NAVYPEDIA

Photo

  Narwhal

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
SC1, 7.1931- SS167	V5, 2.1931- Narwhal		Portsmouth N Yd	5.1927	17.12.1927	3.1930	stricken 5.1945
SC2, 7.1931- SS168	V6, 2.1931- Nautilus		Mare Island N Yd, Vallejo	5.1927	15.3.1930	7.1930	stricken 7.1945

Technical data

Displacement standard, t
Displacement normal, t	2987 / 3960
Length, m	108.2 wl 113.1 oa
Breadth, m	10.1
Draught, m	5.16
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 MAN diesels + 2 MAN diesel-generators / 2 electric motors
Power, h. p.	5633 / 1600
Max speed, kts	17.4 / 8
Fuel, t	diesel oil 732
Endurance, nm(kts)	18000 (10) / 50 (5)
Armament	2 x 1 - 152/53 Mk 12.14, 2 x 1 - 12.7/90, 6 - 533 TT (12, 4 bow, 2 stern)
Electronic equipment	JK sonar
Complement	89
Diving depth operational, m	100

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Largest American submarines before occurrence of nuclear-powered Nautilus. They were built under slightly modified project of Argonaut, in which stern mine tubes were replaced by two TT. Double-hulled.

These submarines possessed the majority of Argonaut shortcomings: insufficient manoeuvrability and too large diving time. At the same time the big internal volume allowed to use these submarines for subversive landings.

Modernizations

1940 - 1941, Narwhal: main diesels were replaced by more powerful Fairbank-Morse diesel-generators (6000 h. p.); + QCH sonar

1940 - 1941, Nautilus: main diesels were replaced by more powerful Fairbank-Morse diesel-generators (6000 h. p.); + QCD sonar

1942, Nautilus; 1943, Narwhal: + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, 4 - 533 TT (2 ext bow, 2 ext stern, 16 torpedoes totally), SD, SJ radars

Naval service

No significant events.