 Walrus and Zeeleeuw
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Walrus class |
| Builders | Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, Manitowoc |
| Operators |  Royal Netherlands Navy |
| Succeeded by | Zwaardvis class |
| In service | 1953–1971 |
| General characteristics [1][2] | |
| Type | Diesel-electric Submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 93.6 m (307 ft 1 in) |
| Beam | 8.3 m (27 ft 3 in) |
| Draft | 4.6 metres (15 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Crew | 79 |
| 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
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
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
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
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
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
| 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
Citations
- ^ a b c d e van Amstel (1991), p. 56.
- ^ a b c Jalhay (1982), p. 127.
- ^ a b Raven (1988), p. 179.
- ^ Schoonoord (2012), p. 318.
- ^ Nooteboom (2001), pp. 36–38.
- ^ de Bles, Boven and Homburg (2006), p. 101
- ^ Nooteboom (2001), pp. 13–14.
- ^ a b c Jalhay (1982), p. 63.
- ^ a b de Bles, Boven and Homburg (2006), p. 102.
- ^ Nooteboom (2001), p. 38.
- ^ Jalhay (1982), p. 124.
- ^ Nooteboom (2001), p. 67.
- ^ a b c d Bosscher and Bussemaker (2007), pp. 86–87.
- ^ de Bles, Boven and Homburg (2006), p. 103.
- ^ Schoonoord (2012), pp. 130–131.
- ^ Jalhay (1982), pp. 125–126.
- ^ Jalhay (1982), p. 125.
- ^ Jalhay (1982), p. 126.
References
- 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.
This page was last edited on 4 October 2023, at 13:37