S class Submarines (1918)

After the R class of alast month and O class back in November last year, were are hitting the last of three wartime classes of US Navy submersibles, and by far the largest in numbers and most important for its history: These were Navy’s first true ocean-going attack submarines.

The S class were planned just as the United States were entering war in April 1917, seeing what was needed in the rapidly developing context of unrestricted German submarine warfare. This was the third of three mass-produced sub-classes, but the S class mass massive: 65 ordered, 51 completed, most well after WWI (the last in 1925), and most saw action in WW2, many as training boats as the war progressed in 1941 to train captains and officers of the mass-built Gato/Tench/Balao classes, arguably their world war two counterparts. Many saw active service in Royal Navy hands (A dozen transferred under lend lease) even the Polish Navy, and the remainder served actively, multiplying patrols in the Western Atlantic due to their limited range. Nine were lost.
Construction was divided among shipbuilders, and despite the design was standardized, this ended with many sub-classes.

The “Sugar Boats” were no longer an extrapolation of the R-class, as in 1917 there was a clear intention to make them blue water, in other terms oceanic submarines, yet not fleet submarines. On this topic, the T class tried, and failed. The process would take another two decades of the interwar to mature. The last S Boats were stricken in 1946. #ww2 #usnavy #submarine #submersible #unitedstatesnavy #worldwartwo #secondworldwar

Photo od USS S8 (S-113), one of the Holland Boats, by Boston Herald cameraman Leslie Jones (Boston Public Library coll.) colorized by Postales Navales It was in winter, note the plastic windows canvas fitted over the top frame of the conning tower, wooden deck, and black background markings.

The first US blue water subs

The intent

The United States’ S-class submarines, in the interwar and WW2, known as the S-boats (or “Sugar” boats) were the first class with a true mass production, and of a more versatile and larger design wuth increased performances. They made up in fact, the bulk of the USN submarine service in the interwar, sent to the Caribbeans, Panama, Hawaii, the Philippines, the east and west coast. Too small and slow to be fleet submarines, they nevertheless had been designed as oceanic models, “blue water” operations. All previous classes in the US inventiry indeed had been at first replacements for Torpedo Boats, either for harbor defence, and as time passed, coastal defense. The O class and especially R class were the first intermediate coastal/Oceanic types.

Colorized S-class boat, see related Youtube video below

However the S class were intended to have better surface speed and range, improved habitability and better armament, both on deck and for torpedoes. Notably, a 4 inches/50 gun was made standard, as 5-inches was still considere quite heavy (but there were plans for such upgrade) and tubes were now standardized at 21 inches (R class Lake sub-class had still 18-inches tubes apparently) with 12 torpedoes in reserve.

Construction and naming

The S-class were designed in World War I, but construction started late, and was given to five years to accelerate the process. USS S1 was the first laid down, on 11 December 1917. Indeed the S class design was worked out from April to December. S1 was actually launched shortly before the war ended in October 1918. All without exception missed WWI, being completed, after some hesitations and delays due to the new postwar reevaluations of the USN needs, from 1920 to 1925. So they truly were THE interwar US submarines. Their existence explains also why so few new submarines were built in this period, at least until 1937. The V1 to V9 were experimental boats testing new concepts and working up the future fleet submarines. Even the prewar classes (Salmon, Sargo, Tambor) were modest in production, not in size as they were far larger than the S class and true fleet submarines tailored for the Pacific.

The United States Navy commissioned 51 S-class submarines between 1920 to 1925 but the naming sequence was shaky. USS S-1 (SS-105), was commissioned in 1920 while the last numerically, USS S-51 (SS-162) was commissioned in 1922 but production difficulties encountered by contractors had the sequence completely turned on its head with the actual last commissioned S class being USS S-47 (SS-158) in September, 1925. The hull numbers were thus non sequentil as well. Some boats were delays for many years, mostly due to shortages or manpower, material, shifting priorities and just economic hardships. 14 boats were cancelled, split between a few yards, even though the latter already provisioned parts at their sub-contractors. This put them close to bankrupcy.

The naval Yard that took part in the S class programme were the following:
Electric Boat types (Fore River): USS S1 and then S18 to S29
Lake Type, 1st Group: USS S2
Portsmouth Naval yard (Navy Yard type): S3 to S13
Lake Boats, Bridgeport (Navy Yard type): S14 to S17
Union Iron Works (Electric Boat type): S30 to S41
Electric Boat type, 2nd group: S42 to S47
2nd Lake Type: S48 to S51
However to lake things simpler most sources had them in four groups, sub-classes, if most specialists had them placed in six groups.
I will follow Conway’s approach which does that, adding the prototype USS S2 by Lake as a one-off. And a bit unusually also i will cover global standard specs, and the detai; specs and even the career of those subs along these four groups. Due to the enormity of the 51 boats career studied, i will stick to a barebone overview of their active service an and introduction.

