HSwMS Valen (1925)
| History | |
|---|---|
| Sweden | |
| Name | Valen |
| Builder | Karlskrona Navy Yard |
| Laid down | 1923 |
| Launched | 5 May 1925 |
| Commissioned | 4 September 1925 |
| Fate | Stricken 6 October 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Mine-laying submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 57.10 m (187 ft 4 in) |
| Beam | 7.11 m (23 ft 4 in) |
| Draft | 3.10 m (10 ft 2 in) |
| Speed |
|
| Complement | 31 |
| Armament |
|
HSwMS Valen was the first mine-laying submarine of the Swedish Navy and the only boat of her class. Her design was based on the earlier Bävern-class submarine, itself a derivative of the German Type UB-III U-boat. She was laid down in 1923 and commissioned in 1925 and had an uneventful service life. By World War II, her design was used to build six more modern mine-laying boats, and she was stricken in 1944.
Design and development
During and after World War I, the Swedish Navy ordered submarines based on German designs. The submarines were modified versions of the Type UB-III U-boat design, with the rear torpedo tube removed. The design was used to build the six boats of the Hajen and Bävern classes, which all launched by 1921.[1]: 114 By the mid-1920s, Swedish naval authorities were impressed by the performance of German submarine minelayers during the war, and ordered their own.[2]: 177 The design of Valen consisted of a Bävern-class submarine with ten vertical mine-laying tubes installed along the ballast tanks.[1]: 193
The design featured a length of 57.10 metres (187 ft 4 in), beam of 7.11 metres (23 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.10 metres (10 ft 2 in), and a complement of 31. Aside from her aforementioned mine-laying tubes, her armament consisted of four 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes, a 75 mm (3.0 in) anti-air gun, one 25 mm (0.98 in), and 25 naval mines. She was propelled by two Atlas diesel engines and two electric motors which produced 1,340 brake horsepower (1,000 kW) and 700 horsepower (520 kW) through two propellers. While surfaced, the submarine had a maximum speed of 14.8 knots (27.4 km/h; 17.0 mph) and displaced 548 tons and had a speed of 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) and displaced 730 tons while submerged.[3]: 373
Service history
Valen was laid down at the Karlskrona Navy Yard in 1923, launched on 5 May 1925, and commissioned on 4 September 1925.[3]: 373 The Swedish Navy continued to order more minelaying submarines based on Valen, which was followed by the three Delfinen-class submarines in 1934 and Neptun-class trio in 1942. All of the submarines retained Valen's system of launching twenty mines through vertical tubes.[2]: 177 By World War II, the old submarine was decommissioned on 6 October 1944.[3]: 373
References
- ^ a b Fontenoy, Paul E. (2007). Submarines: an Illustrated History of Their Impact. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-85109-563-6.
- ^ a b Miller, David (1991). Submarines Of The World. Salamander Books. ISBN 978-0517586662.
- ^ a b c Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. 1980. ISBN 978-0-85177-146-5.