Fantastic Choices Gio,
Poltava has said it before ; it's the small indigenous vessels and objects that are most useful to
Mission and Campaign designers. An small unarmed trawler can be made part of any mission over water
- maritime or inland water , while Yamato or Bismark while significant and very impressive from historical ,
military and visual perspectives , can only be used in so many missions - especially if historically designed.
These are great choices , most especially the Upholder (U Class) Subs.
U class Submarines :
49 ships
The submarine HMS Unruly of the Royal Navy.
Technical information
Type Submarine
Displacement 540 / 730 BRT
Length 191.5 feet
Complement 27 men
Armament 3 MG AA
6 21" torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 bow external)
10 torpedoes
Max speed 11.75 / 9 knots (surfaced/submerged)
Engines Diesel / Electric, 2 shafts
Power 615 / 825 HP (surfaced/submerged)
Notes on class
The U class were originally developed as unarmed training boats to replace the WWI H-class. They were fitted with torpedo tubes to allow them to be used operationally. Small and manoeuvrable (630 tons) they were well suited to the confined waters of the North Sea and Mediterranean. They were succeeded replaced by the very similar but partially welded V-class. Cheap, reliable and quickly produced, these were the workhorses of the wartime submarine service.
The specifications as given above are for the first group.
Further specifications on the later groups;
2nd Group;
Same as the first group except;
Complement: 31 men
Lenght: same as for the first group except: Umpire, Una, Unbeaten ,Undaunted, Union and Urchin 196.75 feet
Armament:
1 3" gun
3 MG AA
6 21" torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 bow external) except Umpire, Una, Unbeaten ,Undaunted, Union and Urchin 4 21" torpedo tubes (4 bow)
10 torpedoes except Umpire, Una, Unbeaten ,Undaunted, Union and Urchin 8 torpedoes
3th group;
Same as the first group except;
Displacement: 545 / 740 BRT
Complement: 31 men
Lenght: 196.75 feet
Armament:
1 3" gun
3 MG AA
4 21" torpedo tubes (4 bow)
8 torpedoes
Speed:14.25 / 9 knots
All ships of the U class
First Group
Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)
HMS Undine (i) (N 48) Lost on 7 Jan 1940
HMS Unity (N 66) Lost on 29 Apr 1940
HMS Ursula (N 59) (Became the Soviet submarine V-4)
Soviet Navy (more on Soviet Navy)
V-4 (ex. HMS Ursula)
Second Group
Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)
HMS Umpire (N 82) Lost on 19 Jul 1941
HMS Una (N 87)
HMS Unbeaten (N 93) Lost on 11 Nov 1942
HMS Undaunted (i) (N 55) Lost on 11 May 1941
HMS Union (N 56) Lost on 20 Jul 1941
HMS Unique (N 95) Lost on 24 Oct 1942
HMS Upholder (N 99) Lost on 14 Apr 1942
HMS Upright (N 89)
HMS Urchin (N 97) (Became the Polish submarine Sokol)
HMS Urge (N 17) Lost on 6 May 1942
HMS Usk (i) (N 65) Lost on 3 May 1941
HMS Utmost (N 19) Lost on 25 Nov 1942
from Uboat.net
"Under the command of Lt.Cdr. Malcolm David Wanklyn, RN (VC, DSO) HMS Upholder was the most successful of all British submarines. She made 25 war patrols while based with the 10th Submarine Flotilla at Malta. In all HMS Upholder is reported to have sunk 2 destroyers, 3 submarines, 3 transports, 10 supply ships, 2 tankers and 1 trawler, totalling 128353 BRT.
On 12 April 1942 HMS Upholder was ordered to form a patrol line with HMS Urge and HMS Thrasher to intercept a convoy. It is not known if this signal was received and the submarine failed to return to harbour on her due date.
A number of theories exist as to the fate of HMS Upholder, however the most likely is reported below. HMS Upholder was reported overdue on 14 April 1942.
Mr. Francesco Mattesini, naval historian accredited to the Italian Navy Historical Office, has provided some details which are likely to explain how Upholder was lost:
On 14 April 1942 a sub was detected by the air escorts while approaching a convoy in the Tripoli area. The planes were 2 Messerschmitt Bf.110 of 8/ZG.26 and 2 Do.17 of 10/ZG.26. They attacked the submerged boat and within a very short time sighted a dark patch surfacing, indicative of leaking oil.
The planes dropped smoke floats on the position, 34º47'N, 16º55'E. No further sound or echo was obtained after this time.
Despite British claims that Upholder should have been far away, there is no sub reporting this attack, the visual contact was definite and there is reasonable certainty of a sinking or severe damage, therefore it is believed this attack accounted for Upholder's demise."
These are very Nice.
Kopfdorfer
Author
Topic: New little and old ships (Read 8548 times)