Design of the class

Design Development

S-11 Plans

S-21 PLans

S-class Ballast system flooding drainage

S3 to S9 plans

The S class was a radical departure from previous designs, notably by their tonnage alone. They reached 900+ tonnes surfaced for 1230t on average, submerged, versus 570/680 tonnes for the previous R class, and 520/630t for the O-class which were already considered relatively large, so that was twice as much. In dimensions they were close to the later German Type VII, which came in handy in 1941 to simulate these in Atlantic ASW training. So they were in short, the first US oceanic submersibles, designed to leave US coastal waters, and raom the Atlantic and Pacific to some extent. In WW2 standards they were considered unsuccessful for Pacific operations.

They would be built under three different designs, developed respectively by Holland, Lake and the Bureau of construction and repair (BC&R) in early 1917. The General board acquired these three designs later in 1917 and tried to define a standard with one prototype for each, S1 (Holland/Electric Boat), S2 (Lake, Fore River) and 3 (Navy Type, Portsmouth NyD) respectively.
These prototypes were eventualy authorized in Fiscal Year 1918, built to the same specifications, with the Electric Boat and BuC&R designs put into series production in later fiscal year appropriations. There was no chance they would even be completed at that stage, but we have to remember that the allies expected a difficult push into Germany starting in the spring of 1919… The revolution in Berlin and November Armistice were completely unexpected.

The Lake variant was somewhat unsuccessful, which after the disappointment of the R-class by Lake just fuelled the fall of this company and led to its bankrupcy in 1924. The Navy also pressed the company to built their follow-up under Bureau design. These became the Lake type, Group II.
Two designs main designs appeared in construction, with 24 submarines (S18-41) by Holland, 14 (S4-17) by Portsmouth NyD , BuC&R (plus 4 by Lake). Then 10 very similar boats, second Holland series (S42-47) and the S48-51 by BuC&R.
Basic difference (see later) between the Holland and Bureau (BuC&R) designs were in the hull construction, the first single-hulled, the second double-hulled. BuC&R indeed was looking at developments in Europe, and notably the Laurenti type that was tested by the Royal Navy. It was reputed for its greater strenght, allowing deeper dives. Nevertheless, the final diving depth between type was formalized as identical. The third, Lake type, had additional stern TT unlike the two others.

But during discussions in 1917, some insisted they should take part in fleet operations of possible and pushed for the highest surface speed, while others wanted them to be usable as hunter-killers to track down German U-Boats (Holland supported this “faction”) and thus had the best submerged speed and agility if possible. They notably looked at the British R-class subs, arguably the first pure hunter-killer submarines.

They agreed however to have at least the conning tower better profiled and streamlined to achieve the latter goal. For surface speed, there simply was no diesel available that could provide the power required to at least reach battleship speed (21 knots). The “fleet gang” won a new design, the TT class (later Schley class) to fulfull their wet dreams, but this was a disaster. On trials in 1920, these prototypes were outstanding still. If surface speed was on average between 14 and 15 knots, marginally better than the the R class, it was just impossible to reach the desired power with the diesels which were produced in the US at the time.

The acquisition of German diesels by that time would have required to completely review the design at that stage, it was already far too late. But for their submerged speed, they achieved between 12.5 to 13kts, which was just amazing for the time. The submerged top speed in “normal” use was however topped to 11 knots. That reserve of a few knots was considered a margin of safety and survival. The First World War experience showed practicity was however more important than these few knots gain, and in production the conning towers were revised, and made less streamlined but more convenient.

Hull and general design

Being an extrapolation of the R class, they kept the same general outlook with their hull shaped like a splindle, narrow outer hull above, narrow deck apart for the gun platform. There were narrow walkways on both sides of the conning tower with hanbars to transition from the fore to the aft decks. The latter was quite short and ended with a sharp back straight down under. The shape of the tail however varied between boats, especially between Lake and Holland boats. The helmsman post was built over the upper part of the conning tower placed on a base, and the previous canvas cover was now a rigid cover with frames above which could be covered by a tarpaulin. In winter notably, a full tarp with small windows could be strappedon top, keeping some heat from below via the main bridge hatch. The periscopes mountings were aft.

The S class as said above were way heavier and larger than the R or O classes. These were the first to pass the treshold of 1,000 tonnes submerged, a prickle as already this was done in Europe, with some “U-Kreuzer” flirting with 4000 tonnes… They were also much longer and larger that previous boats, and kept the same hanging protection cable strapped between the prow’s tripod and aft’s to go under heavy nets. The deck gun was now the heavy 4-inches/50 caliber (see below), way more capable than the previous 3 inches/50 and fixed permanently on a platform built above the deck, sponsoned to allow the crew to operate on a full traverse.

The underlying principles of this design came from a long way: Intelligence reports were received from 1914 to 1916 already, showing that U-boats operating off Great Britain far exceeded capabilities of the US Navy H, K, L, and N classes. If Great Britain lost the war, those could be able as well to raom the Atlantic and prey in US territorial waters. Requirements for a larger design aligned on these German subs was developed, including the capacity of sailing across the Atlantic if needed. Navy’s specifications at first called for a still conservative 800 tons (standard or surfaced) capable of 11-14 knots (submerged/surfaced) with a range of at least 3400 nautical miles and up to 5400 if needed. The armament was fixed to four 21-inch torpedo tubes but the 4-inch deck gun was a novelty.

