the south of France. Therefore, the remnants of the French fleet sank on November 27, 1942 in Toulon itself to prevent an attack by the Axis powers . The six boats Achéron , Fresnel , Henri Poincaré , Pascal , Redoutable and Vengeur were sunk by their crews in Toulon.

The Italians lifted several of the self -sunk submarines, but only the Henri Poincaré was transported to Genoa for repairs. The boat was in FR. 118 renamed. Nothing is known about an operation under the Italian flag. In September 1943, the boat was confiscated by the Germans because Italy switched to the Allies. The further whereabouts are unclear.

Use on the Allied side from November 1942

The remaining submarines Archimede , Argo and the Protée interned in Alexandria in 1940 served with the Free French Navy in the Mediterranean after the Allied victory in North Africa. The last loss of the class occurred on May 30, 1943, when a German plane sank the Protée .

The other two boats were taken out of service after the end of the war in 1946 and removed from the fleet register.

Boats of the class

Achéron (Q 150)

Builder : At. & Ch. De la Loire, Saint-Nazaire
Keel laying : September 4, 1927
Launched : August 6, 1929
Commissioning: February 22, 1932
Whereabouts: self-sunk in Toulon on November 27, 1942, lifted by the Italians on June 26, 1943, sunk by Allied aircraft on November 24, 1943

Achille (Q 147)

Builder: Arsenal de Brest
Keel laid: September 1, 1928
Launched: May 28, 1930
Commissioning: June 29, 1933
Whereabouts: self-destroyed on June 18, 1940 in dry dock in Brest

Actéon (Q 149)

Builder: At. & Ch. De la Loire, Saint-Nazaire

Keel laying: July 20, 1927

Launched: April 10, 1929

Commissioning: December 18, 1931

Whereabouts: sunk by the British destroyer Westcott on November 8, 1942 off Oran, Algeria

Ajax (Q 148)

Builder: Arsenal de Brest
Keel laid: September 1, 1928
Launched: May 28, 1930
Commissioning: February 1, 1934
Whereabouts: on 24 September 1940 in front of Dakar, Senegal, from the British destroyer Fortune sunk

Archimède (Q 142)

Builder: Chantiers Navals Francais, Caen
Keel laying: August 1, 1927
Launched: September 6, 1930
Commissioning: December 22, 1932
Location: in November 1942 annexed to the Allies, canceled on 19 February 1952

Argo (Q 151)

Builder: At. & Ch. Dubigeon, Nantes
Keel laying: August 25, 1927
Launched: April 11, 1929
Commissioning: February 12, 1933
Where: 1942 annexed to the Allies, canceled on April 26, 1946

Fresnel (Q 143)

Builder: At. & Ch. De St. Nazaire-Penhoët, St. Nazaire
Keel laid: July 7, 1927
Launched: June 8, 1929
Commissioning: February 22, 1932
Location: self-sunk in Toulon on November 27, 1942, lifted on January 29, 1943, sunk again on February 19, 1943, lifted again on May 4, 1943, sunk by Allied aircraft on March 11, 1944

Monge (Q 144)

Builder: F. Chantier de la Méditerranée, La Seyne
Keel laying: September 15, 1927
Launched: June 25, 1929
Commissioning: June 19, 1932
Whereabouts: May 8, 1942, Diego Suarez , Madagascar by British destroyers Active and Panther sunk

Pascal (Q 138)

Builder: Arsenal de Brest
Keel laying: June 8, 1926
Launched: July 19, 1928
Commissioning: September 10, 1931
Whereabouts: sunk in Toulon on November 27, 1942, lifted by the Italians on June 5, 1943, sunk in an Allied air raid on March 11, 1944

Pasteurizer (Q 139)

Builder: Arsenal de Brest
Keel laid: July 5, 1926
Launched: August 19, 1928
Commissioning: September 1, 1932
Whereabouts: sunk in Brest on June 18, 1940

Pégase (Q 156)

Builder: At. & Ch. De la Loire, Saint-Nazaire
Keel laying: September 29, 1928
Launched: July 28, 1930
Commissioning: June 19, 1932
Whereabouts: demobilized in Saigon on March 6, 1941 , deleted on June 10, 1950

Persée (Q 154)

Builder: Chantiers Navals Francais, Caen
Keel laying: April 14, 1929
Launched: May 23, 1931
Commissioning: June 10, 1934
Whereabouts: sunk on 23 September 1940 off Dakar, Senegal, by the British destroyers Foresight and Inglefield .

Phénix (Q 157)

Sank in Southeast Asia in 1939 under unexplained circumstances

Henri Poincaré (Q 140)

Builder: Lorient's Arsenal

Keel laying: March 1, 1927

Launched: April 10, 1929

Commissioning: December 23, 1931

Location: sunk in Toulon on November 27, 1942, lifted by the Italians in June 1943, towed to Genoa and in FR. 118 renamed, confiscated by the Germans on September 9, 1943 because of changing sides in Italy, further whereabouts unclear

Poncelet (Q 141)

Builder: Arsenal de Lorient

Keel laying: March 3, 1927

Launched: April 10, 1929

Commissioning: September 1, 1932

Whereabouts: sunk on November 7, 1940 off Gabon at position 0 ° 20 ′ S , 8 ° 50 ′ E by the British sloop Milford .-0.33333333333333 8.8333333333333

Prométhée (Q 153)

Sunk in a diving accident off Cherbourg in 1932 .

