British V-class submarine

For the First World War V class, see British V-class submarine (1914).

The British V-class submarine (officially "U-Class Long hull 1941–42 programme") was a class of submarines built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

V-class profile
HMS Voracious
Class overview
Name	V class
Builders	Vickers-Armstrong
Operators	Royal Navy Free French Naval Forces Royal Danish Navy Royal Hellenic Navy Royal Norwegian Navy
Preceded by	U class
Succeeded by	Amphion class
Planned	42
Completed	34 named (8 more never named) of which only 22 were completed.
General characteristics
Type	Submarine
Displacement	Surfaced – 545 tons standard, 658 tons full load Submerged – 740 tons
Length	204 ft 6 in (62.33 m)
Beam	16 ft 1 in (4.90 m)
Draught	15 ft 3 in (4.65 m)
Propulsion	2 shaft diesel-electric, 2 Paxman diesel generators + electric motors, 615 hp (459 kW) / 825 hp (615 kW)
Speed	11.25 kn (20.84 km/h; 12.95 mph) surfaced 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Complement	33
Armament	4 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes – (bow internal), 8 torpedoes 1 × 3 in gun

History

Forty-two vessels were ordered to this design, all to be built by Vickers-Armstrong at either Barrow-in-Furness or at Walker-on-Tyne, but only 22 were completed. Note that seven of these vessels received 'U' names (conversely, four of the U class had received names beginning with 'V').

The V-class submarines were very similar to the preceding U-class (short-hull) boats, of which they constituted a linear development, but had 3⁄4-inch (19 mm) pressure hull plating instead of 1⁄2-inch (13 mm) for deeper diving, also a lengthened stern and fining at the bow to reduce noise and improve underwater handling.

They were sometimes referred to as Vampire-class submarines after HMS Vampire.

It was one of this class, HMS Venturer, that is the only submarine to sink another submarine while submerged - that submarine was the German U-864.

Ships

The vessels which were ordered are shown below in their programme order (not all completed construction):

The first eight vessels were ordered on 5 December 1941 under that year's programme.

• HMS Venturer (P68)
• HMS Viking (P69)
• HMS Veldt (P71), completed as Pipinos (Y8)
• HMS Vampire (P72)
• HMS Vox (P73)
• HMS Vigorous (P74)
• HMS Virtue (P75)
• HMS Visigoth (P76)

The next eighteen vessels were ordered on 21 May 1942 under that year's programme, but six of these were cancelled in early 1944.

• HMS Vivid (P77)
• HMS Voracious (P78)
• HMS Vulpine (P79) - Transferred to the Royal Danish Navy after the war as U2
• HMS Varne (P81)
• HMS Upshot (P82)
• HMS Urtica (P83)
• HMS Vineyard (P84), completed as French submarine Doris (P84)
• HMS Variance (P85), completed as HNoMS Utsira
• HMS Vengeful (P86), transferred to Greece in 1945 as Greek submarine Delfin (Y-9)
• HMS Vortex (P87), completed as French submarine Morse (P87)
• cancelled
• HMS Veto (P88), cancelled 23 January 1944 and scrapped on the slip
• HMS Virile (P89), cancelled 23 January 1944 and scrapped on the slip
• HMS Visitant (P91), cancelled 23 January 1944 (never laid down)
• HMS Upas (P92), cancelled February 1944 and scrapped on the slip
• HMS Ulex (P93), cancelled February 1944 (never laid down)
• HMS Utopia (P94), cancelled February 1944 (never laid down)
• HMS Virulent (P95)
• HMS Volatile (P96)

A further six vessels were ordered on 17 November 1942 under the same year's programme, but four of these were cancelled on 23 January 1944.

• HMS Votary (P29)
• HMS Vagabond (P18)
• cancelled
• HMS Vantage, cancelled 23 January 1944 (never laid down)
• HMS Vehement (P25), cancelled 23 January 1944 (never laid down)
• HMS Venom (P27), cancelled 23 January 1944 (never laid down)
• HMS Verve (P28), cancelled 23 January 1944 (never laid down)

Finally, a further ten vessels were ordered under the 1943 Programme, but all of these were cancelled on 20 November 1943; eight of these were never given names.

• cancelled
• HMS Unbridled (P11), cancelled 20 November 1943 (never laid down)
• HMS Upward (P16), cancelled 20 November 1943 (never laid down)
• Eight more unnamed boats

References

• Allied Warships – Submarine – V class
• Walters, Derek (2004). The History of the British 'U' Class Submarine. Leo Cooper. ISBN 1-84415-131-X.