Tench-class submarine
Class overview | |
---|---|
Builders | |
Operators | |
Preceded by | Balao class |
Succeeded by | Barracuda class |
Subclasses | Corsair class |
Built | 1944–1951[2] |
In commission | 1944–present[2] |
Completed | 29[3] |
Cancelled | 51[3] |
Active | 1[3][needs update] |
Lost | 1[3] |
Retired | 27[3] |
Preserved | 3 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Diesel-electric submarine |
Displacement | |
Length | 311 ft 8 in – 311 ft 9 in (95.0 m)[3] |
Beam | 27 ft 3 in – 27 ft 4 in (8.3 m)[3] |
Draft | 17 ft (5.2 m) maximum[3] |
Propulsion | |
Speed | |
Range | 11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h)[4] |
Endurance |
|
Test depth | 400 ft (120 m)[5] |
Complement | 10 officers, 71 enlisted[5] |
Armament |
Tench-class submarines were a type of
Design
The as-built
A design weakness of earlier classes solved by the Tench re-design were the ballast tank vent riser pipes that passed through the interior of the boat in the forward and after torpedo rooms. These pipes allowed #1 and #7 Main Ballast Tanks (MBT) (located in the single hull sections of the boat) to vent air during diving, which allowed water to flood into them from below. The tops of these tanks formed the walking deck in the interior of both rooms and thus the normal location of the vent valves (the top of the tank) could not be used. The riser pipes allowed the tanks to vent, but when the tanks were full these pipes contained water at full submergence pressure inside the torpedo rooms. If these pipes ruptured during depth charge attack, catastrophic flooding would occur. Solving this problem initially proved quite difficult, but ultimately required the complete rearrangement of the ballast tanks. #1 MBT was moved to a location forward of the end of the pressure hull, thus allowing it to vent directly into the superstructure like the rest of the MBT's. This move eliminated the riser pipes completely. #7 MBT, after stability and buoyancy calculations were run, was found to be redundant and was converted to a variable fuel oil/ballast tank, increasing the class's surfaced range. These changes forced a rearrangement of the associated piping runs and locations of many of the other tanks. Being almost entirely internal, these changes resulted in a boat that was visually almost indistinguishable from the earlier Balao class, with the exception of a sharper angle (or knuckle) at the lower corner of the bow (only visible when the boat was drydocked). Another difference was the elimination of small bulges around the motor room that previously accommodated the reduction gears.[8]
A significant benefit of the tank rearrangement was that these boats could carry four additional torpedoes in the forward torpedo room, for a total of 28. This was a change that had been asked for by submarine crews much earlier, but could not be accommodated in the earlier designs due to the lack of space in the torpedo rooms.[9]
Many targets in the
Mine armament
Like the previous Tambor/Gar, Gato and Balao classes, the Tench class could substitute mines in place of torpedoes. For the Mk 10 and Mk 12 type mines used in World War II, each torpedo could be replaced by as many as two mines, giving the submarine a true maximum capacity of 56 mines. However, doctrine was to retain at least four torpedoes on mine laying missions, which further limits the capacity. The maximum is often stated as 40 mines in various publications because the authors simply used previous limitations of the Gato and Balao classes, and included the four torpedo doctrine. In practice, during the war, submarines went out with at least 8 torpedoes, and the largest minefields laid were 32 mines. Post-war, the Mk 49 mine replaced the Mk 12, while the larger Mk 27 mine was also carried which only allowed one mine replacing one torpedo. [11]
Ships in class
29 of these boats were built during and after World War II, commissioned from October 1944 through February 1951, with 11 commissioned postwar.[12][13] None of this class were lost in World War II. Ghazi (ex-Diablo (SS-479)) was lost in Pakistani service on 4 December 1971 during the Indo-Pakistani Naval War of 1971, possibly due to a minelaying accident.[12] Some of the class served actively in the US Navy through the middle 1970s, others served into the 1990s with foreign navies, and one (Hai Shih ex-Cutlass) is still active in Taiwan's Republic of China Navy.
