List of specifications of submarines of World War II

Last updated August 24, 2022

Submarines of World War II represented a wide range of capabilities with many types of varying specifications produced by dozens of countries. The principle countries engaged in submarine warfare during the war were Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. The Italian and Soviet fleets were the largest. While the German and US fleets fought anti-shipping campaigns (in the Atlantic and Pacific respectively), the British and Japanese submarines were mostly engaged against enemy warships.^[1]

Specifications

Specifications of the principle submarines of World War II
Country	Class	Type	Variants	First commissioned	Production	Class lost	Enemy ships sunk	Displacement (tons) surfaced submerged	Length (feet)	Beam (feet)	Draft (feet)	Propulsion	Speed (knots) surfaced submerged	Range (nautical miles) surfaced submerged	Diving depth (feet)	Complement	Armament (non-torpedo)	Torpedo tubes	Torpedoes	Notable	Comments
France	600 series ^[2]	Coastal patrol	Sirène, Ariane, Circé, Orion, Diane, Argonaute classes	1927	28	18	TBD	599–641 745–809	205–216	16–18	14–20	Diesel (1,200–1,420 hp) Electric (1,000 hp), 2 shafts	14 7.5–9	3,500–4,000 75–82	80	41	1×75–100 mm	6–7×22" (2–3 forward, 2 midships, 2 aft
France	Redoutable ^[3]	Oceangoing patrol	Types I, II	Jul 1931	31	28	3	1,572 2,082	303	27	16	Diesel (4,300 hp) Electric (1,200 hp), 2 shafts	17 10	14,000 90	120	85	1×100mm	9×22" 2×16"	11	Bévéziers	Served with Allies and Axis
Germany	Type VII ^[4]	Oceangoing attack	Types A, B, C, C/41	Jun 1938	695	437	277	753 857	218	20	14	Diesel (3,200 hp) Electric (750 hp), 2 shafts	18 8	8,700 90	720	44	1×88mm	5×21" (4 bow, 1 stern)	14	U-47, U-99, U-100	Very successful Atlantic commerce raider
Germany	Type IX ^[5]	Long-range oceangoing attack	Types A, B, C, D, D/42	Dec 1938	192	13?	TBD	1,032 1,053	251	22	15	Diesel (2,800 hp) Electric (1,000 hp), 2 shafts	18 7	12,000 65	755	54	1×105mm	6×21" (4 bow, 2 stern)	24	TBD	Very successful Atlantic commerce raider
Germany	Type XXI ^[6]	Long-range oceangoing attack electro-boat	Type A	Jun 1944	98	TBD	0	1,621 1,819	252	22	20	Diesel (4,000 hp) Electric (4,800 hp), Silent electric (226 hp), 2 shafts	16 17	15,500 385	850	57	2×twin 20mm	6×21" (all bow)	23	TBD	Significant post-war impact
Japan	I-15 ^[7]	Long-range oceangoing attack	Types B1, B2, B3	Sep 1940	20	TBD	TBD	2,590 3,655	356	30	17	Diesel (12,400 hp) Electric (2,000 hp), 2 shafts	24 8	14,000 100	330	100	1×140mm, 2×25, airplane,	6×21" (all bow)	18	TBD	Carried an airplane
Japan	Kaiten ^[8]	Midget suicide	Types 1, 2, 3,4	1944-1945	2000+	TBD	0?	18 18	48-54	3-4.5	3-4	Torpedo engine (550 hp) or Hydro-hydrazine (1,800 hp)	30-40 30-40	23–38 km	TBD	1-2	1,500 kg warhead	0	0	TBD	Commonly intended as a suicide craft
Japan	Kohyoteki ^[9]	Midget attack	Types A, B, C	1941?	101	TBD	0?	TBD 47	79	6	10	Electric (600 hp)	23 19	100 TBD	98	2	140 kg scuttling charge	2	2	TBD	Attacked Pearl Harbor and elsewhere
Netherlands	O21 Class	Oceangoing attack	None	1937	7	3?	TBD	990 1205	77.7m	6.8m	3.95.	Diesel (2×2,500 hp) Electric (2×500 hp), 2 shafts	19.5 9	10,000 28	115m	39	1×88mm	8×21" (4 bow, 2 stern, 2 traversed)	22	TBD	Very successful Pacific commerce raider
United Kingdom	T-class ^[10]^[11]	Oceangoing patrol	1st, 2nd and 3rd group	Dec 1938	53	about 25%	TBD	1,095 1,585	276	25	14	Diesel (2,500 hp) Electric (1,450 hp), 2 shafts	16 9	7,000 80	300-350	up to 63	1×4" gun	10-11×21" (mostly bow)	16	Turbulent, Thrasher, Torbay	Served into the 1960s
United Kingdom	U-class ^[12]	Coastal patrol	Group I, II, III ("V")	1938	70	TBD	TBD	562 740	205	16	16	Diesel-electric^{[note 1]} (825 shp), 2 shafts	12.75 9	5,000 mi 120 mi	300	37	1×3" gun	4×21" (bow)	8	Venturer, Upholder	chiefly Mediterranean operations, used outside RN
United States	Gato ^[13]	Long-range oceangoing attack	Gato, Balao, Tench	Nov 1941	228^[14]	31	TBD	1,526 2,424	312	27	15	Diesel (5,400 hp) Electric (2,750 hp), 2 shafts	20 9	12,000 95	300-400	80	2×50 cal, 2 × 30 cal MG, 1×3"	10×21" (6 bow, 4 stern)	24	Flasher, Tang, Wahoo, Archerfish, Bowfin	Very successful type, main U.S. submarine

