The submarine "Flasher" did not sink enemy aircraft carriers or transports with tanks, but actively released the "blood of war" - oil - from the Japanese economy. This submarine sent seven tankers to the bottom with a total tonnage of 50,581 gross tons, which is about the capacity of a thousand standard railroad tanks. During his career, Flasher received no combat damage, andit may not have been attacked at all by enemy anti-submarine ships, becoming a rare example of a combination of luck and high efficiency in naval warfare.

Gato-class submarines (translated from English as “cat shark”) are the most numerous submarines of the US Navy during World War II: all 73 boats built took part in the war. This type also includes the most successful American submarine "Flasher" (SS-249), which has a tonnage of sunk ships of 100,231 GRT (according to estimates by the Army and Navy Assessment Committee, JANAC).

Specifications

Submarines of the Gato type had a two-hull design. The inner hull had high strength, and the lightweight outer hull was complemented by a superstructure and a deck, which had a reinforced structure behind and in front of the bridge with the expectation of installing guns.

The inner hull of the boat with a diameter of 4.9 m and a wall thickness of 14.3 mm in the horizontal plane was divided by watertight bulkheads into eight compartments, each of which was divided into upper and lower sections. The ninth compartment was considered the conning tower, fixed on top of the hull and communicating with it through the entrance hatch.

Ballast tanks were located between the hulls, designed to ensure the immersion and ascent of the submarine and combined into four groups that had different purposes.

The tanks ensured the submersion of the boat to a depth of up to 90 m. An interesting feature of the main ballast tanks was the possibility of purging them from an external source - a rescue vessel.

"Flasher" on the surface off the Atlantic coast of the United States, November 4, 1943.
navsource.org

Crew and accommodation

The regular crew of the submarine included 6 officers (captain, senior assistant, lieutenant and 3 junior officers), 5 senior non-commissioned officers and 49 sailors. The maximum possible number of crew reached 85 people. The officers lived in four cabins located in the upper section of the bow battery compartment (the captain, senior assistant and lieutenant - in single cabins, junior officers in a triple cabin), senior non-commissioned officers - in the same place in a five-person cabin. Sleeping places for sailors were located in three compartments: 10 (according to other sources 14) places - in the forward torpedo compartment, 36 - in the aft battery compartment, 15 - in the aft torpedo compartment. Under normal conditions, there was an excess of berths on the boat (an unrealizable dream for submariners of other fleets!), And only at the maximum number of crew the berths were occupied in two shifts. Such living conditions were due to the long period of patrolling, which the submarines were supposed to conduct (according to the project - up to 75 days).

Air conditioning and regeneration in compartments

One of the main problems of ensuring the life of the submarine is to maintain on board the composition of the air suitable for breathing. For this you need:

• maintaining the level of oxygen (when its level falls below the minimum allowable, suffocation occurs);
• maintaining the level of carbon dioxide (if the permissible level is exceeded, the air becomes unsuitable for breathing);
• control of humidity and air temperature to reduce oxygen consumption and slow down the release of carbon dioxide.

* - used for calculations for a long stay of boats under water

Submarines of the Second World War used a separate regeneration system, consisting of cylinders with oxygen and means of cleaning the air from carbon dioxide, the latter included regeneration cartridges that used electric machines to suck air. In addition, a system was used, the principle of which was based on the ability of regeneration plants to absorb carbon dioxide and vapors from the air, while releasing oxygen. Unlike a separate system, which ensured that small submarines were under water for up to 48 hours, and large ones for up to 72 hours, the regeneration units did not consume energy, worked silently and could keep the ship under water for up to 15 days.

On Gato-class submarines, 37 containers of carbon dioxide absorbent were used to clean the air from carbon dioxide, which were evenly distributed throughout the living quarters. Upon reaching a four percent level of CO2 concentration, the container was instructed to open and scatter the absorbent in an even layer over four beds, which should have accelerated the absorption of harmful gas.

To maintain the oxygen concentration at 17% in the compartments, there were 11 oxygen cylinders: two in the torpedo compartments and one in all the others, including the conning tower.

Flasher at Pearl Harbor, April 1945. The emblem of the boat and the twin 20-mm anti-aircraft gun are clearly visible.
navsource.org

Power plant

The diesel-electric installation of the Flasher submarine consisted of four General Motors diesel engines with an HP 5400 power. and General Electric electric motors with a power of 2740 hp. The maximum speed of the boat in the surface position was 20.25 knots, in the submerged position - 8.75 knots. The maximum cruising range on the surface was 11,800 miles at a speed of 10 knots, in a submerged position - 100 miles at a speed of 3 knots.

Armament

The main armament of the submarine was ten torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber: six bow and four stern. Ammunition consisted of 24 torpedoes: 10 in vehicles, 10 spare torpedoes in the bow torpedo room, 4 torpedoes in the aft torpedo room. During the war, the Americans used two types of torpedoes: the steam-gas Mk14 and the electric Mk18, created on the basis of the captured German G7 torpedo.

Formally, the Mk14 had better technical characteristics compared to the Mk18, but left a mark on the water and, despite numerous alterations, had low reliability. So, during the tests of 1943, out of ten torpedoes dropped from a height of 27 m onto a steel plate, fuses did not work on seven. The operation revealed a number of shortcomings in the Mk18:

• ignition of hydrogen released by batteries;
• deceleration of torpedoes with a decrease in the temperature of batteries in cold outboard water;
• weak tail.

After refinement, the Mk18 torpedoes became the most successful in the American Navy: during the years of World War II, they sank 65% of the total number of destroyed enemy ships.

To control torpedo fire, the Torpedo Data Computer Mk.III course calculator was used, which made it possible to calculate the lead angle for any of the ten torpedo tubes individually or for all at once.

127-mm gun from the submarine "Flasher" in the exposition of the Nautilus Park (Groton, Connecticut).
navsource.org

According to the project, the artillery armament of the boat consisted of one 76-mm gun located on the deck in front of the wheelhouse, as well as two 12.7-mm and two 7.62-mm machine guns, which were retracted inside during the dive. During the war, the 76 mm gun was replaced by a 127 mm gun, and the machine guns were replaced by a 40 mm Bofors gun and a twin 20 mm Oerlikon mount.

Means of visual and electronic detection

Submarines of the Gato type were equipped with two periscopes (inconspicuous combat Type 2 and universal Type 3), as well as SD air monitoring radar stations (replaced by SV by the end of the war) and water space - SJ (since 1944 were replaced by ST). Interestingly, all American radars except SD could be used by a boat that plunged to periscope depth. The presence of a radar significantly improved the ability of submarines to search for enemy convoys, and also increased their safety on the surface, which was important during long passages.

Submarines of the Gato type did not have outstanding technical characteristics, but they caused significant damage to the Japanese military and civilian fleet: there are eight submarines of this class in the top ten among American submarines in terms of sunk tonnage.

Service History

The Flasher (SS-249) was laid down on September 30, 1942 at the Electric Boat Co. shipyard. at Groton, Connecticut, launched on 20 June 1943 and commissioned on 25 September 1943. Its first commander was Lieutenant Commander Reuben Thornton Whitaker.

