S-type (Sargo/Salmon) class submarines were in service with the
U.S. Navy in 1939. They had features that were brand new for the time, though
easily taken for granted including flushing toilets, air conditioning and
provisions for cold food storage.
Armament: 8 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, split evenly fore and
aft. There was internal storage for 20 torpedoes though some earlier models
also had mountings for 4 external torpedoes that could be brought inside to
re-load when surfaced. Additionally there was a deck gun, sometimes a 3 inch
cannon or a .50 caliber machine gun.
Performance: 16-21 knots 39 kph on the surface 8-9 knots
submerged. The operating depth was 250 feet though the crush depth was estimated
at a little over 500 feet.
Dimensions: The listed dimensions vary, but are generally given as
308 feet (93.9 meters) long by 26 feet (7.9 meters) wide.
Displacement: 1,435 tons surfaced, 2,198 tons submerged (1,458/2,233
metric tons)
Propulsion: Four diesel engines rated at 2,740 shaft horsepower. Two
generator/engines for submerged running with two auxiliary generator/engines.
The electric motors charged and drew from two storage batteries of 126 lead/acid
cells each.
Construction: 7 individual watertight compartments. Double hulls
amidships protecting the command compartments. The hull was fashioned from
approximately 11-16 inch mild steel.
Endurance: 109,000 gallons of fuel giving an 11,000 mile surfaced
range at 10 knots. 75 days of patrol endurance. Submerged the boat can make 2
knots for 48 hours.
Other features: flushing toilets that worked submerged, air
conditioning and cold food storage.
Hull History, suitable for importing into a spreadsheet.
Number,Name,Keel,Launched,Commision,Decomission,Stricken,Yard,Notes
SS-188,Sargo,12/05/1937,06/06/1938,07/02/1939,22/06/1946,19/07/1946,EB,
SS-189,Saury,28/06/1937,20/08/1938,03/04/1939,22/06/1946,19/07/1946,EB,
SS-190,Spearfish,09/09/1937,29/10/1938,19/07/1939,22/06/1946,19/07/1946,EB,
SS-191,Sculpin,07/09/1937,27/07/1938,16/01/1939,19/11/1943,Po,sunk 19/11/1943
SS-192,Squalus/Sailfish,18/10/1937,14/09/1938,01/02/1939 /
15/05/1940,15/11/1939 /
27/10/1945,30/04/1948,Po,sunk 23/05/1939/raised after 113 days
SS-193,Swordfish,27/10/1937,01/04/1938,22/07/1939,12/01/1945,MI,sunk 12/01/1945
SS-194,Seadragon,18/04/1938,11/04/1938,23/10/1939,15/11/1945,30/04/1948,EB,
SS-195,Sealion,20/06/1938,25/05/1938,27/11/1939,25/12/1941,EB,destr. 25/12/1941
SS-196,Searaven,09/08/1938,21/06/1938,02/10/1939,11/12/1946,21/10/1948,Po,target 11/09/1948
SS-197,Seawolf,27/09/1938,15/08/1938,01/12/1939,03/10/1944,20/01/1945,Po,sunk 01/10/1944
EB = The Electric Boat Co. / Po = Portsmouth Naval Yard / MI = Mare
Island Naval Yard |