As it was considered something of a challenge, trusted sub-builders, Electric Boat (Holland) and Lake were asked to submit their designs albeit to not be taken by surprise and have some leeway in negociations, theNavy this time, and that was a first, ordered a design from its own Navy Yards of Portsmouth via the Bureaiu of Construction and repairs. The Navy wanted to diversify the acquisition process and create some competition to Electric Boat as Lake was already on a downwards slope at that stage.
Still, both Electric Boat and BuC&R designs had been designed less as pure prototype but as preseries in order to order production as soon as practicable.

A Lake Boat, note the much more pronounced hull’s underbelly and odd tail arrangement.

It should be noted that if the new conning towers were made more pratical and larger, its fairwater was also completely redesigned and common to all three series. Previous US submarines had small fairwaters just to reduce drag, improve submerged speed. But when surfaced in the long North Atlantic patrols (which was the norm, not the exception) the crew were frequently seaking wet all the time spent at the helm. They asked for a better protection for the watchstanders. In 1919 captured U-boats showed the Germans considered the problem and designed, large rigid fairwater with permanent grab rails and wave breaker and deflectors which were really efficient to keep water spray away. All so S-boats in construciton or after completion thus were backfitted with an improved and much larger fairwater. This made them far more appreciated by the crews in the interwar as well.

Powerplant

All the boats repeated the powerplants of their forebears, R and O class, albeit with much larger engines, both diesels and electrics, and extra battery cells due to the extra space. The first two boats (Holland S-1 at Quincy, S-30 at San Francisco) in sea trials experienced severe torsional drive train vibrations in their high-speed runs. They reached such a level that the engines basically came completely apart. Investigation showed that crankshafts for these NELSECO 8-EB-15 engines ((an Electric Boat Marine subsidiary) had not a proper diameter (they were basically the same in previous classes) and not only had too much room inside their fittings and lacked the strenght to cope with the power stroke of each cylinder when fired. This gave an excessive torsional twisting and a cascade of side effect with only increasing vibrations.

Production was completely stopped at this stage because these crackshafts were located low in these boats and they needed t be basically gutter to access tand replace them all. This explains the long delays, after launch often of boats laying incomplete in yards. This completed had to stay at a reduced power, waiting for a fix or refit. The Navy Department obtained for the Congress an extra envelope to rebuild engines with a proper crankshaft on all boats. This delays their entry into service but at least cured torsional vibration. In the end, this crackshaft issue delayed the entire serie of 4 years and a half in most cases. It was only common to Electric Boats, neither the Bureau and Lake boats were concerned. The engines were not bad by themselves and served these boats well, once mastered and well maintained.

S-11 top and side, from the plans, cleaned up (author’s).

Still, they horrified Future admiral Hyman G. Rickover (father of the US nuclear subs) when assigned to USS S-48. He spoke of a “faulty, sooty, dangerous and repellent engineering”and dcemented his future views and intransigence toward high engineering standards.
The BuC&R design built by Portsmouth and Lake instead had a MAN diesel engine, or for the Lake boats, a 2-cycle/4-cycle Busch-Sulzer engine. The latter still suffered from design and engineering problems proper to early diesels but still were much more reliable compared to the NELSECO engines.
In terms of performances, the specified speed were respected, 14 knots for the EB designs, 15 on USS S2 (not adopted), 15 also on the Bureau Boats (Portsmouth), 14.5 for the second Holland (EB) serie and the four Lake boats with an average underwater speed of 11 knots “official” for all. This was rather consrvative and repeated the performances of previous R class boats.
However the range was no better. The R class were limited to 4,700 nm at 6.2 knots, whereas the S-class averaged between 3,250 nm and 2,510 nm at the same speed. The exceptions were the Lake boats serie based on the Bureau design (Group II) which managed 5,900 nm at 11 knots…

Armament

Deck Gun: 4-in/50

The O and R class went from a 3 inch (76 mm)/23 caliber gun, non-retractable in later batches to a 3 inch/50 caliber model that became standard. However the S class was upgraded to a 4-inches gun, as part of the discussions in 1917 leading to design a new type of oceanic submersible. The adoption of a gun thay was almost twice the weight of a 3-inches was not a concern as the upscaling of the new hulls, which were perfectly able to cope with the new topweight. Calculations showed however than a 5-inches gun (which some in the Navy preferred) showed they were however not the right size yet. Calculations showed a 2000t boat would be able to have one or two, but since the S-class were not cruisers or fleet submarines, the swap towards a 4-inches gun for surface combat was seen largely enough. Thus new 4-inch (102 mm)/50 caliber deck gun was due to observations that U-boats frequently used their deck guns, and this was a 105 mm model.

