Name V class Preceded by U class Planned 42 | Builders Vickers-Armstrong Succeeded by Amphion class | |
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Operators Royal Navy
Free French Naval Forces
Royal Danish Navy
Royal Hellenic Navy
Royal Norwegian Navy | ||
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.
Contents
History
42 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 7 of these vessels received 'U' names (conversely, 4 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 pressure hull plating instead of 1/2-inch for deeper diving, also a lengthened stern and fining at the bows to reduce noise and improve underwater handling.
They were sometimes referred to as Vampire-class submarines after HMS Vampire.
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.
The next eighteen vessels were ordered on 21 May 1942 under that year's programme, but six of these were cancelled in early 1944.
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.
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.