Postcard in honor of the launch of the Flasher submarine.
navsource.org

During the Second World War, the boat made six full-fledged combat campaigns, spending 326 days at sea, including about 210–240 days directly in the active hostilities zone.

* - including 34 days in the zone of active hostilities

In wartime conditions, the terms of combat training of the submarine were very short. Already in the twentieth of November 1943, the boat began to move from New London to the combat zone. On December 15, she arrived at Pearl Harbor, and on January 6, 1944, she went on her first combat campaign.

The battle flag of the submarine "Flasher".
navsource.org

First campaign (January 6 - February 29, 1944)

The purpose of the first combat campaign of the boat was to patrol the water area in the area of ​​the islands of Mindoro and Luzon, which are part of the Philippine archipelago. Flasher opened its combat account already on January 18, having torpedoed the Yoshida Maru vessel with a tonnage of 2921 gross tons, used by the Japanese as a gunboat, 140 miles west-southwest of Minamitori Island.

On February 5, arriving in a combat patrol area, a submarine 60 miles west of Mindoro sank a Japanese army transport Taishin Maru with a tonnage of 1723 brt.

On February 14, the submarine won a double victory by torpedoing the Minryo Maru army transport and the Hokuan Maru tanker (tonnage - 2193 and 3712 brt, respectively) off the island of Luzon. After the end of the patrol, the Flasher arrived for repairs at the Australian port of Fremantle, which became its base in all the following campaigns.

The second campaign (April 4 - May 28, 1944)

The purpose of the second campaign was patrolling in the South China Sea along the coast of French Indochina. Interestingly, the victims of the submarine in its second campaign were ships flying the flag of a formally neutral French state, better known as Vichy France. The first victim of the submarine was the French cargo ship Song Giang Go with a tonnage of 1065 brt, which the Flasher torpedoed on April 29 five miles from Cape Varella (the ship sank the next day).

Having destroyed the cargo ship, the submarine continued to move along the coast and on April 30 near Hainan Island sank the French gunboat Tahure, after which it headed for the Philippines. On May 3, 300 miles east of Cape Varella, she sank the Japanese transport "Teisen Maru" with a tonnage of 5050 gross tons, and four days later near the island of Mindanao damaged the transport "Aobasan Maru" with a tonnage of 8811 gross tons. It is difficult to say why the Americans did not finish off the torpedoed ships twice during the second campaign. Perhaps this happened due to a lack of combat experience or as a result of the actions of enemy anti-submarine defense.

Submarine "Flasher". The photo was taken during World War II.
navsource.org

Third campaign (June 19 - August 7, 1944)

During the third combat campaign, Flasher patrolled the South China Sea as part of a wolf pack, together with the Angler (SS-240) and Crevalle (SS-291) boats. At the first stage, Flasher acted alone: ​​on June 28, he discovered a convoy of thirteen ships southeast of Singapore, and on June 29 attacked it on the surface. The Americans managed to sink the transport "Niho Maru" with a tonnage of 6079 brt and damage the tanker "Notoro". The next victim of the submarine was the transport "Koto Maru" with a tonnage of 9557 gross tons, sunk twelve miles north of Cape Varella.

Flasher carried out one of his two most famous attacks on July 19, 1944, by torpedoing the Japanese cruiser Oi with a displacement of more than 5000 tons. Despite the fame of this battle, historians do not have a consensus on the location of it. According to some sources, this happened 280 miles from Cape Varella, according to others - 570 miles from Hong Kong on the way to Manila. Attacks on the cruiser were carried out in comfortable conditions, because due to problems with the machines, "Oi" moved at a speed of only 12 knots. During the first attack, Flasher fired four torpedoes, two of which hit the cruiser's port side. The explosions ignited the fuel and flooded the bow engine rooms, the ship rolled to port and lost speed.

The destroyer Shikinami accompanying the cruiser tried to attack the Flasher, but to no avail: the submarine not only received no damage, but for the first time in its history decided to attack again. Two hours after the first attack, the submarine fired four more torpedoes at the cruiser from a distance of 3 km. According to American data, one of them exploded in the area of ​​​​the forward engine room on the port side, according to Japanese data, all torpedoes passed by, and the explosion that tore off the cruiser's bow occurred inside it. Anyway, "Oi" sank two hours later, and the honor of its sinking, no doubt, belongs to the submarine "Flasher".

Japanese cruiser "Oi".
navsource.org

A joint attack by a wolf pack submarine was carried out on the night of July 25-26 against a Japanese convoy east of Luzon. The victims of the Flasher submarine were the tanker "Otorisan Maru" (according to other sources - "Otorijama Maru") with a tonnage of 5280 gross tons and the transport "Tosan Maru" (according to other sources - "Tozan Maru") with a tonnage of 8666 gross tons. In her third campaign, the boat acted so actively that already on August 7 she was forced to return ahead of schedule to Fremantle, having used up all the torpedoes.

Fourth campaign (August 30 - October 20, 1944)

At the first stage of the fourth combat campaign, Flasher, together with the Hawkbill (SS-366) and Becuna (SS / AGSS-319) submarines, rescued American pilots shot down during air raids on the Philippines. However, this did not prevent him from sinking the Japanese auxiliary cruiser Saigon Maru with a displacement of 5350 tons on September 18 in Manila Bay.

In late September - early October, the boat operated in the area of ​​the island of Luzon, where on September 27 it sank the Ural Maru transport (tonnage - 6374 GRT) and damaged the Tachibana Maru tanker, and on October 4 it sank the Taibin Maru transport (tonnage - 6886 GRT). ). After the boat's arrival at Fremantle, it underwent a change of command: on October 31, Lieutenant Commander George William Grider, who had previously served as chief officer on the Hawkbill submarine, became captain.

Fifth campaign (November 15, 1944 - January 2, 1945)

Under the command of Grider, Flasher, which, together with Hawkbill and Becuna, became part of the new wolf pack, made his most successful campaign. The purpose of the campaign was to patrol the South China Sea west of Luzon and off the coast of French Indochina.

The flock's first casualty was a convoy of several Japanese tankers and escorts discovered by the Hawkbill and attacked by the Flasher on December 4, 1944, about 275 miles southwest of Manila. During the first attack, Flasher fired four torpedoes at the destroyer Kishinami from a distance of 1650 yards. Judging by the report on the fifth combat campaign of the Flasher submarine dated January 3, 1945, there were two hits in the area of ​​​​the engine room of a Japanese ship. According to Japanese data, its commander and 90 crew members died along with the destroyer. After hitting the destroyer, Flasher fired two torpedoes from the stern tubes at the Hakko Maru tanker (there was a severe fire on the Japanese ship in the report). Attempts by escort ships to locate and attack the American boat were unsuccessful. After waiting, "Flasher" surfaced in the evening of the same day and finished off the burning tanker with a torpedo.

