 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Sweden | |
| Name | Hvalen |
| Builder | Fiat-San Giorgio, La Spezia Italy [1] |
| Launched | 16 February 1909 [1] |
| Commissioned | 1909 |
| Decommissioned | 1919 |
| Fate | Expended as a target 1924 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class & type | Foca Class |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 42.4 m (139 ft 1 in) |
| Beam | 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in) |
| Draught | 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Test depth | 30 m[ citation needed ] |
| Complement | 17 |
| Armament | 2 x 45.7 cm torpedo tubes |
HSwMS Hvalen was a submarine of the Swedish Navy. Constructed in Italy, the submarine sailed the entire way to Sweden for her commissioning unaccompanied. [1] In October 1915 she became involved in a diplomatic incident between neutral Sweden, and Germany, which was then engaged in fighting Britain in the First World War. Following a series of sinkings of German cargo ships and naval vessels in the Baltic Sea by British submarines entering the Baltic through the (Swedish-controlled) Öresund straits, a German warship opened fire on Hvalen killing a crew-member. [2] According to the captain of the Hvalen, she was flying the Swedish naval flag and in Swedish home waters at the time she was fired on. [3] Compensation was later paid to the widow of the crew-member and an apology was issued. [4]
