Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
United States S class submarine
The United State's S-class submarines, often simply called the S-boats, were the first class of submarines built to a United States Navy design. (Note that many other navies had an "S class submarine;" see that disambiguation page for more information.)
The first S-boat, S-1 (SS-105), was commissioned in 1918 and the last, S-51 (SS-162), in 1925. The S class is subdivided into four groups of slightly different designs:
- Group I, (the S-1 or "Holland" class): S-1 and S-18 through S-41, built by Bethlehem Steel at Quincy, Massachusetts, and San Francisco, California.
- Group II, (the S-2 or "Lake" class): S-2 through S-17, built at the Portsmouth Navy Yard and Lake Torpedo Boat at Bridgeport, Connecticut.
- Group III, (the S-42 class): S-42 through S-47, built by Bethlehem Steel at Quincy, Massachusetts.
- Group IV, (the S-48 class): S-48 through S-51, built by Bethlehem Steel at Quincy, Massachusetts.
The United States Navy commissioned 48 S-Class submarines between 1920 and 1922. The first of the S-boats, S-1 was launched on 26 September 1918 at the Fore River Shipbuilding Company, which was acting as subcontractor for Electric Boat, but not commissioned until 5 June 1920.
These boats saw service in World War II in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. Smaller and slower than many of the submarines produced for war service, these boats were used in reconnaisance and supply roles. The majority of the boats that survived war service were scrapped in 1946.
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General characteristics
Group I
- Displacement: 854 tons surfaced; 1062 tons submerged
- Length: 219 ft 3 in (67 m)
- Propulsion: 2 x New London Ship and Engine diesels, 2 x Electro Dynamic, Ridgeway, or General Electric motors
- Power: 1200 hp (890 kW) surfaced; 1500 hp (1120 kW) submerged
- Speed: 14.5 knots (27 km/h) surfaced; 11 knots (20 km/h) submerged
- Range: 5000 miles (8000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced
- Depth: 200 ft (61 m)
- Armament: 4 x forward 21 in (533 mm) tubes, 12 torpedoes; 1 x 4 in (102 mm) 50 caliber gun, 1 x .50 caliber (12.7mm) machine gun
- Crew: 42 officers and men
- Boats in Group: S-1 and S-18 through S-41
Group II
- Displacement: 876 tons surfaced; 1092 tons submerged
- Length: 231 ft (70 m)
- Propulsion: 2 x M.A.N or Bush Selzer diesels, 2 x Westinghouse motors
- Power: 2000 hp (1490 kW) surfaced; 1200 hp (890 kW) submerged
- Speed: 15 knots surfaced; 11 knots (20 km/h) submerged
- Range: 5000 miles (8000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced
- Depth: 200 ft (61 m)
- Armament: 4 x forward 21 in (533 mm) tubes, 12 torpedoes; 1 x 4 in (102 mm) 50 caliber gun, 1 x .50 caliber (12.7mm) machine gun
- Crew: 42 officers and men
- Boats in Group: S-2 through S-17
Group III
- Displacement: 906 tons surfaced; 1126 tons submerged
- Length: 225 ft (69 m)
- Propulsion: 2 x New London Ship & Engine diesels, 2 x Electro Dynamic motors
- Power: 1200 hp (890 kW) surfaced; 1500 hp (1120 kW) submerged
- Speed: 14.5 knots (27 km/h) surfaced; 11 knots (20 km/h) submerged
- Range: 5000 miles (8000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced
- Depth: 200 ft (61 m)
- Armament: 4 x 21 in (533 mm) forward tubes, 12 torpedoes; 1 x 4 in (102 mm) 50 caliber gun, 1 x .50 caliber (12.7mm) machine gun
- Crew: 42 officers and men
- Boats in Group: S-42 through S-47
Group IV
- Displacement: 903 tons surfaced; 1230 tons submerged
- Length: 265 ft (81 m)
- Propulsion: 2 x Bush Selzer diesels, 2 x Ridgeway motors
- Power: 1800 hp (1340 kW) surfaced; 1500 hp (1120 kW) submerged
- Speed: 14.5 knots (27 km/h) surfaced; 11 knots (20 km/h) submerged
- Range: 8000 miles (13000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced
- Depth: 200 ft (61 m)
- Armament: 4 x forward 21 in (533 mm) tubes, 1 x aft, 14 torpedoes;
1 x 4 in (102 mm) 50 caliber gun, 1 x .50 caliber (12.7mm) machine gun
- Crew: 42 officers and men
- Boats in Group: S-48 through S-51
S-boat fates
All S-boats were scrapped after World War II except those listed below.
Lost at sea between wars
Scrapped between World War I and World War II
Transfered to the Royal Navy during World War II
Lost during World War II
- S-26 (SS-131) was destroyed in a collision
- S-27 (SS-132), S-36 (SS-141), and S-39 (SS-144) were wrecked when they ran aground
- S-28 (SS-133) was wrecked by a flooding casualty
- S-44 (SS-155) was lost to enemy action
- S-49 (SS-160) foundered and sank in the Patuxent River
See also
External links
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