Odin-class submarine

Oxley and Otway
Class overview
Name:	Odin class or O class
Operators:	Royal Navy
Preceded by:	L class
Succeeded by:	Parthian class
In commission:	22 July 1927—1959
Completed:	12
Lost:	6
Retired:	12
General characteristics
Type:	Submarine
Displacement:	Group 1: 1,311 long tons (1,332 t) surfaced 1,892 long tons (1,922 t) submerged Group 2: 1,781 long tons (1,810 t) surfaced 2,030 long tons (2,060 t) submerged
Length:	Group 1: 275 ft (84 m) Group 2: 283 ft 6 in (86.41 m)
Beam:	Group 1: 28 ft (8.5 m) Group 2: 30 ft (9.1 m)
Propulsion:	Diesel-electric 2 × diesel engines, 4,600 hp 2 × electric motors, 350 hp 2 screws
Speed:	Group 1: 15.5 knots (17.8 mph; 28.7 km/h) surfaced 9 kn (10 mph; 17 km/h) submerged Group 2: 17.5 kn (20.1 mph; 32.4 km/h) surfaced 9 kn (10 mph; 17 km/h) submerged
Range:	8,400 nmi (15,600 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h) surfaced 70 nmi (130 km) at 4 kn (4.6 mph; 7.4 km/h) submerged
Test depth:	300 ft (91 m)
Complement:	54
Armament:	8 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes (6 bow, 2 stern) with 16 reloads 1 × QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk XII deck gun 2 × Lewis machine guns

The Odin-class submarine (or "O class") was a class of nine submarines developed and built for the Royal Navy (RN) in the 1920s. The prototype, Oberon, was followed by two boats originally ordered for the Royal Australian Navy, but transferred to the RN in 1931 because of the poor economic situation in Australia, and six modified boats ordered for the RN. Three modified boats were built for the Chilean Navy as the Capitan O'Brien-class submarines in 1929.

Design

The class was built to replace the ageing L-class submarines which did not have adequate endurance for use in the Pacific Ocean. These boats were theoretically able to dive to 500 feet (150 m), though none were formally tested beyond 300 feet (91 m). Armament consisted of eight 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes (6 bow, 2 stern) and one 4-inch (102 mm) gun. The boats were of a saddle tank type with fuel carried in riveted external tanks. These external tanks proved vulnerable to leaking after depth charge damage, thus betraying the position of the submarine. These boats were the first British submarines fitted with Asdic and VLF radio which could be used at periscope depth.

Boats

Oxley-class submarines :

Odin-class submarines:

Notes

References

• Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 1-904381-05-7. 
• Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-962-6. 
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475. 
• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7. 
• McCartney, Innes (2006). British Submarines 1939–1945. New Vanguard. 129. Oxford, UK: Osprey. ISBN 1-84603-007-2. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Odin class submarines.

• Submariners Association: O Class
• Battleships-cruisers.co.uk: Odin Class
• Uboat.net