Even more successful was the attack carried out on December 22, 250 miles from the coast of Vietnam. The day before, the submarine had spotted a convoy of five Japanese tankers escorted by a destroyer and three patrol ships and, after a long pursuit, attacked it from the surface 11 miles southwest of Ba Lang An. During the first attack, the Flasher fired three torpedoes from the bow tubes at the lead and second tankers, judging by the report, achieving two hits on each of them. During the second attack, the boat fired four torpedoes from the stern tubes at the third tanker, which exploded and sank. After carrying out the attack, Flasher successfully evaded a meeting with a Japanese destroyer: according to American data, the boat was not detected by the enemy. The victims of the attack were the tankers Omurosan Maru (9204 GRT), Otowasan Maru (9204 GRT) and Arita Maru (10238 GRT). On January 2, the boat returned to Fremantle. In a report dated January 3, 1945, the morale of her crew was estimated as "very tall", the cleanliness of the ship - like "exceptional", technical condition- how “very good, except for the main engine number 3”.

Tanker "Otowasan Maru".
navsource.org

Sixth campaign (January 29 - April 3, 1945)

The least productive was the sixth and, as it turned out, the last combat campaign of the boat, which was largely facilitated by a decrease in the activity of Japanese merchant shipping, and hence a decrease in the number of potential targets. While patrolling the South China Sea, on February 21, Flasher shot a Japanese transport ship from deck artillery (the name, type and displacement is unknown), and on February 25, near Hainan Island, the Koho Maru transport was torpedoed (tonnage - 850 brt). At the end of the patrol, the boat did not go to Fremantle, but to Pearl Harbor, from where on April 7 it was sent to the US West Coast for overhaul.

The riddle of the seventhhike

According to some reports, the Flasher did not have time to return to service before the end of the war. According to others, on August 15, 1945, the boat went to sea, but, having reached the island of Guam, it received an order to stop its seventh campaign in connection with the end of the war.

"Flasher" is preparing for the seventh military campaign, July 24, 1945.
navsource.org

According to the data set out in the official history of the boat, on March 16, 1946, she was decommissioned and included in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. On June 1, 1959, she was expelled from the maritime register, and on May 31, 1963, she was sold for scrap.

Submarine "Flasher". The photo was taken after World War II.
navsource.org

The Americans found it impossible to simply cut into metal a well-deserved ship awarded three Presidential Commendations and six stars. The conning tower and deck gun mount were separated from the submarine and installed as a memorial in Nautilus Park (Groton, Connecticut).

The cabin of the submarine "Flasher". Photo taken in 1991.
navsource.org

Unlike sisterships, the Flasher submarine did not sink enemy aircraft carriers or transports with tanks, but actively released the "blood of war" - oil - from the Japanese economy. She sent seven tankers to the bottom with a total tonnage of 50,581 brt, which is about the capacity of a thousand standard railroad tanks. During its career, the Flasher has suffered no combat damage, and may not have been attacked at all by enemy anti-submarine ships, becoming a rare example of the combination of luck and high efficiency in naval warfare.

Sources and literature:

1. Marine Collection magazine, No. 6, 2009
2. U.S.S. FLASHER (SS249) – Report of Fifth War Patrol
3. navsource.org
4. pacific.valka.cz

Submarines dictate the rules in naval warfare and force everyone to meekly follow the established order.

Those stubborn ones who dare to neglect the rules of the game will face a quick and painful death in cold water, among floating debris and oil slicks. Boats, regardless of the flag, remain the most dangerous fighting vehicles capable of crushing any enemy.

I bring to your attention a short story about the seven most successful submarine projects of the war years.

Boats type T (Triton-class), UK
The number of submarines built is 53.
Surface displacement - 1290 tons; underwater - 1560 tons.
Crew - 59 ... 61 people.
Operating immersion depth - 90 m (riveted hull), 106 m (welded hull).
Full speed on the surface - 15.5 knots; in the underwater - 9 knots.
A fuel reserve of 131 tons ensured a surface cruising range of 8,000 miles.
Armament:
- 11 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm (on boats of sub-series II and III), ammunition load - 17 torpedoes;
- 1 x 102 mm universal gun, 1 x 20 mm anti-aircraft "Oerlikon".

HMS Traveler

The notorious British conservatism is a thing of the past - the British were among the first to equip their boats with ASDIC sonar. Alas, despite their powerful weapons and modern means of detection, the T-type boats of the high seas did not become the most effective among the British submarines of the Second World War. Nevertheless, they went through an exciting battle path and achieved a number of remarkable victories. "Tritons" were actively used in the Atlantic, in the Mediterranean Sea, smashed Japanese communications in the Pacific Ocean, and several times were noted in the cold waters of the Arctic.

In August 1941, the Taigris and Trident submarines arrived in Murmansk. British submariners demonstrated a master class to their Soviet colleagues: 4 enemy ships were sunk in two campaigns, incl. "Baia Laura" and "Donau II" with thousands of soldiers of the 6th Mountain Division. Thus, the sailors prevented the third German attack on Murmansk.

Other famous T-boat trophies include the German light cruiser Karlsruhe and the Japanese heavy cruiser Ashigara. The samurai were “lucky” to get acquainted with the full 8-torpedo salvo of the Trenchent submarine - having received 4 torpedoes on board (+ one more from the stern TA), the cruiser quickly capsized and sank.

After the war, the powerful and perfect Tritons were in service with the Royal Navy for another quarter of a century.
It is noteworthy that Israel acquired three boats of this type in the late 1960s - one of them, INS Dakar (formerly HMS Totem), died in 1968 in the Mediterranean Sea under unclear circumstances.

Boats of the "Cruising" type of the XIV series, the Soviet Union
The number of submarines built is 11.
Surface displacement - 1500 tons; underwater - 2100 tons.
Crew - 62 ... 65 people.

Full speed on the surface - 22.5 knots; in the underwater - 10 knots.
Surface cruising range 16,500 miles (9 knots)
Submerged cruising range - 175 miles (3 knots)
Armament:

- 2 x 100 mm universal guns, 2 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic;
- up to 20 minutes of barriers.

... On December 3, 1941, German hunters UJ-1708, UJ-1416 and UJ-1403 bombarded a Soviet boat that tried to attack a convoy near Bustad Sund.

Hans, do you hear that creature?
- Nine. After a series of explosions, the Russians sank to the bottom - I detected three hits on the ground ...
- Can you tell where they are now?
- Donnerwetter! They are blown. Surely they decided to surface and surrender.

The German sailors were wrong. From the depths of the sea, a MONSTER rose to the surface - a cruising submarine K-3 of the XIV series, which unleashed a barrage of artillery fire on the enemy. From the fifth salvo, the Soviet sailors managed to sink U-1708. The second hunter, having received two direct hits, smoked and turned aside - his 20 mm anti-aircraft guns could not compete with the “hundreds” of a secular submarine cruiser. Having scattered the Germans like puppies, K-3 quickly disappeared over the horizon at 20 knots.

The Soviet Katyusha was a phenomenal boat for its time. Welded hull, powerful artillery and mine-torpedo weapons, powerful diesel engines (2 x 4200 hp!), high surface speed of 22-23 knots. Huge autonomy in terms of fuel reserves. Remote control of ballast tank valves. A radio station capable of transmitting signals from the Baltic to Far East. An exceptional level of comfort: shower cabins, refrigerated tanks, two seawater desalters, an electric galley ... Two boats (K-3 and K-22) were equipped with Lend-Lease ASDIC sonars.

