V-class (1943)

The V-class, officially the “U class, long hull”, was a late war ultimate variant of the wartime U-class, the third pillar of the British underwater Forces in world war two, especially active in the Mediterranean. These were a development of the 1937 Undine and 1940 “short hull” class, boosted by wartime experience. This class, laid down in 1942-43 and completed in 1943-45, had its stern lengthened to give an easier angle of approach of water to the propellers in order to reduce noise, with a further fining of the bows. The hull had welded framing and the riveted plating was increased from half to three-quarter of an inch, so that the operational depth limit was increased to 300ft. None was sunk in action, Some were transferred in wartime, but most were sold postwar as surplus, to Norway, Greece, France and Denmark.

Development

The U-class “long hulls”

The U class, with 49 completed, was among the unsung heroes of the British underwater service. They were the smallest of the trio mass-built in WW2, but started in the interwar, the T (large oceanic), S (medium ocanic) and the U (coastal) types. The U-class originated in fact with a March 1934 specification for a “Small, Simple, Submarine, for Anti-Submarine Training, etc.”. Almost an auxiliary type leading to the construction of the three Unity class ordered in November 1936. They became the smallest British subs since WWI. Their trademarks were a 500 tonnes standard displacement (in reality 540 long tons), a riveted steel hull 0.5 inches (13 mm) thick to dive to 200 ft (60 m), which was basically equivalent to their own length, at two meters or 10 feet difference. In case of war, they were intended either to hunt German shipping in the Baltic, or Italian lines of communication in the Mediterranean, albeit this was the job of the Marine Nationale.

Fast forward, and in September 1939 a war emergency program planned the construction of at least two main types of submarines, the large T class and smaller S-class. Then after the French defeat in June 1940, the need for submersibles in the Mediterranean urged the construction en masse of a more affordable, smaller type, a requirement for which the U-class seemed fitting like a glove. This led to the mass order of 45 “short hulls” as part of the 1940 and 1941 programmes, a simple repeat of the Undine design.

Naming

According to the recommendation of the Hopwood Committee of 1926, the boats had names beginning with the same letter in the alphabet, but the vocabulary was not that extensive for “U”, thus Churchill (which played around with names when approving construction as PM) simply suggested swapping to “V” names, while keeping the overall “U class” administrative classification, easier for the Navy to manage. Thus, the last units of the wartime U-class were HMS Vandal (initially P58), Vitality, Varangian, Varne and Vox. Most were resurrected from cancelled “V-W” destroyers of 1918. They were named after leftovers of the other wartime “V” class, destroyers related to the 1942 S-T-U-V-W superclass. Part of the 42 subs ordered still had “U” names as well: Upshot, Urtica were actually completed, but Ulex, Upas, Utopia, Unbridled, Upward, were cancelled. The four Norwegian boats received new “U” names as well. For convenience, since V class names were more numerous, we will stick to the “V class” here.

Specifics

Thus, the later U class, officially “1941 long hull” and “1942 programme”. In all, 42 were ordered, but 34 named, 8 never named, and 22 completed. They were still “500-tonners”, but reached 545 long tonnes standard instead of 540, and had many differences, chiefly as said above, an incremental improvement for depth and speed. The stern was lengthened to give an easier angle of approach of water to the propellers in order to reduce noise, with a further fining of the bows. The hull had welded framing and the riveted plating was increased from half to three-quarter of an inch, so that the operational depth limit was increased to 300ft.

Construction

Cancellations:
Barrow: Ulex, Upas, Utopia, Veto, Virile, Visitant
Vickers-Armstrong, Tyne: Unbridled, Upward, Vantage, Vehement, Venom, Verve +8 unnamed units.
Norwegian service: Venturer, Viking, Vartance and Votary (renamed Utstein, Utvaer, Utsira and Uthaug).
Greek service: Veldt in 1944—57 as Pipinios, Vengeful 1945 57 as Delfin, Virulent 1946-58 as Argonaftts, Volatile 1946-58 as Traina
French Services: Vineyard and Vortex went to France in 1944 as Doris and Morse until 1947
Danish Service: Voracious (Saelen), Vulpine (Storen), in service until 1958.

Career of the V-class

1941 “long hull” program

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1942 programme

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To be completed in 2026

To be completed in 2026

Read More/Src

Books

Walters, Derek (2004). The History of the British ‘U’ Class Submarine. Leo Cooper.
Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1922–46

Links

https://uboat.net/allies/warships/class.html?ID=51&navy=HMS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_V-class_submarine
https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/v_class.htm

Videos

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Model Kits

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3D

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