The 4-in/50 Mark 9 started to be remarkably unbiquitous, they were installed on the Cassin, Aylwin, O’Brien, Caldwell, Wickes and Clemson class destroyers and oof course all S class subs, but also interwar models such as the USS Dolphin (SS-169) and the Shark (SS-174), Perch (SS-176), Salmon (SS-180) and Balao classes, armed yachts, gunboats, Eagle boats and auxiliaries.
The Gun Weighted 2.725 tons (2.769 mt) for 206.5 in (5.2496 m) in lenght. They were capable of 8-9 rpm, firing a 62.4 – 64.75 lbs. (28.3 – 29.4 kg) complete round, up to 12,000 yards (10,970 m) at 12.4 degrees.
Read More on navweaps

Torpedo Tubes

The R-class were the first US submarines fitted with the new 53 cm tubes with one reload for each tube (eight). The torpedo room was internally painted in white and fairly roomy, to six or eight bunks being setup, and kept brightly white with deck covering in canvass painted a bright green shellac. As for the new, larger torpedo tubes they had often their own barrels white. The tube doors were in brass and well polished. The four torpedoes were stored in racks alongside the bulkhead two on either sides, with two traveling chainfalls running down overhead. The torpedo crew had to find its center of balance with the chainfall and line it up with the tube, then insert it up to the hoisting strap which could be removed and adapter inserted in the tail. It was hooking a block and tackle into it, pulling the rest of the torpedo all the way into the tube.

There was no Torpedo Data calculations done mechanically, and the gyro angle was ordered from the control room, after which a spindle was insterted to set up the angle ordered, then withdrawn before firing. The tube shutters and outer doors were opened manually with forward Trim being used to flood the tube prior opening the outer shutter doors. The same same tank was used to drain the tube after being been fired and outer doors confirmed closed. The torpedo room could be even possibly used as an escape chamber via the tubes. These boats allo has a was a mushroom anchor under the keel, operating from inside the room and called the “submerged anchor”. Its casing was flooded to almost negative buoyancy, being being dropped and leaks were tested.

The torpedoes used were planned at first to be the 1915 Bliss-Leavitt Mark 21, ro to be precise the Bliss-Leavitt 21″ Mark 9 Mod 1B: (Wet-heater for 5,500 yards (5,030 m)/34.5 knots with a 395 lbs. (179 kg) Torpex warhead).
But the bread and butter of this class, that is until replaced by the infamous mark 14, were the Mark 9 Mod 1B (submarine variant), with considerable stocks developed. So they were still around for them, albeit completely obsolete in 1941. At least they were more trusted than the Mark 14.

⚙ specifications Mark 9 Mod 1B TORPEDO
Weight	2,377 lbs. (1,078 kg)
Dimensions	196 in (5.004 m)
Propulsion	Wet-heater
Range/speed setting	5,500 yards (5,030 m) / 34.5 knots
Warhead	395 lbs. (179 kg) Torpex
Guidance	Mark 8 Mod 1 gyro

In alternative they could use the even shorter 21″ (53.3 cm) Mark 10, the last designed by Bliss at the manufactured by the Naval Torpedo Station at Newport. Entering service in 1818, still the go-to torpoedo for the S class in WW2 instead of the Mark 14, reserved to more recent boats. They existed in two types, Mod 0 and Mod 3*

⚙ specifications Mark 10 TORPEDO
Weight	2,050 lbs. (930 kg)/Mod 3: 2,215 lbs. (1,005 kg)*
Dimensions	183 in (4.953 m)
Propulsion	Wet-heater
Range/speed setting	5,000 yards/30 knots or 3,500 yards (3,200 m)/36 knots*
Warhead	400 lbs. (181 kg) TNT or 497 lbs. (225 kg) TNT*, 485 lbs. (220 kg) Torpex*
Guidance	Mark 13 Mod 1 gyro

Service of the S-class

S-24 at sea, battling waves

(To come in a next Update)

Specs and Career by Sub-Type

Electric boat (Holland) Type, Group I:

The Holland design was approved following sea trials of S1 and leed to an order for the “Group I” (half built also by Union Iron Works) whereas Group IV boats were the same but enlarged. These were single hull designs with ballast tanks contained within the pressure hull. The latter had a less rounded spindle shape as previous designs, while the rudder was placed at the very end of the hull and aft of the propeller screws. They were 33 feet (10.1 m) longer than previous designs and 3 feet 3 inches (1 m) beamer, 2 feet 3 inches (0.7 m) draftier, for a 60% greater displacement than the R class. That enabled a much greater range and larger engines that could provide a better top speed, as well as more torpedo reloads, twelve instead of eight. No thoughs were given to add an extrai pair of tubes yet. They used Nelesco (NLSE) diesels which were barely reliable, but with proper maintenance proved to be durable. They still ran 20 years later in the 1940s.
By default they also carried in the 1920s an SC sonar.