But, oddly enough, neither the high performance nor the most powerful weapons made the Katyusha effective - in addition to the dark one with the K-21 attack on the Tirpitz, during the war years, only 5 successful torpedo attacks and 27 thousand br. reg. tons of sunk tonnage. Most of the victories were won with the help of exposed mines. Moreover, their own losses amounted to five cruiser boats.

K-21, Severomorsk, today

It's a pity. These boats were counting on more.

"Baby", Soviet Union
Series VI and VI bis - 50 built.
Series XII - 46 built.
Series XV - 57 built (4 took part in the fighting).

TTX boat type M series XII:
Surface displacement - 206 tons; underwater - 258 tons.
Autonomy - 10 days.
Working depth of immersion - 50 m, limit - 60 m.
Full speed on the surface - 14 knots; in the underwater - 8 knots.
Cruising range on the surface - 3380 miles (8.6 knots).
Submerged cruising range - 108 miles (3 knots).
Armament:
- 2 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 2 torpedoes;
- 1 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic.

Baby!

In pursuit of compactness, many had to be sacrificed - service on the "Baby" turned into a grueling and dangerous event. Difficult living conditions, strong "chatter" - the waves ruthlessly threw a 200-ton "float", risking breaking it into pieces. Shallow diving depth and weak weapons. But the main concern of the sailors was the reliability of the submarine - one shaft, one diesel engine, one electric motor - the tiny "Baby" left no chance for the careless crew, the slightest malfunction on board threatened the submarine with death.

Kids evolved quickly - performance characteristics of each new series differed many times from the previous project: contours were improved, electrical equipment and detection tools were updated, diving time was reduced, and autonomy was growing. The "babies" of the XV series no longer resembled their predecessors of the VI and XII series: one and a half hull design - the ballast tanks were moved outside the pressure hull; The power plant received a standard twin-shaft layout with two diesel engines and electric motors for underwater travel. The number of torpedo tubes increased to four. Alas, the XV series appeared too late - the brunt of the war was borne by the "Babies" of the VI and XII series.

Despite their modest size and only 2 torpedoes on board, the tiny fish were distinguished by simply terrifying "gluttony": in just the years of World War II, Soviet M-type submarines sank 61 enemy ships with a total tonnage of 135.5 thousand gross tons, destroyed 10 warships, and also damaged 8 transports.

The little ones, originally intended only for operations in the coastal zone, have learned to fight effectively in open sea areas. They, along with larger boats, cut enemy communications, patrolled at the exits of enemy bases and fjords, deftly overcame anti-submarine barriers and undermined transports right at the piers inside protected enemy harbors. It's just amazing how the Red Navy could fight on these flimsy boats! But they fought. And they won!

Boats of the "Medium" type of the IX-bis series, the Soviet Union
The number of submarines built is 41.
Surface displacement - 840 tons; underwater - 1070 tons.
Crew - 36 ... 46 people.
Working depth of immersion - 80 m, limit - 100 m.
Full speed on the surface - 19.5 knots; submerged - 8.8 knots.
Surface cruising range 8,000 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 148 miles (3 knots).

“Six torpedo tubes and the same number of spare torpedoes on racks convenient for reloading. Two cannons with a large ammunition load, machine guns, explosive equipment ... In a word, there is something to fight. And 20-knot surface speed! It allows you to overtake almost any convoy and attack it again. Technique is good…”
- opinion of the S-56 commander, Hero of the Soviet Union G.I. Shchedrin

The problems of the combat use of boats of the "Middle" type, in general, were similar to the cruising boats of the K type - locked in mine-infested shallow water, they could not realize their high combat qualities. Things were much better in the Northern Fleet - during the war years, the S-56 boat under the command of G.I. Shchedrina made the transition across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, moving from Vladivostok to the Polar, subsequently becoming the most productive boat of the Soviet Navy.

An equally fantastic story is connected with the S-101 “bomb catcher” - over the years of the war, over 1000 depth charges were dropped on the boat by the Germans and the Allies, but each time the S-101 returned safely to Polyarny.

Finally, it was on the S-13 that Alexander Marinesko achieved his famous victories.

Torpedo compartment S-56

“The brutal alterations that the ship got into, bombing and explosions, depths far exceeding the official limit. The boat protected us from everything ... "

Boats like Gato, USA
The number of submarines built is 77.
Surface displacement - 1525 tons; underwater - 2420 tons.
Crew - 60 people.
Working depth of immersion - 90 m.
Full speed on the surface - 21 knots; in a submerged position - 9 knots.
Surface cruising range 11,000 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 96 miles (2 knots).
Armament:
- 10 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 24 torpedoes;
- 1 x 76 mm universal gun, 1 x 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun, 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon;
- one of the boats - USS Barb was equipped with a multiple launch rocket system for shelling the coast.

The ocean-going submarines of the Getow type appeared at the height of the Pacific War and became one of the most effective tools of the US Navy. They tightly blocked all strategic straits and approaches to the atolls, cut off all supply lines, leaving the Japanese garrisons without reinforcements, and Japanese industry without raw materials and oil. In the skirmishes with the Gatow, the Imperial Navy lost two heavy aircraft carriers, lost four cruisers and a damn dozen destroyers.

High speed, lethal torpedo weapons, the most modern electronic means of detecting the enemy - radar, direction finder, sonar. The cruising range that provides combat patrols off the coast of Japan when operating from a base in Hawaii. Increased comfort on board. But the main thing is the excellent training of the crews and the weakness of Japanese anti-submarine weapons. As a result, the Gatow ruthlessly destroyed everything in a row - it was they who brought victory in the Pacific Ocean from the blue depths of the sea.

... One of the main achievements of the Getow boats, which changed the whole world, is the event of September 2, 1944. On that day, the Finback submarine detected a distress signal from a falling plane and, after many hours of searching, found a frightened pilot in the ocean, and there was already a desperate pilot . The one who was saved was George Herbert Bush.

The cabin of the submarine "Flasher", a memorial in the city of Groton.

Type XXI electric robots, Germany

By April 1945, the Germans managed to launch 118 submarines of the XXI series. However, only two of them were able to achieve operational readiness and go to sea in the last days of the war.

Surface displacement - 1620 tons; underwater - 1820 tons.
Crew - 57 people.
Working depth of immersion - 135 m, maximum - 200+ meters.
Full speed on the surface - 15.6 knots, in the submerged position - 17 knots.
Surface cruising range 15,500 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 340 miles (5 knots).
Armament:
- 6 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 17 torpedoes;
- 2 anti-aircraft guns "Flak" caliber 20 mm.

U-2540 "Wilhelm Bauer" at the eternal parking lot in Bremerhaven, today

The Germans were the first to guess: everything that shipbuilders of other countries are proud of - a large ammunition load, powerful artillery, high surface speed of 20+ knots - is of little importance. Key parameters, which determine the combat effectiveness of a submarine, are its speed and power reserve in a submerged position.

