Schwertwal

Last updated

Kleinst U-Boot-Schwertwal I und II Kleinst U-Boot-Schwertwal I und II.jpg
Kleinst U-Boot-Schwertwal I und II

Schwertwal (German for Orca, lit. "Sword Whale") was a German miniature submarine design that reached the trial stage in late April 1945. It had a crew of two and was designed to have a high subsurface speed of around 20 knots. The high speed was archived by the use of a Walther turbine. The submarine carried an armament of two torpedoes. The submarine lacked a periscope and the pilot viewed the outside world through an acrylic glass dome. [1]

Contents

The prototype was scuttled at the end of World War II but was raised by the British Navy and examined before being scrapped. [1]

Further developments

Design work for an even faster version began but the plans never left the drawing board. [1]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Kemp, p. 192

Related Research Articles

British T-class submarine Class of diesel-electric submarines

The Royal Navy's T class of diesel-electric submarines was designed in the 1930s to replace the O, P, and R classes. Fifty-three members of the class were built just before and during the Second World War, where they played a major role in the Royal Navy's submarine operations. Four boats in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy were known as the Zwaardvisch class.

German submarine U-346 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down at the Nordseewerke in Emden as yard number 218 on 28 October 1942, launched on 13 April 1943 and commissioned on 7 June of the same year under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Arno Leisten. She had been built for operations during the Battle of the Atlantic, but was the victim of an accident before she started operations.

German submarine U-253 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

German submarine U-272 was a type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in World War II. She was laid down on 28 November 1941, launched on 15 August 1942 and commissioned on 7 October that year under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Horst Hepp. She served in the 8th U-boat flotilla, a training unit and never reached operational status. She was sunk near Hel after colliding with U-634 on 12 November 1942. 29 of her crew died and there were 19 survivors.

German submarine U-235 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-243</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-243 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-292 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-320 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-321 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-385 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-399 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-416 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-430 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-452 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-473 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-476 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-477 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-478 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-484 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

HMS <i>Moresby</i> British M-Class destroyer, WW1

HMS Moresby was a Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous L-class, capable of higher speed. Originally laid down as HMS Marlion by J. Samuel White at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, the vessel was renamed before being launched on 20 November 1915. At the Battle of Jutland, the destroyer was initially cover for the seaplane tender Engadine but soon joined the action as part of a flotilla led by the light cruiser Champion. Moresby attacked the German fleet with torpedoes, initially unsuccessfully targeting the dreadnought battleship Markgraf and, near the end of the battle, unleashing another which narrowly missed the battlecruiser Von der Tann. In March 1918, the destroyer sank U-110 with the destroyer Michael. After the war, the destroyer was placed in reserve and eventually sold to be broken up on 9 May 1921.

References