In 1939, all S1 class that survived received a 12.7mm/90 Borwning M2 AA guns in their aft CT platform and the new JK sonar.
In WW2 those still active had an extra 20mm/70 Mk 4 Oerlikon AA installed on their reworked CT, as well as a SJ radar and the new QB sonar. S27, S28 diverged by having the QC sonar instead.
SS129, 134, 140, 146 at the end of the war, received the new Mk 10 Oerlikon AA, kept their Cal.50 M2 HMG, but could be fitted either by the QB or QC or ealier JK sonar.

⚙ S class specs, Electric Boat I
Displacement	854 long tons surfaced 1062 long tons submerged
Dimensions	66.9 x 6.30 x 4.80 m
Propulsion	2 shafts NLSE diesels 1200 hp and 2 electric motors 1500 hp
Speed	14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) surfaced, 11 knots (21 km/h; 13 mph) submerged
Range surfaced/sub.	168 tons oil, 3,420 nmi at 6.5 knots sufaced
Armament	4× 21 inches* TTs (12 torpedoes), 3 in/50 Mark 9 deck gun
Test Depth	200 ft (60 m)
Crew	38

USS S1 was laid down at Yard 296 (Electric Boat) in Fore River (Quincy, Mass.) on December 1917. She was launched on 26 October 1918 and completed in June 1920. S-1 started service in July 1920, shakedown cruising to Bermuda, attached to Submarine Division 2 (SubDiv 2) and training off Connecticut and New England until 1923.

On 2 January, she was reassigned to SubDiv Zero for experimental tests and she had winter maneuvers in the Caribbean Sea and Back to New London. She tested also a submarine-borne observation and scouting later that year, 1923 with a steel capsule mounted abaft her conning tower, housing a small collapsible Martin MS-1 seaplane. It was rolled out and assembled, then launched by trimming the sub down. Tests were concluded in 1926 with the alternative all-metal Cox-Klemin XS-1 and XS-2. A final official test was done before officials on 28 July 1926, on at New London. This showed however the concept unworkable, and all was removed. The hangar capsule later became the prototype for the McCann Rescue diving bell intended for sunken submarines.
S-1 became flagship for SubDiv 2 until July 1927 and joined SubDiv 4 for operational cruises to Panama until 1930, stopping at Cristobal, Coco Solo, Cartagena, Kingston, or Guantánamo Bay when not in New England.

In January 1931 she was reassigned to Pearl Harbor until 1937 with SubDiv 7, SubRon 4, and from July 1932 to July 1933 SubDiv 14 reserve. In august she was back at SubDiv 7and sialed for Philadelphia by May 1937 for overhaul and deactivation, decommissioned on 20 October. She was reactivated and recommissoned on 16 October 1940 at Philadelphia, made a shakedown cruise at Bermuda, then a second cruise which caught her there on 7 December 1941. Uder lend-lease she was prepared for transfer to Britain, effective on 20 April 1942, stricken on 24 June.
She became HMS P.552, usied to train British submariners and escort crews to ASW. While in Durban, Natal in January 1944 she was declared worn out and in too poor cnditions for effective service, unseaworthy. Administratively returned to Durban on 16 October she was stripped and sold for BU on 14 September.

S18 was laid down at Yard 309, Bethlehem, Quincy on august 1918, launched 29 April 1920, and completed in April 1924. Full logs to come soon.

S19 was laid down at 310 Yard, Bethlehem (same for the others unless stated otherwise) on August 1918, launched on 21 June 1920 and completed in August 1921. She was stricken 12.1938. Full logs to come soon.

S20 was laid down at yard 311 in August 1918, launched on 9 june 1920 and completed on November 1922. Stricken 7.1945. Full logs to come soon.

S21 was laid down at Yard 312 in December 1918 and launched on 18 August 1920, August 1921. Under lend-lease she was sent to the United Kingdom in September 1942 and serve duntil decom. in July 1944 as HMS P553, sunk as target 23 March 1945. Full logs to come soon.

S22 was laid down at Yard 313 in Jan 1919, launched 15 July 1920, completed on June 1924 (delays), and also leased to the RN from June 1942 to July 1944 as HMS P554, stricken 8.1945. Full logs to come soon.

S23 was laid down at Yard 314, in Jan. 1919, launched on 27 October 1920 and completed in August 1923, stricken November 1945. Full logs to come soon.

S24 was laid down at Yard 315 in Nov. 1918, launched on 27 June 1922 and completed in August 1923. She was leased to the RN as P555 from 1942 to 1944, sunk as target on 25 August 1947. Full logs to come soon.

S25 was laid down on October 1918, launched 29 May 1922, July 1923 and leased to the United Kingdom from Nov. in 1941 as P551. Full logs to come soon.

S26 was from yard 317 on November 1919, launched on 22 August 1922, completed on October 1923; She was lost in a collision on 24 Jan 1942. Full logs to come soon.

S27 was laid down at Yard 318 on April 1919, launched on 18 October 1922, completed on January 1924. She was wrecked on 19 june 1942. Full logs to come soon.

