NAVYPEDIA

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  Cuttlefish 1930s

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
SS170	Cachalot		Portsmouth N Yd	10.1931	19.10.1933	12/1933	stricken 11.1945
SS171	Cuttlefish	17	Electric Boat, Groton	10.1931	21.11.1933	6.1934	stricken 7.1946

Technical data

Displacement standard, t
Displacement normal, t	1120 / 1650
Length, m	80.8 wl 82.9 oa
Breadth, m	7.54
Draught, m	4.27
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 MAN diesels / 2 electric motors
Power, h. p.	2770 / 1600
Max speed, kts	17 / 8
Fuel, t	diesel oil 333
Endurance, nm(kts)	9000 (12) / 50 (5)
Armament	1 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 17/18, 3 x 1 - 12.7/90, 6 - 533 TT (16, 4 bow, 2 stern)
Electronic equipment	QC, JK sonars
Complement	51
Diving depth operational, m	75

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Occurrence of these boats with small (to the American measures) displacements speaks by several reasons. First, accepted by the London Naval conference of 1930 limitation assigned on displacement of submarines left only one way for increase in number of these ships: reduction of their dimensions. Secondly, the comparison of Dolphin with from one of the best German submarine of First World War U135 appeared not in favour of the American submarine which at appreciable bigger displacement exceeded German sub only in an endurance, yielding on the majority of remaining characteristics.

Taking into account these factors the project of new submarine, with German "roots" was ready, but fulfilled on new technological level, in particular, with wide usage of welding instead of traditional riveting. Double-hulled, diesels driven shafts directly.

Though a number of experts also responded Cachalot as not quite successful ship, she became ancestor of the majority later fleet submarines of the USN.

Modernizations

1938, both: diesels were replaced by more powerful ones (3100hp)

1940s, both: + SD, SJ radars

1.1946, SS171: 6 - 533 TT (4 bow, 2 stern, 16), 1 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 11, 3 x 1 - 12.7/90, SD, SJ radars, QC, JK sonars

Naval service

No significant events.