Unlike its peers, "Eletrobot" was focused on being constantly under water: the most streamlined body without heavy artillery, fences and platforms - all for the sake of minimizing underwater resistance. Snorkel, six groups of batteries (3 times more than on conventional boats!), powerful el. full speed engines, quiet and economical el. creep engines.

Aft part of U-2511, flooded at a depth of 68 meters

The Allies were not ready to face such a threat - as post-war tests showed, the Electrobots were several times superior in terms of mutual sonar detection range to the American and British destroyers guarding the convoys.

Type VII boats, Germany
The number of submarines built is 703.
Surface displacement - 769 tons; underwater - 871 tons.
Crew - 45 people.
Working depth of immersion - 100 m, limit - 220 meters
Full speed on the surface - 17.7 knots; in a submerged position - 7.6 knots.
Surface cruising range 8,500 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 80 miles (4 knots).
Armament:
- 5 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 14 torpedoes;
- 1 x 88 mm universal gun (until 1942), eight options for add-ons with 20 and 37 mm anti-aircraft guns.

* the given performance characteristics correspond to boats of the VIIC sub-series

The most effective warships ever to sail the world's oceans.
A relatively simple, cheap, massive, but at the same time well-armed and deadly means for total underwater terror.

703 submarines. 10 MILLION tons of sunk tonnage! Battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers, destroyers, enemy corvettes and submarines, oil tankers, transports with aircraft, tanks, cars, rubber, ore, machine tools, ammunition, uniforms and food ... The damage from the actions of German submariners exceeded all reasonable limits - if not the inexhaustible industrial potential of the United States, capable of compensating for any losses of the allies, the German U-bots had every chance to “strangle” Great Britain and change the course of world history.

U-995. Graceful underwater killer

The alignment was simple: at the beginning of the war, when there was one Allied anti-submarine ship for each German boat, the “sevens” felt like invulnerable masters of the Atlantic. It was then that the legendary aces appeared, sinking 40 enemy ships each. The Germans already had victory in their hands when the Allies suddenly deployed 10 anti-submarine ships and 10 aircraft for every active Kriegsmarine boat!

Beginning in the spring of 1943, the Yankees and the British began methodically bombarding the Kriegsmarine with anti-submarine warfare and soon achieved an excellent loss ratio of 1:1. So they fought until the end of the war. The Germans ran out of ships faster than their opponents.

The whole history of the German "sevens" is a formidable warning from the past: what kind of threat does the submarine pose and how high are the costs of creating an effective system to counter the underwater threat.

Funky American poster of those years. "Hit the pain points! Come serve in the submarine fleet - we account for 77% of the sunk tonnage!" Comments, as they say, are unnecessary

The article uses materials from the book "Soviet submarine shipbuilding", V. I. Dmitriev, Military Publishing, 1990.

The future of the US Navy is in modern US submarine class " USSVirginia"equipped with the latest technology, able to swim to the very shore and secretly monitor the information of potential enemies and be ready to strike back with unstoppable force. Nuclear submarines class " USSVirginia” represent an entirely new class of US submarine fleet. The most modern and most versatile submarines in the world and have stunning capabilities. First submarine in a series called USSVirginia"(SSN-744) was laid down in September 2000, launched on August 16, 2003, and put into operation on October 23, 2004.

it's one large warehouse weapons. Submarine « USSVirginia» can launch devastating attacks using torpedoes, can send cruise missiles up to 1500 km with high accuracy, and to avoid a potential enemy modern submarine capable of submerging up to 250 m under water. This class of submarine stands head and shoulders above others due to its amazing ability to follow. She's been nicknamed the "perfect observer" and for good reason. US submarines class " USSVirginia"have the most sophisticated sensors ever installed on American submarines.

Nuclear submarines equipped with the latest navigation system, which allows you to accurately pass through shallow water and determine the exact coordinates. Submarine « USSVirginia"This is a sea dweller of impressive size. Such a "sea monster" moves quietly under water thanks to the dynamic force that a nuclear reactor gives. The plan of his work is kept in the strictest confidence. It is known that the engine produces an enormous amount of energy. A compact nuclear reactor turns sea water into steam. The overloaded steam drives massive turbines, which in turn force submarine move forward. In addition, nuclear power plant generates electricity to all instruments and equipment on this submarine equipped with the most modern technology. The reactor is designed for 30 years of operation, which means that a modern submarine will not need to be refueled for its entire service life.

Today nuclear submarines class " USSVirginia is an amazing success story. US submarine fleet has two main types of submarines: deep-ocean ballistic submarines, which have one strategic objective deliver a nuclear charge anywhere in the world; another kind of it hunting boats created for the attack and lightning-fast destruction of enemy forces. The latter are designed to move quickly and hit enemy ships and vessels, deliver cruise missiles and peacekeeping contingent to the place of hostilities.

modern submarine "USS Virginia"

modern submarine project

construction 774 " USS Virginia »

modern submarine « USS Virginia » tests

first class nuclear submarine « USS Virginia »

USS New Hampshire»

modern submarine USS North Carolina

before a military campaign

Modern submarine « USSVirginia”was the first design developed in three-dimensional images on computers, which later turned into a marine vessel. The program that made this project possible has already been tested in previous work and used in the development of Boeing airliners. All designers have access to a three-dimensional computer model, which allows engineers to work in the same virtual space at the same time. Computer design assists in this aspect.

The future of warfare is not at all clear, so modern submarine and able to adapt to new conditions. Modern warfare tactics are changing, and atomic submarines new classes must change with it to always be on top. To create this adaptability, the designers of the submarine created a so-called modular design, which included an open architecture system, i.e. the main structure consists of large open spaces. Pre-built modules can be placed in these spaces, such as weapon systems or sonar. These modules can be installed as single systems. They allow you to take on board advanced systems, while the design of the submarine does not have to be redesigned. This saved money and nuclear submarines of the class " USSVirginia' got the right to life. Also thanks to an unprecedented act - the merger of two shipbuilding giants around one project " General Dynamics Electric Boat" And " Northrop Grumman Newport News"made it possible to build nuclear-powered ships.

aboard a submarine « USS Virginia »

« Virginia» the most advanced nuclear submarine in the world from a technical point of view. It was built using revolutionary methods resulting in significant savings in time and money. On the submarine Virginia» no periscope. Instead, she received a multisensor mask and cameras that transmit images from all sides of the submarine. These sensors are connected to a display at the control room, and for the first time in the history of the submarine fleet, everyone on board can observe what is happening on the surface. Modern submarine equipped with a system that allows you to reproduce an accurate picture of the location of mines. She is able to find them and detonate at a safe distance. Uniqueness nuclear submarines odok class " Virginia is that they can adapt to shallow water. This is due to the precise control. All ballast compartments are connected to one central program. Also thanks to this special control program, the submarine can remain stationary, even despite the currents. For the exit of divers from the submarine, a special compartment for 9 people is provided, and not like others through torpedo tubes. The low noise of the submarine is ensured by placing the propeller in a pipe that absorbs noise, and in addition, the entire hull is covered with a layer of rubber.