With one exception, these boats were all built at government owned shipyards;
Cancellations
A total of 125 U.S. submarines were cancelled during World War II, all but three between 29 July 1944 and 12 August 1945. The exceptions were USS Wahoo (SS-516), Unicorn (SS-436), and Walrus (SS-437), cancelled 7 January 1946. References vary considerably as to how many of these were Balaos and how many were Tenches. Some references simply assume all submarines numbered after SS-416 were Tench class; however, Trumpetfish (SS-425) and Tusk (SS-426) were completed as Balaos.[15] This yields 10 cancelled Balaos, SS-353-360 and 379–380. The Register of Ships of the U. S. Navy differs, considering every submarine not specifically ordered as a Tench to be a Balao, and further projecting SS-551-562 as a future class.[3] This yields 62 cancelled Balao- , 51 cancelled Tench-, and 12 cancelled "SS-551"-class boats. Two of the cancelled Tench-class boats, Unicorn, and Walrus, were launched incomplete, never commissioned, but listed with the reserve fleet until struck in 1958 and scrapped in 1959. The cancelled hull numbers, including those launched incomplete, were SS-353-360 (Balao), 379–380 (Balao), 427–434 (Balao), 436–437 (Tench), 438–474 (Balao), 491–521 (Tench), 526-529 (Tench), 530–536 (Balao), 537-550 (Tench), and 551-562 (future).[3]
Service
Ten of the 29 Tench-class submarines were completed in time to conduct war patrols in
Postwar, 24 of the 29 Tenches were modernized under the Fleet Snorkel and Greater Underwater Propulsion Power (
Interested in maintaining a ready pool of trained reservists, the Navy assigned at least 58 submarines from 1946 to 1971 to various coastal and inland ports (even in Great Lakes ports such as Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago), where they served as training platforms during the Reservists' weekend drills. At least three Tench-class boats served in this capacity. In this role, the boats were rendered incapable of diving and had their propellers removed. They were used strictly as pierside trainers. These were in commission but classed as "in commission in reserve", thus some were decommissioned and recommissioned on the same day to reflect the change in status.[18][19][20]
Foreign service
The large numbers of relatively modern, but surplus U.S. fleet submarines proved to be popular in sales, loans, or leases to allied foreign navies. Fourteen Tench-class submarines were transferred to foreign navies, most after serving over 25 years in the US Navy. These included 2 to Turkey, 1 to Greece, 2 to Italy, 1 to Pakistan, 1 to Canada, 4 to Brazil, 1 to Venezuela, 1 to Peru, and 1 to Taiwan.
As of 2020 the Taiwanese Hai Shih-class had largest weapons load[vague] of any conventional submarines in the world.[22]
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Taiwanese Hai Shih ex-Cutlass still in service
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PNS Ghazi
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HMCS Rainbow
GUPPY and other conversions
At the end of
Although there was some variation in the GUPPY conversion programs, generally the original two Sargo batteries were replaced by four more compact Guppy (GUPPY I and II only) or Sargo II batteries via significant re-utilization of below-deck space, usually including removal of auxiliary diesels. All of these battery designs were of the
GUPPY I
Two Tench-class boats, Odax and Pomodon, were converted as prototypes for the GUPPY program in 1947. They proved very successful, though not initially fitted with snorkels. Pomodon achieved 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) while Odax made 18.2 Knots submerged on trials, though even the increased battery capacity only allowed one hour of operation at that speed. However, banking and depth control problems resulting from the high speed were noted and eventually compensated for. An advantage of streamlining was that active sonar detection range against a GUPPY was reduced by about 10%, and the higher submerged speed also severely impacted anti-submarine warfare efforts.[25]
GUPPY II
This was the first production GUPPY conversion, with most conversions occurring in 1947–49. Eleven Tench-class boats received GUPPY II upgrades (Amberjack, Cutlass, Grampus, Grenadier, Odax, Pickerel, Pomodon, Remora, Sea Leopard, Sirago, and Volador), including the two GUPPY I prototypes in 1951. This was the only production conversion with Guppy batteries.
GUPPY IA
This was developed as a more cost-effective alternative to GUPPY II. Tench was converted in 1951. The less expensive Sargo II battery was introduced, along with other cost-saving measures.
Fleet Snorkel
The Fleet Snorkel program was developed as an austere, cost-effective alternative to full GUPPY conversions, with significantly less improvement in submerged performance. Eight Tench-class boats received this upgrade (Argonaut, Diablo - immediately prior to foreign transfer to Pakistan as Ghazi, Irex, Medregal, Requin, Runner, Spinax, and Torsk). Most Fleet Snorkel conversions occurred 1951–52. Notably, the original pair of Sargo batteries was not upgraded. Each boat received a streamlined sail with a snorkel, along with upgraded sonar, air conditioning, and ESM. A few boats initially retained a 5-inch/25 caliber deck gun, but this was removed in the 1950s.
GUPPY IIA
This was generally similar to GUPPY IA, except one of the forward diesel engines was removed to relieve machinery overcrowding. Four Tench-class boats (Quillback, Thornback, Tirante, and Trutta) received GUPPY IIA upgrades in 1952–54.
GUPPY IB
This was developed as an austere upgrade for two Gato-class and two Balao-class boats prior to transfer to foreign navies ( 2 each to Italy and The Netherlands ) in 1953–55. They lacked the sonar and electronics upgrades of other GUPPY conversions. No Tench-class boats were converted under this upgrade.
