British V-class submarine

British V-class submarine
HMS Venturer (P68)
Class overview
Operators:	Royal Navy Free French Naval Forces Royal Danish Navy Royal Hellenic Navy 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") 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.

Ships

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.

• HMS Venturer
• HMS Viking
• HMS Veldt, completed as RHS Pipinos (Y8)
• HMS Vampire
• HMS Vox
• HMS Vigorous
• HMS Virtue (P75)
• HMS Visigoth (P76)

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

• Allied Warships – Submarine – V Class
• Derek Walters, The History of the British 'U' Class Submarine. (Pen & Sword, 2004).