First submarine so perfectly passed all sea trials that she entered service a year ahead of schedule. To date, there are five submarines of this class in service: « USSVirginia», « USSTexas", "USSHawaii", "USSNorth Carolina,USSNew Hampshire, but a total of thirty units are planned for launch, this is the name of some of them: « USSNew Mexico", "USSMissouri», « USSCalifornia", "USSMississippi,USSMinnesota,USSNorth Dakota,USSJohn Warner", "SSN-786", "SSN-787", "SSN-788", "SSN-789", "SSN-790", "SSN-791".

Nuclear submarines « USSVirginia"became a highlight in the history of the US submarine fleet. New capabilities allow this class of submarine to be more than just a military vessel for naval battles with the enemy in the open ocean. The conflicts and operations in which they will have to participate may never become public, because there will always be military secrets.

solemn descent of another submarine into the water

Technical characteristics of a nuclear submarine« USS Virginia» (SSN-774):
Length - 115 m;
Width - 10 m;
Displacement - 7800 tons;
Ship power point - nuclear reactor type "S9G";
Speed ​​- 25 knots;
Immersion depth - 250 m;
Crew - 134 people;
Armament:
cruise missiles Tomahawk" -12;
Torpedo tubes 533 mm - 4;

In the late 1930s, the world felt the approach of war. And this time, America, of course, could not stand aside. Therefore, we will consider all types of American submarines that the United States possessed on the eve and during the war.

Submarine R-6 (SS-83).

Type R and "Barracuda"(type R - 17 pcs.; type Barracuda - 3 pcs.: Barracuda, Bass, Bonita)

The two oldest and most unsuccessful types of American submarines, they were in combat formation until mid-1942. They were used to patrol the East Coast and guard the Panama Canal, and then reclassified as training units.

Launching of submarine S-5. Portsmouth Navy Yard 11/10/1919.

Type S(type S - 36 pcs.)

The S-class boats were the oldest American submarines to see direct action in World War II. They were called to the "first line" not from a good life, but because there were not enough combat boats to close all the areas where the boats were sent to patrol. In principle, these were minor areas - the Aleutian and Solomon Islands.

Structurally, the S type was a development of the R type during the First World War, a slightly enlarged analogue (900 tons, 5000 miles of range) of the German VIIA type submarine. The boats were designed for the Atlantic with an appropriate range.

American boat type "S" (S-20) in the Panama Canal. Photo from the 1920s.

Submarine S-1 with an onboard seaplane.

In the 1920s, maritime theorists in many countries of the world thought about the advisability of deploying light reconnaissance aircraft on submarines. This wave did not pass the American submariners. In 1923 submarine S-1 (SS-105, built in 1918) was equipped with a cylindrical deck hangar. A special prefabricated Martin MS-1 biplane was based on the boat. The tests did not reveal any advantages of a submarine with a seaplane, further experiments in this direction were stopped.

Argonaut(Argonaut - 1 pc.)

In an effort to once again verify the correctness of the saying “The best is the enemy of the good,” the Americans decided to “cross” the descendant of the U-140 with the U-117 mine equipment. On the newly designed boat, two mine tubes with a capacity of 30 minutes each were installed in the stern. As a result, the first and last minelayer SS-166 "Argonaut" was born in the American submarine fleet, handed over to the fleet in April 1928 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard.

Submarine Argonaut.

A special model of the Mk-10 mod.II mine was developed for the boat, and two six-inch guns were placed on the deck. With an underwater displacement of 4164 tons, the boat remained the largest in the US Navy until the advent of nuclear submarines. Armament - 4 torpedo tubes in the bow and 16 torpedoes (for comparison: the last modification of the American ocean-class submarines, which managed to fight, "Tench" with an underwater displacement of 2428 tons carried 24 torpedoes or 40 mines).

The Argonaut was a development of the Baracuda class and was built specifically for operations in the Pacific. She was conceived as an ocean trade fighter and at the same time a reconnaissance aircraft with an aircraft on board and a large cruising radius. In theory, such a ship during a general battle was supposed to go ahead of the linear forces and at the same time could put a minefield on the enemy’s route during the battle. The result was something in between with the ability to dive under water. Under water, the boat was very difficult to control and could not withstand the planned speed. In general, the SS-166 turned out to be the slowest among all American submarines of the pre-war period - 14/8 knots (instead of the planned 21). To complete the underwater minzag, it can be noted that he completed an unsuccessful military campaign and returned to the base in January 1942 with a planned autonomy of 90 days. The boat did not lay a single mine in combat conditions, and after the first trip it was used in transport operations. Numerous changes in specialization were reflected in the change of tail numbers: V-4, A-1, SM-1, APS-1. The most striking page in the biography of the failed minzag was the raid on Makin Atoll in August 1942.

A boat was lost in the Coral Sea on the approaches to Rabaul, sunk by the Japanese destroyers Akizuki, Hamakaze and Yukikaze from the guards of the convoy when it tried to attack the transports. Probably a disservice was rendered by the low speed and high noise level of the American minzag submarine cruiser. It happened on January 10, 1943.

Submarine "Argonaut", painted in light gray colors of peacetime (Standard Navy Gray). In the area of ​​the bridge, the pre-war inscription V4 is barely visible.

Type "Narwhal"(type Narwhal - 2 pcs.: Narwhal, Nautilus)

The idea of ​​a cruising boat received its further continuation in the submarine SS-167 "Narwhal", which entered service on 05/15/1930. She lost mine tubes, but 2 TAs were added, her torpedo stock increased to 24 units, her speed increased by 3 knots. In total, the Americans had 9 submarines, and they all turned out to be unsuccessful, absolutely not justifying the hopes that were placed on them during construction. The two Narwhal-class boats were only marginally improved models compared to the previous 4 V-boats. Like the other V-boats, they were large, slow and difficult to control, although they also had slightly improved performance (17 knots) with a slightly increased displacement (2915t). Like their predecessors, their diesels never reached their advertised power, and the hulls exhausted the crews with constant leaks.

Submarine "Nautilus" (V-6) with an unconventional silhouette - a raised deck in the middle of the ship. With its displacement of about 3000 tons, the boat was the largest US submarine until the appearance of the nuclear boat of the same name in 1954.

During the war years, "Narwhal" and "Nauyilus" were used for a variety of tasks. The boats were re-equipped, they added 4 torpedo tubes each. Two additional devices were placed in the bow, and two - in the midship area (they were oriented backwards for firing at the stern).

Narwhal completed 5 combat patrols, sinking 6 enemy ships. SS-168 "Nautilus" sank 5 ships in 5 patrols. After that, the Nautilus, together with the S-166 Argonaut, transported the marines to Makin, and, together with the Narwhal, landed an amphibious party on Atta. After that, both boats were used exclusively in special transport operations for the transport of goods to the Filipino guerrillas. At the beginning of 1945. both boats were put into reserve. In total, during the war years, Narwhal made 15 military campaigns, Nautilus - 14.

Dolphin(Dolphin - 1 pc.)

