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fighting ships of the world

UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

SUBMARINES

"S", 1st group (Electric Boat type) submarines (1920-1924)

S1 1918

S25 1942

No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
SS105 S1 296 Fore River, Quincy 12/1917 26.10.1918 6.1920 to United Kingdom 4.1942 (P552)
SS123 S18 309 Bethlehem, Quincy 8/1918 29.4.1920 4/1924 stricken 11.1945
SS124 S19 310 Bethlehem, Quincy 8.1918 21.6.1920 8.1921 stricken 12.1938
SS125 S20 311 Bethlehem, Quincy 8/1918 9.6.1920 11/1922 stricken 7.1945
SS126 S21 312 Bethlehem, Quincy 12/1918 18.8.1920 8.1921 to United Kingdom 9.1942-7/1944 (P553), sunk as target 23.3.1945
SS127 S22 313 Bethlehem, Quincy 1/1919 15.7.1920 6.1924 to United Kingdom 6.1942-7/1944 (P554), stricken 8.1945
SS128 S23 314 Bethlehem, Quincy 1/1919 27.10.1920 10.1923 stricken 11.1945
SS129 S24 315 Bethlehem, Quincy 11/1918 27.6.1922 8.1923 to United Kingdom 8.1942-1944 (P555), sunk as target 25.8.1947
SS130 S25 316 Bethlehem, Quincy 10/1918 29.5.1922 7.1923 to United Kingdom 11.1941 (P551)
SS131 S26 317 Bethlehem, Quincy 11/1919 22.8.1922 10.1923 collision 24.1.1942
SS132 S27 318 Bethlehem, Quincy 4/1919 18.10.1922 1.1924 wrecked 19.6.1942
SS133 S28 319 Bethlehem, Quincy 4/1919 20.9.1922 12.1923 foundered 4.7.1944
SS134 S29 320 Bethlehem, Quincy 4/1919 9.11.1922 5.1924 to United Kingdom 6.1942-1/1946 (P556), stricken 1.1946
SS135 S30 201 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco 4/1918 21.11.1918 10.1920 stricken 10.1945
SS136 S31 202 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco 4/1918 28.12.1918 5.1922 stricken 11.1945
SS137 S32 203 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco 4/1918 11.1.1919 6.1922 stricken 11.1945
SS138 S33 204 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco 6/1918 5.12.1918 4.1922 stricken 11.1945
SS139 S34 205 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco 5/1918 13.2.1919 7.1922 stricken 11.1945
SS140 S35 206 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco 6/1918 27.2.1919 8.1922 sunk as target 4.4.1946
SS141 S36 207 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco 12/1918 3.6.1919 4.1923 scuttled 21.1.1942
SS142 S37 208 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco 12/1918 20.6.1919 7.1923 sunk as target 20.2.1945
SS143 S38 209 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco 1/1919 17.6.1919 5.1923 stricken 1.1945
SS144 S39 210 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco 1/1919 2.7.1919 9.1923 wrecked 14.8.1942
SS145 S40 211 Bethlehem, San Francisco 3/1919 5.1.1921 11.1923 stricken 11.1945
SS146 S41 212 Bethlehem, San Francisco 4/1919 21.2.1921 1.1924 stricken 2.1946

 

Displacement standard, t

  

Displacement normal, t

854 / 1062

Length, m

66.9

Breadth, m

6.30

Draught, m

4.80

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 NLSE diesels / 2 electric motors

Power, h. p.

1200 / 1500

Max speed, kts

14 / 11

Fuel, t

diesel oil 168
Endurance, nm(kts) 3420 (6.5) /

Armament

1 x 1 - 102/50 Mk IX, 4 - 533 TT (bow, 12)
Electronic equipment SC sonar

Complement

38

Diving depth operational, m

 60

   

Project history: The further development of R class submarines. They were built under three notably differed designs developed by Holland, Lake and Bureau of construction. After the acquisition of these designs by General board in 1917 one submarine was built under each of them as "prototype" (S1, 2 and 3 respectively). Lake variant (S2) appeared unsuccessful, and later Lake built submarines under Bureau design.

Serial building was developed under two designs: 24 submarines (S18-41) by Holland and 14 (S4-17) by Bureau. They were followed by 10 almost same boats of the second series (S42-47 by Holland and S48-51 by Bureau).

The basic difference between Holland  and Bureau designs consisted in a hull construction: in the first case it was fulfilled single-hulled, in second double-hulled. The diving depth was identical. Submarines built by Lake Torpedo Boat, had additional stern TT. As when these submarines were designed, an opinion about necessity of providing of the highest submerged speed was dominated, CT on them were fulfilled as much as possible streamlined. On trials "prototypes" demonstrated outstanding results, achieved 12.5 to 13kts submerged. First World War experience, however, has shown, that superfluous 2-3kts are not so necessary in comparison with safety of crew, therefore already during completion "serial" submarines received less streamlined, but much more convenient CTs.

Though 'S' class submarines notably exceeded the predecessors on the majority of characteristics, naval authorities in 1925 recognized them as unsuccessful because of insufficient endurance for Pacific service.

Modernizations: 1939, all survived: + 1 x 1 - 12.7/90, JK sonar

1940s, most survived: - SC sonar; + 1 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, SJ radar, QB sonar

1940s, S27, S28: - SC sonar; + 1 x 1 - 2070 Mk 4, SJ radar, QC sonar

1.1946, SS129, 134, 140, 146: 4 - 533 TT (bow, 12), 1 x 1 - 102/50 Mk 12, 1 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 1 x 1 - 12.7/90, SJ radar, QB or QC, JK sonars

Naval service: S26 collided with PC460, S27 was scuttled by own crew after wrecking off Amchitka island, S36 was scuttled by own crew after wrecking near Celebes, S39 was abandoned after wrecking off Russell island. S28 foundered while training.

S36 20.1.1942 was badly damaged at beaching at Celebes and scuttled by own crew next day. S26 24.1.1942 was lost in Gulf of Panama area at collision with ΠΡ460. S27 19.6.1942 ran aground at St. Makarius point (Amchitka island) and abandoned by crew. S39 14.8.1942 ran aground at Rossell island and abandoned 16.8.1942. S28 4.7.1944 foundered off Pearl Harbour during training diving.

S18 26.8.1944 was damaged off San Diego at collision with LSM135.

S27

© Ivan Gogin, 2014