The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia

S3 Class, British Submarines

Photograph of S3-class submarine

Tonnage	865 tons surfaced 990 tons submerged
Dimensions	217' by 23'6" by 11'0" 66.1m by 7.2m by 3.4m
Maximum speed	14.5 knots surfaced 9 knots submerged
Dive	to 330 feet to 100 meters
Complement	48
Armament	6 21" torpedo tubes (13 torpedoes or 12 mines) 1 4"/40 gun 1 20mm Oerlikon AA gun 3 0.303 Lewis machine guns
Machinery	2-shaft diesel (1900 hp) or electric (1300 hp)
Range	6000 nautical miles (11,000 km) at 10 knots surfaced 120 nautical miles (220 km) at 3 knots submerged
Bunkerage	95 tons diesel oil
Sensors	Sonar Surface and air search radar

The S3s were built in 1940-1942 and the design was somewhat optimized for mass production. Like almost all British submarines, they lacked the range for effective operations in the Pacific, but saw useful service patrolling the coasts of Burma and Malaya. Those built for the Far East had a 4" gun in place of the 3" used in earlier units and eliminated a stern torpedo tube to compensate for the weight. Within their limits, they were a sound design, reliable and easily maintained and operated.

Units in the Pacific:

Stonehenge	Arrived 1943-3	Lost to unknown causes in 1944 in the Indian Ocean
Shakespeare	Arrived 1944
Stubborn	Arrived 1944
Scythian	Arrived 1944-3?
Sea Rover	Arrived 1944-3
Sea Dog	Arrived 1944-3?
Sirdar	Arrived 1944-3
Stygian	Arrived 1944-3
Subtle	Arrived 1944-3
Spirit	Arrived 1944-1
Statesman	Arrived 1944-2
Storm	Arrived 1944-2
Stoic	Arrived 1944-3
Strategem	Arrived <1944-8	Sunk by aircraft and Ch-35 1944-11-2 in Malacca Strait
Strongbow	Arrived 1944-9-2
Sturdy	Arrived 1944-10-13
Sea Scout	Arrived 1945
Selene	Arrived 1945
Sleuth	Arrived 1945
Solent	Arrived 1945
Spark	Arrived 1945
Spearhead	Arrived 1945-1
Spiteful	Arrived 1945-3

References

Bagnasco (1977)

McCartney (2006)

Uboat.net (accessed 2010-1-16)

Worth (2001)

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