Recognizing the apparent failure in the design of the last 6 submarines, the US Navy has made an attempt to fundamentally revise their design guidelines. Initially, the SS-159 "Dolphin" was designed as another type V (V7) boat, but as we moved away from the "parent" project, the boat index was changed to D1. With a displacement of 1560 tons, it was almost half the size of the Narwhal, but carried the same weapons at about the same speed performance. The smaller Dolphin was much more agile and easy to handle.

The idea of ​​the project as a whole was productive, but, unfortunately, at the level of technology of the 1930s in the USA, it was impossible to build a medium-sized boat without sacrificing something significant in the project. When creating the Dolphin, the designers first of all almost halved the range (9000 miles), they had to slightly weaken the hull, which reduced the possible diving depth.

In the late 1930s, the Dolphin submarine was painted black. During the war years, the boat performed 3 combat patrols, and after that it was used as a training boat. At the end of the second military campaign to the shores of Japan, a serious solarium leak was discovered on the boat. During the return, her commander "Mash" Morton developed a plan to save the team when meeting with the enemy, and then blow up the boat along with the Japanese. This plan was called "deathtrap" (death trap), but, fortunately, it never came to fruition.

Being approximately the same size as the main boats of the Gato war years, the Dolphin did not show itself in combat, and after three unsuccessful campaigns it was transferred to training boats.

Submarine CI "Cachalot" (SS-170) in non-modernized form (as it was launched).

Type "Cachalot"(Cachalot type - 2 pcs.: Cachalot, Cuttlefish) Boats SS-170 "Cachalot" (V8, CI) and SS-171 "Cuttlefish" (V9, C2) became a further attempt to produce small light submarines for use in the Pacific Ocean. With 1170 tons of displacement, they turned out to be smaller than the Dolphin-class boats, and differed from their predecessor in many ways. The design features of the boats made them faster, however, due to the range. And in the end, in terms of combat parameters, the new boats turned out to be almost equivalent to the previous Dolphin class. Obviously, their range of 12,000 miles did not allow the boat to leave Pearl Harbor, patrol off the coast of Japan and return back.

A distinctive feature of type C was the widespread use of welding, especially in the construction of a pressure hull and fuel tanks. Leaks, especially from fuel tanks, were significantly higher than previous types of boats. (For example, during 30 days of training trips in 1941, the Narwhal lost a total of 20,000 gallons of fuel due to leaks). Moreover, which was even worse than the losses, a noticeable trace of an oil film stretched behind the boat, which made it easy to detect a submarine of anti-submarine aviation. Although, in general, the use of welding on type C can be considered quite appropriate: it made it possible to significantly reduce weight while increasing strength. And the problem with sealing eventually managed to be solved.

Training submarine SS-171 "Cuttlefish". Photo 11/15/1943.

Training submarine SS-170 "Cachalot". Photo 05/31/1944. When upgrading, holes were added to the sides to increase the sinking speed.

The second important innovation was the installation of TDC (Torpedo Data Computer) on boats. It was a mechanical analog controller that automatically set the target angle, lead and depth of torpedoes from data transmitted from the bridge to the torpedo gyroscopes. In these two innovations, the American navy was several years ahead of all other navies in the world.

Type C boats turned out to be small for actual use in the Pacific. Having made three almost inconclusive military campaigns (one damaged tanker), submarines C were transferred to training.

Type R(type P - 10 pcs.: Perch, Permit, Pickerel, Pike, Plunger, Pollack, Pompano, Porpoise, Shark, Tarpon) P-type boats, the American submarine fleet began the development of a new line of submarines, which, improving from series to series (if you do not take into account two small M boats), first led to the Gato military series and ended in 1951. boats of the Tang type. Compared to type C, the increase in displacement was 140t, which ultimately led to a displacement of 1310t. They were 8m longer, which was 92m long. Speed ​​increased to 19 knots with a radius of 10,000 miles.

Submarines of this type were used throughout the war. From Pearl Harbor to early 1944 they were sent to combat operations. Four out of ten P boats were lost during the fighting. All boats that survived the war made about 8 combat campaigns each, and only SS-178 "Permit" went on combat patrol 14 times.

Submarine SS-172 "Porpoise". Photo 07/20/1944.

Boat "Stingray" is a typical modification of the boats "Salmon" / "Sargo" in 1942. External differences: a platform on the wheelhouse was cut out, an SD or S J radar was added, two additional torpedo tubes on the bow.

Salmon/Sargo type(Salmon type x4: Salmon, Seal, Snapper, Stingray; Sargo type x10: Sargo, Saury, Sculp in, Seadragon, Sealion, Searaven, Seawolf, Spearfish, Squalus/Sailfish, Sturgeon)

After the quite successful type P, the American fleet decided to correct the shipbuilding program in the conditions of the crisis. In addition to the 6 boats of the Salmon type, 10 boats of the Sargo type were immediately ordered. The Salmon class was an improved version of the R class boats. The new boats were longer (94m) and larger (1450t). At the same time, the designers managed to increase their speed by 1 knot both on the surface and under water (20/9 knots). The double battery capacity doubled the underwater range to 85 miles. To increase the offensive power of the Salmon boats, they were equipped with a pair of additional torpedo tubes (on the parent type P, two torpedo tubes were also subsequently installed outside the pressure hull). The stock of torpedoes was 24 torpedoes. During the upgrade, the SS-186 "Stingray" installed 2 external torpedo tubes, bringing the total number of tubes to 10 - the number that Lockwood and his supporters considered the minimum necessary for a modern submarine.

Completely successful in many respects, the Salmon type, however, suffered from one fatal design flaw. The ventilation hatch, through which air was supplied to the working diesel engines, did not close securely enough. Incidents with this automation happened on the SS-185 "Snapper" and SS-187 "Sturgeon", but the indication on the central post worked properly. But the Squalus sank (his story is described above), 23 people died. This defect was, in principle, easily eliminated, but the reputation of the Salmon-class submarines was undermined. Despite their unpopularity among sailors, boats of this type were actively used during the war years. Like P-type boats, most of them made no more than 8 combat campaigns. The exception is the Stingray boat, which has completed 16 military campaigns - the leader among US submarines.

Submarine "Sculpin", which was already mentioned in the story of the death of the boat "Squalus". The photo was taken on May 1, 1943. There are still 6.5 months before the sinking of the boat.

Submarine SS-182 "Salmon". Photo 1938

Tambor type(Tambor type - 12 pcs.: Gar, Grampus, Grayback, Grayling, Grenadier, Gudgeon, Tambor, Toutog, Thresher, Triton, Trout, Tuna)

The T-class was the next logical step in the evolution of American submarines. 12 Tambor-class boats had an increased strike force (10 torpedo tubes), although they retained the design features of the Salmon-class boats. Thus, they represented the long-awaited boats of the fleet. The submarines were long-range enough to reach the coast of Japan, and strong enough to inflict significant damage on the enemy at such a distance. Equipped with TDC, these boats could successfully interact with surface forces. But ... Taking these boats into service, the leadership of the submarine forces was forced to agree to the production of two obviously unsuccessful, small submarines M that did not fit into the strategic concept of use. was clearly not enough.

Submarine "Gar" leaves Pearl Harbor 05/31/1944. in his 12th combat patrol. The boat is armed with a 5"/25ca1 gun.