GUPPY III
Nine submarines, three of them belonging to the Tench class (Pickerel, Remora, and Volador), were upgraded from GUPPY II to GUPPY III in 1959–63 as part of the
Radar picket
The advent of the kamikaze demonstrated the need for a long range radar umbrella around the fleet. Radar picket destroyers and destroyer escorts were put into service, but they proved vulnerable in this role as they could be attacked as well, leaving the fleet blind. A submarine, though, could dive and escape aerial attack. Four submarines including the Tench-class boat Remora prototyped the concept at the end of World War II but were not used in this role.[29] Ten fleet submarines were later converted for this role in 1946–53 and redesignated SSR as radar picket submarines. Three Tench-class boats (Requin, Spinax, and Tigrone) were among those converted, the first two in 1946 under Project Migraine I.[30] Tigrone would be converted under Migraine II (aka project SCB 12) in 1948, and the other two would be upgraded to this standard with powerful air search and height finding radars installed on masts, and with the after torpedo room converted into an electronics space with torpedoes and tubes removed.[31]
The SSRs proved only moderately successful, as the radars themselves proved troublesome and somewhat unreliable, and the boats' surface speed was insufficient to protect a fast-moving carrier group. The radars were removed and the boats reverted to general purpose submarines after 1959.[32][33]
Sonar test submarines
Tigrone, formerly a radar picket submarine, was redesignated as an AGSS and converted to a sonar test submarine in 1963–64. She was given a unique configuration to test developmental sonar for the
Follow-on studies
In late 1944, the
Museums
Three Tench-class submarines are on display for the general public.
- Kamin Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.[36]
- USS Torsk (SS-423), moored at Pier Three, Baltimore's Inner Harbor, (alongside the National Aquarium in Baltimore) in Maryland.[37]
- TCG Uluçalireis (S 338) (ex-USS Thornback (SS-418)), on display at Rahmi M. Koç Museum, Golden Horn in Istanbul.[38]
See also
References
Citations
- ^ A Visual Guide to the U.S. Fleet Submarines Part Three: Balao and Tench Classes 1942–1950 pp. 14 & 17, Johnston, David (2012) PigBoats.COM
- ^ ISBN 1-55750-263-3.
- ^ ISBN 0-313-26202-0.
- ^ a b Friedman through 1945, pp. 209, 351
- ^ a b c d e f g U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311
- ^ a b U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311
- ^ Lenton, H. T. American Submarines (Doubleday, 1973), p.101.
- ^ a b Johnston, pp. 11
- ^ Johnston, pp.11–12
- ^ Friedman through 1945, pp. 214-219
- ^ ORD696 Operational Characteristics of U.S. Naval Mines
- ^ a b Bauer and Roberts, pp. 280-282
- ^ This includes USS Sirago (SS-485), commissioned on 13 August 1945, the day hostilities ceased, as postwar.
- ^ Johnston, pp. 13–14
- ^ Silverstone, pp. 203–204; Gardiner and Chesneau, pp. 145–147.
- ^ a b GUPPY and other diesel boat conversions page Archived 9 July 2012 at archive.today
- ^ Hsu, Tso-Juei (25 July 2021). "Taiwan's First Indigenous Submarine to be Launched Ahead of Schedule". Naval News. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
- ^ Friedman 1995, p. 285
- ^ Reserve Training Boats at SubmarineSailor.com
- ^ a b Friedman since 1945, pp. 228–231
- ISBN 0-7146-8436-8. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
- ^ Sutton, H I. "World Submarine Rankings: Weapons Load". www.hisutton.com. H I Sutton. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ Friedman since 1945, p. 41
- ^ Friedman since 1945, pp. 35–43
- ^ Friedman since 1945, pp. 40–41
- ^ Friedman since 1945, p. 37
- ^ Friedman since 1945, pp. 16–17
- ^ Friedman since 1945, p. 43
- ^ Friedman since 1945, p. 253
- ^ Friedman since 1945, p. 91
- ^ Friedman since 1945, pp. 91-93
- ^ "Whitman, Edward C. "Cold War Curiosities: U.S. Radar Picket Submarines", Undersea Warfare, Winter-Spring 2002, Issue 14". Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ Friedman since 1945, pp. 90–94
- ^ Friedman since 1945, pp. 70–72, 251
- ^ Friedman through 1945, pp. 248–251
- ^ USS Requin website at Kamin Science Center
- ^ "USS Torsk at Historic Ships in Baltimore website". Archived from the original on 8 September 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ^ "Marine exhibits at Rahmi M. Koç Museum website". Archived from the original on 29 September 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
Sources
- Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. ISBN 1-55750-263-3.
- Friedman, Norman (1994). U.S. Submarines Since 1945: An Illustrated Design History. ISBN 1-55750-260-9.
- Johnston, David L., A Visual Guide to the U.S. Fleet Submarines Part Five: Balao and Tench Classes 1942-1950, 2024
- Gardiner, Robert and Chesneau, Roger, Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946, Conway Maritime Press, 1980. ISBN 0-83170-303-2.
- Lenton, H.T. American Submarines. New York: Doubleday, 1973.
- Silverstone, Paul H., U.S. Warships of World War II, Ian Allan, 1965, ISBN 0-87021-773-9.
External links
- Fleet Type Submarine Training Manual Archived 5 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine San Francisco Maritime Museum
- Description of GUPPY conversions at RNSubs.co.uk
- GUPPY and other diesel boat conversions page (partial archive)
- Navsource.org fleet submarines photo index page
- DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com 5"/25 caliber gun