NAVYPEDIA

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Archimède 1944 Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate	Modification
Redoutable	Q136	Q47	Arsenal de Cherbourg	1924	24.2.1928	7.1931	scuttled 27.11.1942	1st series
Vengeur	Q137	Q48	Arsenal de Cherbourg	1924	1.9.1928	12.1931	scuttled 27.11.1942	1st series
Pascal	Q138		Arsenal de Brest	1925	19.7.1928	9.1931	scuttled 27.11.1942	1st series
Pasteur	Q139		Arsenal de Brest	1925	19.7.1928	9.1932	scuttled 18.6.1940	1st series
Henri Poincaré	Q140		Arsenal de Lorient	1925	10.4.1929	12.1931	scuttled 27.11.1942	1st series
Poncelet	Q141		Arsenal de Lorient	1925	10.4.1929	9.1932	scuttled 8.11.1940	1st series
Archimède	Q142, 1945- S01	80	CNF, Caen	1927	6.9.1930	12.1932	FNFL 11.1942, sold 2.1952	1st series
Fresnel	Q143	Z5	A C de St-Nazaire-Penhoët	1927	8.6.1929	2.1931	scuttled 27.11.1942	1st series
Monge	Q144		F C de la Méditerranée, La Seyne	1927	25.6.1929	6.1932	sunk 8.5.1942	1st series
Achille	Q147		Arsenal de Brest	1927	28.5.1930	6.1933	scuttled 18.6.1940	1st series
Ajax	Q148		Arsenal de Brest	1927	28.5.1930	2.1934	sunk 24.9.1940	1st series
Actéon	Q149		A C de la Loire, Nantes	1927	10.4.1929	12.1931	sunk 8.11.1942	1st series
Achéron	Q150		A C de la Loire, Nantes	1927	6.8.1929	2.1932	scuttled 27.11.1942	1st series
Argo	Q151		A C Dubigeon, Nantes	1927	11.4.1929	2.1933	FNFL 1.1943, sold 4.1946	1st series
Prométhée	Q153	Q50	Arsenal de Cherbourg	1927	1930	1932	lost 8.7.1932	1st series
Persée	Q154		CNF, Caen	1928	23.5.1931	6.1934	sunk 23.9.1940	1st series
Protée	Q155		F C de la Méditerranée, La Seyne	1928	31.7.1930	11.1932	FNFL 1.1943, sunk 29.12.1943	1st series
Pégase	Q156		A C de la Loire, Nantes	1928	28.7.1930	6.1932	paid off 9.1941, BU 1941 - 1945	1st series
Phénix	Q157		A C Dubigeon, Nantes	1928	12.4.1930	1932	lost 15.6.1939	1st series
L`Espoire	Q167	Q51	Arsenal de Cherbourg	1929	18.7.1931	2.1934	scuttled 27.11.1942	2nd series
Le Glorieux	Q168, 1945- S02	Q52	A C de St-Nazaire-Penhoët	1929	29.11.1931	6.1934	FNFL 12.1942, sold 10.1952	2nd series
Le Centaure	Q169, 1945- S04		Arsenal de Brest	1929	14.10.1932	1.1935	FNFL 1.1943, sold 6.1952	2nd series
Le Héros	Q170		Arsenal de Brest	1929	14.10.1932	9.1936	sunk 7.5.1942	2nd series
Le Conquérant	Q171		A C de la Loire, Nantes	1930	26.6.1934	9.1936	sunk 13.11.1942	2nd series
Le Tonnant	Q172		F C de la Méditerranée, La Seyne	1930	15.12.1934	6.1937	scuttled 15.11.1942	2nd series
Agosta	Q178	Q53	Arsenal de Cherbourg	1930	30.4.1934	2.1937	scuttled 18.6.1940	3rd series
Bévéziers	Q179	Q55	Arsenal de Cherbourg	1931	14.10.1935	6.1937	sunk 5.5.1942	3rd series
Ouessant	Q180	Q56	Arsenal de Cherbourg	1931	30.11.1936	1.1939	scuttled 18.6.1940	3rd series
Sidi-Ferruch	Q181	Q60	Arsenal de Cherbourg	1931	9.7.1937	1.1939	sunk 11.11.1942	3rd series
Sfax	Q182		A C de la Loire, Nantes	1931	6.12.1934	9.1936	sunk 19.12.1940	3rd series
Casabianca	Q183, 1945- S03		A C de la Loire, Nantes	1931	2.2.1935	1.1937	FNFL 12.1942, sold 2.1952	3rd series

