NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Orzeł 1940 Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Orzeł		205	De Schelde, Vlissingen, Netherlands	8/1936	15.1.1938	2/1939	lost 5-6/1940
Sęp		196	Rotterdamsche Droogdok Mij, Netherlands	11/1936	17.10.1938	4/1939	interned in Sweden 17.9.1939 - 10.1945, stricken 9.1969

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	1100
Displacement normal, t	1473 / 1650
Length, m	84.0
Breadth, m	6.70
Draught, m	4.17
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 Sulzer diesels / 2 BBC electric motors
Power, h. p.	4740 / 1100
Max speed, kts	19.4 / 9
Fuel, t	diesel oil 123
Endurance, nm(kts)	7000(10) / 100(5)
Armament	1 x 1 - 105/41 Bofors QF, 1 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors, 1 x 2 - 13.2/76, 12 - 550 TT (4 bow, 4 stern, 2 x 2 trainable, 20, can use 533mm torpedoes)
Electronic equipment	presumably sonar
Complement	60
Diving depth operational, m	80

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

In the early thirties in Poland campaign for fund raising among the population on building of big submarine was developed. To the middle of 1935 the necessary sum has been collected, and submarine, named Orzeł was ordered in Netherlands. Simultaneously on the budget means building of Sęp was ordered. As the starting point in designing Dutch O16 served. In comparison with a predecessor, Polish submarines were larger, faster and had stronger armament. Already on their basis for Dutch Navy subsequently O19 was built.

Double-hulled. Endurance was 90 days. At building welding was widely used. 8 TTs from 12 were placed in the pressure hull, four more out of a pressure hull in two trainable twin mounts fwd and aft from CT. Interesting feature of this class was following: 550mm TTs were possible to launch both 550mm and 533mm torpedoes.

Modernizations

1946, Sęp: was fully rearmed with 1 x 1 - 100/51 B-24PL, 12 - 533 TT (8 bow, 4 stern, 16)

1958, Sęp: - 1 x 1 - 100/51; + radar, new sonar

Naval service

Orzeł at beginning of war escaped to Britain and arrived Rosyth 14.10.1939. Since 25.5.1940 she was lost in the North Sea (on one data, she was lost on 25.5.1940 on British mine, or approximately 8.6.1940 — on German mine).

Sęp was interned 17.9.1939 in Sweden. After war in October, 1945 she returned to Poland.

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