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British V-class submarine
HMS Venturer (P68)
HMS Venturer (P68)
Class overview
Operators: Royal Navy Ensign Royal Navy
Naval Ensign of Free France Free French Naval Forces
Naval Ensign of Denmark Royal Danish Navy
Hellenic Naval Ensign 1935 Royal Hellenic Navy
Flag of Norway, state Royal Norwegian Navy
Preceded by: U-class
Succeeded by: Amphion class
Planned: 42
Completed: 34 named (8 more never named) of which only 22 were completed.
General characteristics
Displacement: Surfaced – 545 tons standard, 658 tons full load/ Submerged – 740 tons
Length: 204 ft 6 in (62.33 m)
Beam: 16 ft 1 in (4.90 m)
Draught: 15 ft 3 in (4.65 m)
Propulsion: 2 shaft diesel-electric, 2 Paxman diesel generators + electric motors, 615 / 825 hp
Speed: 11.25 knots surfaced, 10 knots submerged
Complement: 33
Armament:

4 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes – (bow internal), 8 torpedoes

1 – 3 inch gun

The British V class submarine (officially "U-Class Long hull 1941–42 program"[1]) was a class of submarines built for the Royal Navy during World War II. 42 vessels were ordered to this design, all to be built by Vickers-Armstrong at either Barrow-in-Furness or at Walker-on-Tyne, but only 22 were completed. Note that 7 of these vessels received 'U' names (conversely, 4 of the 'U' class had received names beginning with 'V').

The V-class submarines were very similar to the preceding U-class (short-hull) boats, of which they constituted a linear development, but had 3/4" pressure hull plating instead of 1/2" for deeper diving, also a lengthened stern and fining at the bows to reduce noise and improve underwater handling.

They were sometimes referred to as Vampire-class submarines after HMS Vampire.[2]

Ships[]

HMS Voracious SLV Green 1945

HMS Voracious (P78)

The vessels which were ordered are shown below in their programme order (not all completed construction):

The first eight vessels were ordered on 5 December 1941 under that year's programme.

The next eighteen vessels were ordered on 21 May 1942 under that year's programme, but six of these were cancelled in early 1944.

  • HMS Vivid (P77)
  • HMS Voracious (P78)
  • HMS Vulpine (P79)
  • HMS Varne (P81)
  • HMS Upshot (P82)
  • HMS Urtica (P83)
  • HMS Vineyard (P84), completed as FFL Doris (P84)
  • HMS Variance (P85), completed as HNMS Utsira.
  • HMS Vengeful (P86)
  • HMS Vortex (P87), completed as FFL Morse (P87)
  • HMS Veto (P88), cancelled 23 January 1944 and scrapped on the slip.
  • HMS Virile (P89), cancelled 23 January 1944 and scrapped on the slip.
  • HMS Visitant (P91), cancelled 23 January 1944 (never laid down).
  • HMS Upas (P92), cancelled February 1944 and scrapped on the slip.
  • HMS Ulex (P93), cancelled February 1944 (never laid down).
  • HMS Utopia (P94), cancelled February 1944 (never laid down).
  • HMS Virulent (P95)
  • HMS Volatile (P96)

A further six vessels were ordered on 17 November 1942 under the same year's programme, but four of these were cancelled on 23 January 1944.

  • HMS Votary (P29)
  • HMS Vagabond (P18)
  • HMS Vantage, cancelled 23 January 1944 (never laid down).
  • HMS Vehement (P25), cancelled 23 January 1944 (never laid down).
  • HMS Venom (P27), cancelled 23 January 1944 (never laid down).
  • HMS Verve (P28), cancelled 23 January 1944 (never laid down).

Finally, a further ten vessels were ordered under the 1943 Programme, but all of these were cancelled on 20 November 1943; eight of these were never given names.

  • HMS Unbridled (P11), cancelled 20 November 1943 (never laid down).
  • HMS Upward (P16), cancelled 20 November 1943 (never laid down).

References[]

  1. Conways All the worlds Fighting Ships 1922-46
  2. Vampire-class Submarines

External links[]



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