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	1384
Displacement normal, t	1570 / 2084
Length, m	92.0 pp 92.3 oa
Breadth, m	8.20
Draught, m	4.70
No of shafts	2
Machinery	Redoutable, Vengeur, Pascal, Henri Poincaré, Fresnel, Monge, Actéon, Achéron, Protée, Pégase, Phénix, L'Espoire, Le Glorieux, Le Héros, Le Conquérant, Le Tonnant, Agosta, Bévéziers, Ouessant, Sidi-Ferruch, Sfax, Casabianca: 2 Sulzer diesels / 2 electric motors Pasteur, Poncelet, Archimède, Achille, Ajax, Argo, Prométhée, Persée, Le Centaure: 2 Schneider diesels / 2 electric motors
Power, h. p.	1st series: 6000 / 2000 2nd series: 7200 / 2000 3rd series: 8000 / 2000
Max speed, kts	1st series: 17 / 10 2nd series: 19 / 10 3rd series: 20 / 10
Fuel, t	diesel oil 95
Endurance, nm(kts)	10000(10) / 100(5)
Armament	1 x 1 - 100/45 M1925, 1 x 2 - 13.2/76, 9 - 550 TT (4 bow, 1 x 3 ext, 1 x 2 (in quadruple two-caliber mounting), 11), 2 - 400 TT (1 x 2 in quadruple two-caliber mounting, 2)
Electronic equipment	hydrophone
Complement	61
Diving depth operational, m	80

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Formally concerned to two designs: first two to "M5"  and others to "1500ton" "M6". Built under 1924 (2 boats), 1925 (7 boats), 1926 (5 boats), 1927 (3 boats), 1928-1929 (6 boats) and 1930 (6 boats) programmes.

During building minor alterations were brought into the design. Basically they concerned a machinery. So, boats of first series (first 17 submarines) had 6000hp diesels and made 17kts surfaced. Submarines of the second series (6 submarines) had 7200hp diesels and reached 19kts surfaced. 6 submarines of third series reached 20kts with 8000hp diesels. Double-hulled. As a whole they were successful ships, proved to be seaworthy and handy enough ships, had high surface speed. At the same time, to the WWII time, diving time was too long (45-50sec). In 1941 ballast tanks were partly converted for storage of additional fuel oil. It has allowed to increase surface endurance to 10000nm.

Modernizations

1941, some survived: maximal fuel stowage was 108 t.

1942, some survived: - 1 x (2 - 550, 2 - 400) TT; + 1 x 3 - 550 TT (maximal torpedo stowage was 12)

1942 - 1943, some survived: - 1 x 2 - 13.2/76; + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

1944, Archimède, Le Glorieux, Le Centaure; 1945, Casabianca: + presumably SD, SJ radars, WDA, JP sonars

Naval service

Prométhée was accidentally lost 8.7.1932 at Cherbourg, Phénix was accidentally lost 15.6.1939 off Cam Ranh.

At annexation of Gabon by Gaullists Poncelet tried to show resistance, but was damaged by British sloop Milford at Libreville and scuttled 8.11.1940. Four submarines (Pasteur, Achille, Agosta and Ouessant) were in summer 1940 under repair at Brest; they were blown up 18.6.1940 in base to avoid capture by German troops. 7 more boats were scuttled at Toulon 27.11.1942 (Redoutable, Vengeur, Pascal, Fresnel, Henri Poincaré, Achéron, L`Espoire). Redoutable, Pascal and Henri Poincaré were salvaged by Italians, but were sunk by Allied aircraft 11.3.1944, 23.3.1944 and 9.9.1944 respectively. There is also a version of scuttling of her by Italians. Two submarines were lost in September, 1940 at attack of Dakar by British and FNFL forces. Ajax became victim of British destroyer Fortune 24.9.1940, and Persée was sunk by destroyers Foresight and Inglefield 23.9.1940. Three more submarines were lost at Diego Suarez at occupancy of Madagascar by British in May, 1942. Monge was sunk by British destroyer Active 8.5.1942, Le Héros was sunk by air group of British carrier Illustrious 7.5.1942, and Bévéziers was sunk by air group of carrier Illustrious directly in harbour of Diego Suarez 5.5.1942. Four submarines were lost during operations in the North Africa. Le Conquérant was sunk by American aircraft off Villa Cisneros (Morocco) 13.11.1942. Actéon was sunk at Oran 8.11.1942 by British destroyer Westcott. Sidi Ferruch was sunk 11.11.1942 by American carrier aircraft off Casablanca. Le Tonnant received heavy damages as result of air attacks, but managed to break into Spanish waters and ran aground at Cadiz 15.11.1942. Sfax was torpedoed by German submarine U37 off Casablanca (Morocco) 19.12.1940. Protée was a part of "X" Force and was disarmed at Alexandria. In 1943 she joined Allies and was lost on a mine at Toulon 29.12.1943.

Pégase based in Indochina. In September, 1941 she was disarmed at Saigon and gradually taken apart for spares.

Casabianca and Le Glorieux left to Allies from Toulon (to Alger and Oran respectively). Archimède also in 1942 left to Allies.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.