TCG Gür (1936)
Encyclopedia
TCG Gür was a German-designed submarine
built in 1929-30 by the Echevarrieta y Larrinaga Shipyard in Cádiz
, Spain
, and bought by the Turkish Navy
in 1935 where it served until 1947. During its development and tests in Spain, it was designated Submarino E-1
, but actually it was a prototype (lead ship) of the German Type IA
submarine.
-based NV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw
(IvS), a subsidiary of Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG
-AG Weser
, started developing in the 1920s a submarine for Germany, circumventing the Treaty of Versailles
ban on submarines. The Spanish government, during General Primo de Rivera's dictatorship showed interest for such a submarine for the Spanish Navy
. Several German naval officers (including Wilhelm Canaris
) visited Spain and struck a deal with a Spanish businessman, Horacio Echevarrieta
. A single submarine was built in 1929–1930, it was launched on October 22, 1930, and was tested at sea early in 1931, under the manufacturer's designation of E-1, since no navy had yet commissioned the ship.
The government of the Second Spanish Republic
showed a clear preference for British submarine designs. Designers and builders then went to offer the design and the boat for sale to return their cost. Echevarrieta's imprisonment for his connection with the October 1934 Revolution made the Spanish Navy lose any interest in the submarine, which was finally sold to the Turkish Navy
in 1935.
Soviet engineers participated in the sea trials of E-1 and, as a result, 3 submarines of the improved E-2 class were built in the Soviet Union
(see the article Soviet S class submarine
.)
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
built in 1929-30 by the Echevarrieta y Larrinaga Shipyard in Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and bought by the Turkish Navy
Turkish Navy
The Turkish Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.- Ottoman fleet after Mudros :Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, on November 3, 1918, the fleet commander of the Ottoman Navy, Liva Amiral Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be...
in 1935 where it served until 1947. During its development and tests in Spain, it was designated Submarino E-1
Submarino E-1
Submarino E-1 was a German-designed Spanish-built submarine that served in the Turkish Navy as the Gür between 1936 and 1947....
, but actually it was a prototype (lead ship) of the German Type IA
German Type I submarine
The Type I U-boat was the first post-World War I attempt by the German Kriegsmarine to produce an ocean going submarine. Only two Type IAs were built, but the decision to halt production on further boats is believed to be because of political decisions and not because of major faults in the Type I...
submarine.
Development and design
The NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-based NV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw
NV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw
NV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw , usually contracted to IvS, was a Dutch dummy company set up by the Reichsmarineamt after World War I in order to maintain and develop German submarine know-how and to circumvent the limitations set by the Treaty of Versailles...
(IvS), a subsidiary of Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG
Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG
Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau Aktiengesellschaft was a cooperation of eight German shipyards in the period 1926 to 1945...
-AG Weser
AG Weser
Aktien-Gesellschaft Weser was one of the great German shipbuilding companies, located at the Weser River in Bremen. Founded in 1873 it was finally closed in 1983. Altogether, AG Weser built about 1400 ships of different types, including many war ships...
, started developing in the 1920s a submarine for Germany, circumventing the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
ban on submarines. The Spanish government, during General Primo de Rivera's dictatorship showed interest for such a submarine for the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
. Several German naval officers (including Wilhelm Canaris
Wilhelm Canaris
Wilhelm Franz Canaris was a German admiral, head of the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service, from 1935 to 1944 and member of the German Resistance.- Early life and World War I :...
) visited Spain and struck a deal with a Spanish businessman, Horacio Echevarrieta
Horacio Echevarrieta
Horacio Echevarrieta Maruri was a businessman, banker, industrialist, patron of the arts, politician and diplomatic mediator....
. A single submarine was built in 1929–1930, it was launched on October 22, 1930, and was tested at sea early in 1931, under the manufacturer's designation of E-1, since no navy had yet commissioned the ship.
The government of the Second Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
showed a clear preference for British submarine designs. Designers and builders then went to offer the design and the boat for sale to return their cost. Echevarrieta's imprisonment for his connection with the October 1934 Revolution made the Spanish Navy lose any interest in the submarine, which was finally sold to the Turkish Navy
Turkish Navy
The Turkish Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.- Ottoman fleet after Mudros :Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, on November 3, 1918, the fleet commander of the Ottoman Navy, Liva Amiral Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be...
in 1935.
Soviet engineers participated in the sea trials of E-1 and, as a result, 3 submarines of the improved E-2 class were built in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(see the article Soviet S class submarine
Soviet S class submarine
The S-class or Srednyaya submarines were part of the Soviet Navy's underwater fleet during World War II. Unofficially nicknamed Stalinets , boats of this class were the most successful and achieved the most significant victories among all Soviet submarines...
.)