S28 was laid down at yard 319 in April 1919, launched on 20 Sept. 1922 and cmpleted on Dec. 1923. She foundered on 4 July 1944. Full logs to come soon.

S29 was laid down at Yard 320 in April 1919, launched on 9 November 1922, launched on May 1924, she was sent in lend lease to the RN as P556 between June 1942 and Jan 1946, stricken. Full logs to come soon.

S30 was the first laid down at Yard 201, Union Iron Wks (all that follows) in San Francisco on April 1918, launched on 21 November 1918 and completed in October 1920. She was stricken in October 1945. Full logs to come soon.

S31 was laid down at yard 202 in April 1918, launched on 28 December 1918 and completed in May 1922. Stricken in November 1945. Full logs to come soon.

S32 was laid down at Yard 203 in April 1918, launched on 11 Jan 1919 and completed in June 1922. She was stricken in November 1945. Full logs to come soon.

S33 was laid down at Yard 204 on June 1918, launched in Dec. 1918 and completed in April 1922. She was stricken 11.1945. Full logs to come soon.

S34 was laid down at yard 205 in May 1918, launched 13 Feb. 1919 and completed in July 1922, stricken in November 1945. Full logs to come soon.

S35 was laid down at Yard 206 in july 1918, launched 27 Feb. 1919 and completed in August 1922. Sunk as target in 4 April 1946. Full logs to come soon.

S36 was laid down at Yard 207 by Dec. 1918, launched on 3 June 1919 and completed in April 1923. She was scuttled on 21 Jan 1942. Full logs to come soon.

S37 was laid down at Yard 208 in Dec. 1918, launched 20 June 1919, completed in July 1923. She was sunk as target on 20 Feb. 1945. Full logs to come soon.

S38 wa slaid down in Jan 1919, launched 17 June 1919 and comp. May 1923. She was stricken 1.1945. Full logs to come soon.

S39 was laid down at Yard 210 in jan 1919, launched 2 July 1919 and completed in Sept. 1923. She was wrecked 14.8.1942. Full logs to come soon.

S40 was lmaid down at yard 211 in Bethlehem, San Francisco on March 1919, launched 5 Jan 1921 and completed in Nov. 1923. She was stricken 11.1945. Full logs to come soon.

S41 wa slaid down in Aprol 1919, launched 21 Feb. 1921 and completed in Jan 1924, stricken 2.1946. Full logs to come soon.

Lake Type prototype:

The crew of USS S2 taking the pose. Note in the first they are not looking particularly thrilled to serve in this boat… In the second, note the large size of the conning tower, unprecedented in US Submarine construction.

USS S-2 (SS-106) was the prototype of the “Lake-type” S-class submarine of the United States Navy. (S-1 was the “Holland-type” prototype and S-3 the “Government-type”). The Lake design jad a modified double hull type, with the ballast tanks wrapped around the inner pressure hull, whuch explained her pronounced “fat belly”. Their stern ended in a flat “shovel” which procured the stern with better buoyancy and reduced roll when surfaced. The rudder was however very different, mounted beneath the stern with the whole pivot structure supporting the stern diving planes. The superstructure atop the boat was partially watertight in order to keep extra buoyancy as a safety margin. Sea trials however showed they ploughed heavily underway in formed seas, so for the following production boats, Lake mobified the buoyancy by adding an extra tank to the bow, ending in a “humped appearance”. In the enbd look asthetically far less appealing than Government or Holland boats. Worst still, they suffered from poor maneuverability, whereas the focus on underwater performance made them overcomplicated to manage and with a potentially larger crew. The powerplant was also unreliable. They were soon unpopular, so much so that the The Navy declined it for mass production. The experience remained limited to S2.

⚙ S class specs, Lake Boat I (USS S2)
Displacement	800 long tons surfaced, 977 long tons submerged
Dimensions	207 ft x 19 ft 8 in x 16 ft 1 in (63.1 x 6 x 4.9 m)
Propulsion	2× 900 bhp Busch-Sulzer diesels, 2× 600 hp Diehl EM, 120-cell batt.
Speed	15 knots surfaced, 11 knots submerged
Range surfaced/sub.
Armament	4× 21 inches TTs (12 torpedoes), 3 in/50 deck gun
Test Depth	200 ft (60 m)
Crew	38

S2 keel was laid down on 30 July 1917 at Lake Torpedo Boat Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut. She was launched on 15 February 1919 and commissioned on 25 May 1920. She was tested off Portsmouth in New Hampshire on 22 July 1921 with the Submarine Divisions 18 and 12 for the longest US submarine cruise ever, via Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor and Cavite and Luzon in the Philippines, to test a deployment from the Atlantic to the far east.
These two divisions stayed at the Cavite Naval Station for three years from December 1921, stopping at Shanghai, Yantai, Qinhuangdao, Qingdao, Amoy, or Wusong. On 29 October 1924, they departed all (but not S2) for the west coast. On 5 November S2 was indeed placed in reduced commission and reserve with a skeleton crew for maintenance and readiness, until 5 May 1928, the recommissioned.
She spent the summer patorlling in the China sea and Philippines with a returned to Philadelphia, not for overhaul, but inactivation. Leaving the Philippines on 27 April 1929 via Guam, Pearl Harbor, and Panama she arrived on 5 August, and was decommissioned on 25 November, stripped, and stricken in 1931, sold for BU on 14 September.