Submarine SS-201 "Triton" photographed at the exit from Dutch Harbor in May 1942.

The Tambor were the last submarines to enter service before the start of the war. With the outbreak of hostilities, they represented the main striking force, until the end of 1942. they were not pressed by new Gato-class submarines. Nevertheless, the T boats continued to serve in the first line until the end of 1944, after which they were transferred to training centers and to secondary directions. Of the 12 T-type boats, 7 were lost. The SS-199 "Toutog" boat is the leader in the number of ships and vessels sunk.

Type M(type M - 2 pcs.: Mackerel, Martin) D. Inright's famous book says: “Sea training was carried out on board American submarines - Mackerel (SS-204) or Marlin (SS-205). These were new US Navy small submarines with state-of-the-art equipment. Their range did not allow the use of boats in military campaigns in the Pacific Ocean, but they were quite suitable for training and training. The exercises were conducted in the Long Island Sound. Destroyers based at Newport served as "targets".

Types "Gato", "Balao" and "Tanch"(Gato type - 54 pieces: Albacore, Amberjack, Angler, Barb, Bashaw, Blackfish, Bluefish, Bluegill, Bonefish, Bream, Cavalla, Cero, Cobia, Cock, Cod, Corvina, Croaker, Dace, Dorado, Drum, Finback, Flasher, Flier, Flounder, Flying Fish, Gabilan, Gato, Greenling, Grouper, Growler, Grunion, Guardfish, Gunnel, Gurnard, Haddo, Haddock, Hake, Halibut, Harder, Herring, Hoe, Jack, Kingfish, Lapon, Mingo, Muskallunge , Paddle, Pargo, Peto, Pogy, Pompon, Puffer, Rasher, Raton, Ray, Redfin, Robalo, Rock, Runner, Sawfish, Scamp, Scorpion, Shad, Silversides, Snook, Steelhead, Sunfish, Tinosa, Trigger, Tullibee, Tunny , Wahoo, Whale

Balao type - 120 pcs.: Archerfish, Aspro, Atule, Balao, Bang, Barbero, Batfish, Baya, Becuna, Bergall, Besugo, Billfish, Blackfin, Blenny, Blower, Blueback, Boardfish, Bowfin, Brill, Bugara, Bumper, Burrfisli , Caberon, Cabrilla, Caiman, Capelin, Capitaine, Carbonero, Carp, Catfish, Charr, Chivo, Chopper, Chub, Clamagore, Cobbler, Cochino, Corporal, Crevalle, Cubera, Cusk, Dentuda, Devilfish, Diodon, Dogfish, Dragonet, Entemedor , Greenfislt, Guavina, Guitarro, Hackleback, Halfbeak, Hammerhead, Hardhead, Hawkbill, Icefish, Jallao, Kraken, Lamprey, Lancetfish, Ling, Lionfish, Lizardfish, Loggerfish, Macabi, Manta, Mapiro, Menhaden, Mero, Moray, Pampanito, Parche , Perch, Picuda, Pintado, Pipefish, Piper, Piranha, Plaice, Pomfret, Queenfish, Quillback, Redfish, Roncador, Rouquil, Rozorback, Sabolo, Sablefish, Sandlance, Scabbardfish, Seacat, Seadevil, Seadog, Seafox, Seahorse, Sealion, Sea Owl, Sea Peacher, Sea Robin, Segundo, Sennet, Skate, Spadefisli, Cutlass, Diablo, Irex, Medregal, Odax, Pomodon, Quillback, requin, Runner, Sea Leopard, Sirago, Spinax, Tench, Thornback, Tirante, Togo, Torsk, Trutta)

Submarine SS-212 "Gato", which gave the name to the whole type. Photo 11/29/1944.

Submarine "Barb" June 20, 1942. The boats built by the Electric Boat Co. differed in the shape and arrangement of the holes in the lightweight hull.

Submarine "Scabbardfish" is a typical boat of the "Gato" type of late production series. Exit to the first military campaign 05/30/1944.

Boat SS-249 "Flasher", the leader in the sunk tonnage in the American submarine fleet. Photo 4.11.1943.

The first Gato-class boat was the SS-228 Drum, commissioned into the Navy on November 1, 1941, but at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, only the Gato was considered combat-ready. She was the first of 73 submarines of this type ordered in 1940. and became the main US boats in the outbreak of war. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, another 132 boats of the close Balao class were ordered.

"Gato" became an enlarged version of the penultimate Tambor series. These boats were 350t more (1825t) and 1.2m longer (92m). Much of the excess weight came from improved diesels and batteries. The rest of the changes touched on habitability issues (for example, fresh water tanks were increased).

The Balao type was very close to the Gato and was sometimes not considered a separate type. There were two main differences: firstly, a number of hull elements were made more technologically advanced for mass production, and secondly, the power elements of the hull were redesigned for more significant pressure, which allowed the boat to dive 100 feet deeper, totaling 400 feet. These boats were very popular and proved their high survivability more than once.

"Gato" bore the brunt of the war since 1942. and to its end. Of the 73 boats accepted into the Navy, one (SS-248 "Dorado") was sunk in the Caribbean Sea by an American aircraft on the way to the Panama Canal and 18 were lost in the Pacific Ocean as a result of enemy opposition. The most famous boats whose names became famous during the war years were the Gato-class submarines - SS-249 Flasher (leading boat in terms of sunk tonnage), SS-220 Barb, SS-215 Growler, SS-236 "Silversides", SS-237 "Trigger", SS-238 "Wahoo" and many others who were just a little short of getting into the group of leaders.

In the photo above: The Growler submarine collided with Japanese transport in February 1943. In the photo 05/05/1943, the boat is going for testing after restoration repairs.

Three of the 22 Marine pilots rescued by the Tang on their second patrol. Rescue operation in the area of ​​Truk Island, April 1944.

Of the 132 ordered boats "Balao" for the last 10 units, the order was canceled due to the end of the war, 21 boats were in the stage of combat training and did not take part in the hostilities. All the remaining 101 submarines took part in the battles with Japan. Most of them entered service too late to have time to make many military campaigns and achieve significant results. In this regard, the SS-304 "Seahorse" and SS-306 "Tang" became an exception. 10 Balao-class boats were lost.

At the end of the war, 134 Tench-class boats were ordered. But before the end of hostilities, only 30 were launched, of which 11 managed to complete combat training and go on military campaigns. Not a single Tench-class boat was lost.

Cabin of the boat "Dolphin" (type N). This cabin is a light grey-blue color typical of the pre-war coloring of American submarines. Two radio antennas are clearly visible on the sides of the cabin.

Three photographs (1 above and 2 below) show from different sides the cabin of the submarine "Bashaw", moored to her mother ship, Brisbane, on August 9, 1944. Pay attention to the hatch for servicing the deck gun in the forward part of the wheelhouse and TVT, mounted in a box-shaped sponson on the side of the wheelhouse (instead of the bow or stern ends, as was usually practiced). Bashaw is painted in one of two grey/black camouflage schemes adopted in June 1944. This is probably a light Measure 32/3SS-B scheme.