Notes

Notes

↑ The diesel engines were used for charging the batteries only

Citations

↑ Miller, D., The Illustrated Directory of Submarines of the World pp. 124-127, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
↑ Bagnasco, Erminio (1978), Submarines of World War Two, Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, p. 41, ISBN 0-87021-962-6
↑ Bagnasco, Erminio (1978), Submarines of World War Two, Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, p. 44, ISBN 0-87021-962-6
↑ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 144-150, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
↑ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 150-153, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
↑ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 156-158, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
↑ Bishop, C., The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II p. 435, Metro Books, 1998, ISBN 1-58663-762-2
↑ Croix, P., The Encyclopedia of the World’s Warships p. 184, Chartwell Books, 1985, ISBN 0-89009-780-1
↑ Rekishi Gunzō, History of the Pacific War Vol. 35, Kō-hyōteki and Kōryū, Gakken (Tokyo, Japan), 2002, ISBN 4-05-602741-2 pp. 39-46
↑ Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 168-171, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8
↑ McCartney, I., British Submarines 1939–1945 (2006) Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84603-007-9, p8-13
↑ McCartney, I., British Submarines 1939–1945 (2006) Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84603-007-9
↑ Friedman, N., U.S. Submarines Through 1945, p. 295-296, Naval Institute Press, 1995, ISBN 1-55750-263-3
↑ Lenton, H. T. American Submarines (Doubleday, 1973), p.5

Related Research Articles

HMS Grampus (N56) was the lead ship of her class of mine-laying submarine of the Royal Navy. She was built at Chatham Dockyard and launched on 25 February 1936. She served in World War II off China before moving to the Mediterranean Sea. She was sunk with all hands by the Regia Marina on 16 June 1940.

The Parthian-class submarine or P class was a class of six submarines built for the Royal Navy in the late 1920s. They were designed as long-range patrol submarines for the Far East. These boats were almost identical to the Odin class, the only difference being a different bow shape.

The Odin-class submarine was a class of nine submarines developed and built for the Royal Navy (RN) in the 1920s. The prototype, Oberon, was followed by two boats originally ordered for the Royal Australian Navy, but transferred to the RN in 1931 because of the poor economic situation in Australia, and six modified boats ordered for the RN. Three modified boats were built for the Chilean Navy as the Capitan O'Brien-class submarines in 1929.

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The Rainbow-class submarine or R class was a quartet of patrol submarines built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s.

HMS Taku was a British T class submarine built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. She was laid down on 18 November 1937 and was commissioned on 3 October 1940.

HMS Saga was a S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She survived the war and was sold to Portugal.

HMS Scythian was a S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1960.

HMS Scorcher was an S-class submarine of the Royal Navy, and part of the third group built of that class. She was built by Cammell Laird and launched on 18 December 1944. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Scorcher. She was launched by Thomas Beacham, a Foreman Driller employed by Cammell Laird.

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References

Bishop, C., The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Metro Books, 1998, ISBN 1-58663-762-2
Croix, P., The Encyclopedia of the World’s Warships p. 184, Chartwell Books, 1985, ISBN 0-89009-780-1
Bagnasco, E. Submarines of World War Two, Naval Institute Press, 1978, ISBN 0-87021-962-6
Friedman, N., U.S. Submarines Through 1945, Naval Institute Press, 1995, ISBN 1-55750-263-3
Miller, D., Submarines of the World MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8

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[13] The diesel engines were used for charging the batteries only

[1] Miller, D., The Illustrated Directory of Submarines of the World pp. 124-127, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8

[2] Bagnasco, Erminio (1978), Submarines of World War Two, Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, p. 41, ISBN 0-87021-962-6

[3] Bagnasco, Erminio (1978), Submarines of World War Two, Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, p. 44, ISBN 0-87021-962-6

[4] Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 144-150, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8

[5] Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 150-153, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8

[6] Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 156-158, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8

[7] Bishop, C., The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II p. 435, Metro Books, 1998, ISBN 1-58663-762-2

[8] Croix, P., The Encyclopedia of the World’s Warships p. 184, Chartwell Books, 1985, ISBN 0-89009-780-1

[9] Rekishi Gunzō, History of the Pacific War Vol. 35, Kō-hyōteki and Kōryū, Gakken (Tokyo, Japan), 2002, ISBN 4-05-602741-2 pp. 39-46

[10] Miller, D., Submarines of the World pp. 168-171, MBI Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7603-1345-8

[11] McCartney, I., British Submarines 1939–1945 (2006) Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84603-007-9, p8-13

[12] McCartney, I., British Submarines 1939–1945 (2006) Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84603-007-9

[14] Friedman, N., U.S. Submarines Through 1945, p. 295-296, Naval Institute Press, 1995, ISBN 1-55750-263-3

[15] Lenton, H. T. American Submarines (Doubleday, 1973), p.5

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List of specifications of submarines of World War II

Contents

Specifications

Notes

Related Research Articles

References