The Navy Yard Type:

The BuC&R design (S-3 prototype) like the Lake boats had a full double hull and integrated design features from Electric Boat and Lake. S3 was the largest as 231 feet long and a bit wider with a battery contained in single, large compartment forward of the control room. This made her long and sleek, so potentially faster. The stern was marked by a sharp vertical “chisel” after the deck’s end, with the rudder and stern dive planes ventrally mounted behind the propellers. From the Group II onwards, on the last four boats, plus four Group IV boats had a single stern torpedo tube as a test. Group IV were also longer but with reduced draft.

⚙ S class specs, Navy Yard
Displacement	497 long tons (505 t) surfaced 652 long tons (662 t) submerged
Dimensions	175 ft x 16 ft 7 in x 13 ft 11 in ( x 5.05 x 4.24 m)
Propulsion	2× 500 hp (373 kW) Busch-Sulzer diesels, 2× 400 hp (298 kW) Diehl EM, 120-cell batt.
Speed	14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) surfaced, 11.4 knots (21.1 km/h; 13.1 mph) submerged
Range surfaced/sub.	4,700 nmi at 6.5 knots sufaced
Armament	4× 21 inches* TTs (8 torpedoes), 3 in/50 deck gun
Test Depth	200 ft (61 m)
Crew	33

USS S-3 (SS-107) was the prototype of the “Government-type” S-class submarines of the United States Navy. (S-1 was the “Holland-type” prototype and S-2 the “Lake-type”.) Her keel was laid down on 29 August 1917 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was launched on 21 December 1918 sponsored by Mrs. William L. Hill, and commissioned on 30 January 1919.
Following outfitting and trials, S-3 began her career with training operations along the New England coast operating out of Portsmouth and New London, Connecticut. In 1920, she twice visited Havana, Cuba: first in January, and again in December.
In July 1921, she was attached to Submarine Division 12 (SubDiv 12) which, along with SubDiv 18, was to rendezvous off Portsmouth for the longest voyage on record, at that time, for American submarines. The two divisions were assigned to the Asiatic Fleet as Submarine Flotilla 3 (SubFlot 3) at the Cavite Naval Station in the Philippine Islands. They sailed via the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor, where S-3 was detached and reassigned to operate on the United States West Coast from Mare Island, California. The two divisions continued on and successfully completed the voyage, arriving at Cavite on 1 December.
S-3 departed Pearl Harbor on 9 November and sailed to the U.S. West Coast where she operated until mid-July 1923. On 17 July, she took departure from San Francisco Bay to retransit the Panama Canal en route to New London.
Reaching New London on 5 September, she was attached to SubDiv 2, Atlantic Fleet, and assigned experimental duty at the Submarine School at New London, assuming the duties of S-1, flagship of SubDiv 2, which was conducting special experiments with aircraft. During the remainder of 1923 and the years following, into 1927, she ranged the United States East Coast conducting training operations and evaluating new techniques in submarine development.
In July 1927, S-3 and S-1 formed SubDiv 4 and began a schedule which included operational cruises to the Panama Canal Zone in the spring months of 1928–1930. The remaining months of those years were spent in operations along the New England coast.
Early in 1931, S-3 was ordered to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for inactivation. She was decommissioned there on 24 March and laid up. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 25 January 1937 and subsequently scrapped.

S4 was built at Portsmouth N Yd, laid down on 12.1917, launched on 27.8.1919 and completed on 11.1919. She was stricken in January 1936.

She was laid down on December 1917, launched on 10 October 1919 and completed on March 1920. She was foundered on 1 September 1920.

She was laid down in January 1918, launched on 23.12.1919 and completed on May 1920. She was stricken in January 1937.

She was laid down on January 1918, launched 5 Feb. 1920 and completed in July 1920. They were stricken in stricken 1.1937.

She was laid down in November 1918, launched 21 April 1920, completed in October 1920, stricken 1.1937.

She was laid down in January 1919, launched on 17 June 1920 and completed on February 1921. She was stricken in January 1937.

She was laid down in 9.1919, launched on 1 Dec. 1920 and completed on 9.1922. Also stricken in Jan. 1936

Laid down on Dec. 1919, launched 7 Feb. 1921 and completed in January 1923, stricken in October 1945.

Laid down on Jan 1920, laid down 4 August 1921, launched in April 1923, stricken 5.1945

Laid down on February 1920, launched on 20 October 1921 and completed in July 1923. Stricken 10.1945

Built at Lake, Bridgeport, laid down on 12/1917, launched on 22.10.1919 and completed on 2.1921. Stricken 5.1945

Lake boat, laid down on 12/1917, launched 8.3.1920 and completed in January 1921. Stricken 6.1946

Lake boats, laid down in March 1918, launched 23 Dec. 1919, and completed on 12.1920. Stricken 10.1944

Lake boat laid down on April 1918, launched 22 May 1920 and completed in March 1921. Stricken 11.1944.

