Undervattensbåten No 2-class submarine
Underettensbåten No 2 and Underettensbåten No 3 foreground in front of several other vessels | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Underettensbåten No 2 class |
| Builders | Motala Verkstad |
| Operators | Swedish Navy |
| Preceded by | HSwMS Hajen |
| Succeeded by | Laxen class |
| Built | 1908–1910 |
| In service | 1909–1930 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Scrapped | 3 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Coastal submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 26.72 m (87 ft 8 in) |
| Beam | 3.61 m (11 ft 10 in) |
| Draft | 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Complement | 12 |
| Armament | 1 × 457 mm (18 in) torpedo tube |
The Undervattensbåten No 2 class was a trio of coastal submarines operated by the Swedish Navy between 1909 and 1930. The boats were some of the earliest Swedish submarines and were heavily based off HSwMS Hajen, the first of her kind. The submarines, numbered 2 through 4, operated for two decades before being discarded by 1930.
Development and design
In 1900, the Swedish Navy sent Carl Richson to the United States, who was ordered to study submarines. After his return, he was inspired by USS Holland and designed HSwMS Hajen, Sweden's first submarine.[1]: 11 After Hajen entered service in 1904, Richson revisited the design in 1909. He enlarged the superstructure and added an outer casing, which entered service as the Undervattensbåten No 2 class. Several years later, the design was again modified, with better engines and superstructure, to create the Laxen-class submarines.[1]: 131-132
The class measured 26.72 metres (87 ft 8 in) in length with a beam of 3.61 metres (11 ft 10 in), draught of 3.00 metres (9 ft 10 in), and displaced 128 tons surfaced and 230 tons submerged. The complement consisted of 12 officers and crew. They were powered by a pair of Polar six-cylinder diesel engines and one electric motor that produced 420 brake horsepower (310 kW) and 200 horsepower (150 kW) respectively, which drove two propellers. This gave a maximum speed of 8.8 knots (16.3 km/h; 10.1 mph) on the surface and 6.6 knots (12.2 km/h; 7.6 mph) submerged. Armament consisted of a single 457-millimetre (18 in) torpedo tube mounted in the bow with a total capacity of three torpedoes.[2]: 361
The submarines were built by Motala Verkstad and were all launched in 1909. After entering service, the submarines operated along the Swedish archipelago before they were decommissioned between 1929 and 1930.[2]: 361 [1]: 131-132
Ships in class
| Name | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Stricken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Underettensbåten No 2 | 1908 | 25 February 1909 | 1909 | 6 June 1929 |
| Underettensbåten No 3 | 1908 | 14 April 1909 | 1909 | 21 November 1930 |
| Underettensbåten No 4 | 1909 | 16 October 1909 | 1910 | 6 June 1929 |
References
- ^ a b c Fontenoy, Paul E. (2007). Submarines: an Illustrated History of Their Impact. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-85109-563-6.
- ^ a b c Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. 1980. ISBN 978-0-85177-245-5.