Tench class submarine

Wikipedia, [12 November 2007]

Tench class submarines were an evolutionary improvement over the Gato and Balao classes, only about 35 to 40 tons larger, but more strongly built and with a slightly improved internal layout. Further improvements were made beginning with SS-435, which are sometimes referred to as Corsair class.

Initial plans called for 146 to be built, but 115 were cancelled in 1944 and 1945 when it became apparent that they would not be needed to defeat Japan. The remaining 31 were commissioned between October 1944 (Tench) and February 1951 (Grenadier).

Two Tench subs from the USN went to the Republic of China Navy and re-classed as Hai Shih class submarines and two Tench subs from the USN went to the Italy and re-classed as Gianfranco Gazzana-Priaroggia class submarines.

General characteristics

Displacement:

1570 tons surfaced, 2428 tons (except SS.417-424 2416 & SS.475-515 2414) submerged

Length:

307 ft (93.6 m) waterline, 311 ft 9 in (95 m) overall

Beam:

27 ft 9 in (8.2 m)

Draft:

15 ft 3 in (4.6 m)

Test Depth:

400 ft (122 m)

Speed:

20.25 knots (37.5 km/h) surfaced, 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged

Armament:

• 10 x 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (6 forward, 4 aft, 24 torpedoes)
• 1 x 5 in (127 mm) deck gun
• 2 x 40 mm cannon

Crew:

80-90 officers and men

Powerplant:

• 4 x 1350 hp (1 MW) diesel engines (10cyl Fairbanks-Morse 38D-1/8 (16cyl General Motors 278A in SS.435-474)
• 2 x 1370 hp (1020 kW) electric motors (General Electric in SS.417-424, 435-474; Elliott Motor in SS.425-434, 475-520; Westinghouse in SS.521-550) (two 126-cell Exide main storage batteries) except SS.424, 475, 476, 478, 480-483, 485, & 488 Gould
• two shafts

Range:

• 12,000 nm at 10 knots (22,200 km at 18.5 km/h) surfaced;
• 100 nm at 3 knots (185 km at 5.6 km/h) (maximum) submerged

Submerged Endurance:

48 hours