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Walrus-class submarine (1953)

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Walrus and Zeeleeuw
Class overview
NameWalrus class
BuildersManitowoc Shipbuilding Company, Manitowoc
Operators Royal Netherlands Navy
Succeeded byZwaardvis class
In service1953–1971
General characteristics [1][2]
TypeDiesel-electric Submarine
Displacement
  • 1,840 t (1,810 long tons) surfaced
  • 2,425 t (2,387 long tons) submerged
Length93.6 m (307 ft 1 in)
Beam8.3 m (27 ft 3 in)
Draft4.6 metres (15 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 propellers
  • 6,500 hp (4,800 kW) surfaced
  • 2,700 hp (2,000 kW) submerged
  • 4 x GMC diesel engines
Speed
  • 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) surfaced
  • 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) submerged
Crew79
Armament

The Walrus class was a class of two submarines that served between 1953 and 1971 in the Royal Netherlands Navy.[3][4] They were former Balao class submarines that were loaned to the Netherlands by the United States under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP).[5]

Background

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After the Second World War the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN) was left with several old and obsolete submarines.[6][7] While the RNN made several plans to modernize the submarine fleet, it took many years till these plans resulted in the construction and commissioning of new submarines.[8] In the meanwhile the RNN tried to loan some of the surplus submarines that allies such as the United Kingdom and United States (US) had.[9][10] In the early 1950s this led to the US loaning two submarines to the Netherlands under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP), which together would later form the Walrus class.[11][3] Initially the US agreed to loan the two submarines for a duration of five years, however, this was extended twice with five years.[8]

Design and construction

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The two submarines of the Walrus class were built in the US by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company.[1] They were originally Balao class submarines that had served in the United States Navy (USN).[12] Before both submarines were transferred from the USN to the RNN they had undergone an extensive modernization known as Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program (GUPPY).[8][9]

Propulsion

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Both Walrus class submarines were equipped with four 16 cylinder two-stroke GMC diesel engines that were capable of delivering around 6500 hp when surfaced and 2700 hp when submerged.[13][1][2] This allowed the two submarines to reach a speed of 19 kn when surfaced and 12 kn when submerged.[13] Furthermore, they each had two propellers and two 126 cells batteries.[2] The batteries had a capacity of 10.500 Ah and allowed the Walrus class submarines to operate solely on electric power for 5 hours.[13]

Armaments

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When it came to armaments both submarines were equipped with a total of ten 53.3 cm torpedo tubes of which six were located at the front and four at the rear.[1] In addition, there was enough room to store 24 torpedoes inside the submarines.[13]

Service history

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In the early 1960s the Walrus class submarines patrolled the waters in Dutch New Guinea and were stationed at Manokwari and Biak.[14][15][16]

Ships in class

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Walrus class data[1]
Ship Pennant No. Commissioned Fate
Walrus S802 21 February 1953 Returned to the United States Navy on 23 July 1971.[17]
Zeeleeuw S803 21 April 1953 Returned to the United States Navy on 3 April 1970 and later sold to Trans Trading N.V. on 24 November 1970 for 313.013 Dutch guilders.[18]

Notes

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e van Amstel (1991), p. 56.
  2. ^ a b c Jalhay (1982), p. 127.
  3. ^ a b Raven (1988), p. 179.
  4. ^ Schoonoord (2012), p. 318.
  5. ^ Nooteboom (2001), pp. 36–38.
  6. ^ de Bles, Boven and Homburg (2006), p. 101
  7. ^ Nooteboom (2001), pp. 13–14.
  8. ^ a b c Jalhay (1982), p. 63.
  9. ^ a b de Bles, Boven and Homburg (2006), p. 102.
  10. ^ Nooteboom (2001), p. 38.
  11. ^ Jalhay (1982), p. 124.
  12. ^ Nooteboom (2001), p. 67.
  13. ^ a b c d Bosscher and Bussemaker (2007), pp. 86–87.
  14. ^ de Bles, Boven and Homburg (2006), p. 103.
  15. ^ Schoonoord (2012), pp. 130–131.
  16. ^ Jalhay (1982), pp. 125–126.
  17. ^ Jalhay (1982), p. 125.
  18. ^ Jalhay (1982), p. 126.

References

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  • Schoonoord, D.C.L. (2012). Pugno pro patria: de Koninklijke Marine tijdens de Koude Oorlog (in Dutch). Franeker: Van Wijnen. ISBN 978-90-5194-455-6.
  • van Amstel, W.H.E. (1991). De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine vanaf 1945 (in Dutch). Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN 90-6013-997-6.
  • Raven, G.J.A., ed. (1988). De kroon op het anker: 175 jaar Koninklijke Marine (in Dutch). Amsterdam: De Bataafsche Leeuw. ISBN 90-6707-200-1.
  • Bosscher, Ph.M.; Bussemaker, H.O. (2007). Gelouterd door strijd: De Nederlandse Onderzeedienst tot de val van Java, 1942 (in Dutch). Amsterdam: De Bataafsche Leeuw. ISBN 978-90-6707-614-2.
  • Nooteboom, S.G. (2001). Deugdelijke schepen: marinescheepsbouw 1945-1995 (in Dutch). Zaltbommel: Europese Bibliotheek. ISBN 90-288-2637-8.
  • de Bles, Harry; Boven, Graddy; Homburg, Leon (2006). Onderzeeboten! (in Dutch). Zaltbommel: Aprilis. ISBN 978-90-5994-130-4.
  • Jalhay, P.C. (1982). Nederlandse Onderzeedienst 75 jaar (in Dutch). Bussum: De Boer Maritiem. ISBN 90-228-1864-0.
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