Electric Boat type (Second Group):

Same remarks as above.

⚙ S class specs, Electric Boat II
Displacement	497 long tons (505 t) surfaced 652 long tons (662 t) submerged
Dimensions	175 ft x 16 ft 7 in x 13 ft 11 in (53 x 5.05 x 4.24 m)
Propulsion	2× 500 hp (373 kW) Busch-Sulzer diesels, 2× 400 hp (298 kW) Diehl EM, 120-cell batt.
Speed	14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) surfaced, 11.4 knots (21.1 km/h; 13.1 mph) submerged
Range surfaced/sub.	4,700 nmi at 6.5 knots sufaced
Armament	4× 21 inches* TTs (8 torpedoes), 3 in/50 deck gun
Test Depth	200 ft (61 m)
Crew	33

S42 was laid down at Yard 1389 in Bethlehem, Quincy on December 1920, launched 30 April 1923 and completed in december 1924. Stricken 11.1945.

S43 was laid down at Yard 1390 at Bethlehem, Quincy on December 1920, launched on 31 April 1923 and completed in December 1924. She was stricken in November 1945.

S44 was laid down at Yard 1391 at Bethlehem, Quincy. She was laid down on Feb. 1921, launched on 27 Ovtober 1923 and completed in Feb. 1925. She was sunk on 7 October 1943.

S45 was laid down at Yard 1392 in Bethlehem, Quincy on December 1920, launched on 26 June 1923 and completed on April, 1925. She was stricken in Nov. 1945

S46 wa slaid down at yard 1393 in Bethlehem, Quincy on Feb. 1921, launched on 11 Sept. 1923 and completed in June 1925. She was stricken Nov. 1945

S47 was laid down at yard 1394 in Bethlehem, Quincy on Feb. 1921, launched on 5 January 1924and completed in September 1925, actually the very last boat of this class. She was stricken loke her sisters in November 1945.

The 2nd Group Lake Type:

A said above, this class was just the forced adoption of the Bureau Design by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company after the pitiful results of the uique USS S2.
Just four boats were built, and they had a relatively short careers, being axed with the 1930 London Treaty limitations. So about ten years each.

⚙ S class specs, Lake Boat II
Displacement	903 long tons surfaced 1230 long tons submerged
Dimensions	240 ft x 21 ft 8 in x 13 ft 5 in (73.2 x 6.6 x 4.1 m)
Propulsion	1800 hp 2x Busch-Sulzer diesels, 1500 hp (298 kW) 2x Diehl EM, 200-cell batt.
Speed	14.5 knots surfaced, 11 knots submerged
Range surfaced/sub.	5,900 nmi at 11 knots sufaced
Armament	4× 21 inches TTs (12 torpedoes), 4 in/50 deck gun
Test Depth	200 ft (61 m)
Crew	38

This was the ex-SS169, built at Lake, Bridgeport, laid down on 10/1920, launched on 26.2.1921, completed on 10.1922. stricken 9.1945

This was the ex-SS170, laid down on 10/1920, launched on 23.4.1921 and completed on 6.1922. Stricken 3.1931

Ex-SS171, laid down on March 1920, launched on 18 June 1921 and completed in May 1922. Stricken 3.1931

Ex-SS172, laid down on 12/1919, launched on 20.8.1921 and completed in June 1922. She wa slost in a collision on 25 September 1925.

Read More/Src

Books

The Submarine Has No Friends: Friendly Fire Incidents Involving U.S subs Douglas E. Campbell, Charles R. Hinman
Blair, Clay (2000). Hitler’s U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939–1942. London: Cassell & Co.

Links

A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE S-CLASS SUBMARINES 1918-1945 PART 1: CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE S-CLASS SUBMARINES 1918-1945 PART 2: THE GOVERNMENT BOATS
pigboats.com/S-class
web.archive.org/pigboats.com/subs/s-boats.html
history.navy.mil s-1
navweaps.com/PreWWII torps
navweaps.com 3in-50
navypedia.org/ Navy Yard type
navypedia.org/ Electric Boat type
navypedia.org/ Lake type 1st group
navypedia.org/ Lake 2nd group
navypedia.org/ 2nd group subs
wiki S-class submarine
laststandonzombieisland.com luckier-sugars/
laststandonzombieisland.com/ tough-christmas
on laststandonzombieisland.com 2-million-fighting-monster/
commons.wikimedia.org/
naval-war.com/ s-class-submarine-2
uboat.net/ S1 class
uboat.net/ S4 class
uboat.net/a S3 class
uboat.net/ S48 class
uboat.net/ S42 class
navweaps.com/ armament WWI

Videos

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on tomsmodelworks.com/