Protée (Q155)

Builder: F. Chantier de la Méditerranée, (La Seyne)

Keel laid: October 4, 1928

Launched: July 31, 1930

Commissioning: November 1, 1932

Whereabouts: interned in Alexandria on June 22, 1940 , later transferred to the Free French Navy, sunk by German aircraft on May 30, 1943 in the Mediterranean Sea
Redoutable (Q 136)
- Builder: Arsenal de Cherbourg
- Keel laying: July 1, 1925
- Launched: February 24, 1928
- Commissioning: July 10, 1931
- Whereabouts: self-sunk in Toulon on November 27, 1942, lifted by the Italians in 1943, sunk in an Allied air raid on March 11, 1944.
Vengeur (Q 137)
- Builder: Arsenal de Cherbourg
- Keel laying: January 11, 1926
- Launched: September 1st, 1928
- Commissioning: December 18, 1931
- Whereabouts: self-sunk on November 27, 1942 in Toulon

literature

Erminio Bagnasco: Submarines in World War II. (Technology - Classes - Types. A Comprehensive Encyclopedia). 5th edition. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1996, ISBN 3-613-01252-9 .

Web links

Redoutable class at uboat.net (English)

Footnotes

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Since the sources used only contain information about boats used in the war, details of their construction and the class of boats sunk in peacetime are not known. Prométhée was lost in 1932, so it can only belong to the class built first. Phénix was lost in 1939, but was assigned to the Redoutable class because the name fits into the scheme.
↑ Erminio Bagnasco gives in submarines in World War II for the electric drive power 1000 HP. The uboat.net gives 2000 PS (1491 kW). A comparison with other submarines of this time indicates the lower value. The underwater speed, which is higher than the 600-630-ton type with greater displacement, indicates 2000 hp, but could also be due to a possibly more aerodynamic shape.

↑ It should not be confused with the strategic nuclear submarine class of the same name, built during the Cold War and now decommissioned , see: Redoutable class (1967)
↑ The French Navy distinguished three classes of submarines: 1st class boats were ocean-going boats; 2nd class boats were smaller coastal boats; 3rd class boats were mine layers .
↑ ^a ^b ^c Erminio Bagnasco gives the year 1924 for the laying of the keel of Redoutable and Vengeur in submarines during World War II . The data given in the text come from uboat.net. Both sources agree on the launch and commissioning.

↑ The name means Acheron .

↑ The name means Achilles .

↑ The name means actaion .

↑ The name goes back to the Greek hero Aias of the Telamonians .

↑ The name goes back to the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes .

↑ see Argo .

↑ The submarine was named after the French physicist Augustin Jean Fresnel .

↑ The submarine was named after the French scientist Blaise Pascal .

↑ The submarine was named after the French microbiologist Louis Pasteur .

↑ see Pegasus (mythology) .

↑ see Perseus (son of Zeus) .

↑ see phoenix (mythology) .

↑ The submarine was named after the French mathematician Henri Poincaré .

↑ see Prometheus .

↑ see Proteus .

↑ Redoutable means "terrifying" in French .

[Friedensverluste-1] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Since the sources used only contain information about boats used in the war, details of their construction and the class of boats sunk in peacetime are not known. Prométhée was lost in 1932, so it can only belong to the class built first. Phénix was lost in 1939, but was assigned to the Redoutable class because the name fits into the scheme.

[Elektroleistung-2] Erminio Bagnasco gives in submarines in World War II for the electric drive power 1000 HP. The uboat.net gives 2000 PS (1491 kW). A comparison with other submarines of this time indicates the lower value. The underwater speed, which is higher than the 600-630-ton type with greater displacement, indicates 2000 hp, but could also be due to a possibly more aerodynamic shape.

[Redoutable-Klasse-3] It should not be confused with the strategic nuclear submarine class of the same name, built during the Cold War and now decommissioned , see: Redoutable class (1967)

[Französische_U-Bootklassifikation-4] The French Navy distinguished three classes of submarines: 1st class boats were ocean-going boats; 2nd class boats were smaller coastal boats; 3rd class boats were mine layers .

[Baubeginn-5] Erminio Bagnasco gives the year 1924 for the laying of the keel of Redoutable and Vengeur in submarines during World War II . The data given in the text come from uboat.net. Both sources agree on the launch and commissioning.

[Achéron-6] The name means Acheron .

[Achille-7] The name means Achilles .

[Actéon-8] The name means actaion .

[Ajax-9] The name goes back to the Greek hero Aias of the Telamonians .

[Archimède-10] The name goes back to the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes .

[Argo-11] see Argo .

[Fresnel-12] The submarine was named after the French physicist Augustin Jean Fresnel .

[Pascal-13] The submarine was named after the French scientist Blaise Pascal .

[Pasteur-14] The submarine was named after the French microbiologist Louis Pasteur .

[Pégase-15] see Pegasus (mythology) .

[Persée-16] see Perseus (son of Zeus) .

[Phénix-17] see phoenix (mythology) .

[Henri_Poincaré-18] The submarine was named after the French mathematician Henri Poincaré .

[Prométhée-19] see Prometheus .

[Protée-20] see Proteus .

[Redoutable-21] Redoutable means "terrifying" in French .