Tang class submarine
Encyclopedia
The Tang class submarines were a product of the Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program
(GUPPY), which incorporated German U-boat
technology into the United States Navy
's submarine design. They comprised the state of the art in post-World War II
conventionally-powered submarine design; a design that was incorporated into and replaced by the nuclear-powered submarines of the 1950s and beyond.
The torpedo tubes were also redesigned. The six forward tubes now used a slug of water behind the torpedo to push it out, rather than the pulse of air used in previous designs. Because this design is somewhat quieter and does not release an air bubble every time a torpedo is fired, it has been used in all subsequent submarine designs throughout the world. The four stern tubes of previous classes were reduced to two shorter, simpler tubes that could not accommodate the longer anti-ship torpedoes and had no capability to actively eject torpedoes. Rather, they were designed for the Mk 27
and planned Mk 37
swim-out weapons.
In addition, Tangs would use the HY42 (42000 lb (19.1 t) yield stress) steel. (The new HY75 would not appear until the middle 1950s.) Her design planned for 25 kn (49 km/h; 30.4 mph) speed and closed cycle propulsion (as would the contemporary Porpoise
and Narval classes.
; at the Electric Boat
yard in Groton, Connecticut
. In 1947, contracts were awarded to Portsmouth for and to Electric Boat
for . Then in 1948, a similar pair of contracts were awarded for and . Their names were based on six US submarines lost during the war, of which most, if not all of their commanding officers were killed in action while combatting Japanese surface vessels: , , , , and .
Construction and delivery followed without significant difficulty, but when the boats went to sea in the early 1950s, the new engines did not work well. Their compact design made them difficult to maintain, and they tended to leak oil into their generators. In 1956, the Navy decided to replace the "pancake" engines with ten-cylinder Fairbanks-Morse opposed-piston diesels. To accommodate the larger engines, the boats had to be lengthened some nine feet in the engine room, and even then, only three could be installed. Accordingly, in 1957 and 1958, the first four Tangs were lengthened, while Gudgeon and Harder, still on the ways, were built to the new length, with the new engines.
In 1967, Tang, Wahoo, Gudgeon, and Harder received an additional 15- or 18-foot (15 or) section added to receive the PUFFS
passive sonar
installation.
Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program
The Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program was initiated by the United States Navy after World War II to improve the submerged speed, maneuverability, and endurance of its submarines....
(GUPPY), which incorporated German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
technology into the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
's submarine design. They comprised the state of the art in post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
conventionally-powered submarine design; a design that was incorporated into and replaced by the nuclear-powered submarines of the 1950s and beyond.
Design
One of the first innovations incorporated into the Tangs was the General Motors 16-338 lightweight, compact, high-speed "pancake" engine. Very different from the classic diesel engines that nearly all preceding submarines used, which were laid out with a horizontal crankshaft and two rows of eight cylinders each, this new engine had a vertical crankshaft, and the cylinders were arranged radially like an aircraft engine. Four of these 13+1/2 ft, 4 feet (1.2 m), eight-ton engines could be installed in a single engine room, thus deleting an entire compartment from the submarine's design.The torpedo tubes were also redesigned. The six forward tubes now used a slug of water behind the torpedo to push it out, rather than the pulse of air used in previous designs. Because this design is somewhat quieter and does not release an air bubble every time a torpedo is fired, it has been used in all subsequent submarine designs throughout the world. The four stern tubes of previous classes were reduced to two shorter, simpler tubes that could not accommodate the longer anti-ship torpedoes and had no capability to actively eject torpedoes. Rather, they were designed for the Mk 27
Mark 27 torpedo
The Mark 27 torpedo was the first of the United States Navy 19-inch submarine-launched torpedoes. This electrically propelled torpedo was 125 inches long and weighed 1174 pounds . The torpedo employed a passive acoustic guidance system and was intended for both submarine and surface targets...
and planned Mk 37
Mark 37 torpedo
The Mark 37 torpedo is a torpedo with electrical propulsion, developed for the US Navy after World War II. It entered service with the US Navy in the early 1950s, with over 3,300 produced. It was phased out of service with the US Navy during the 1970s, and the stockpiles were sold to foreign...
swim-out weapons.
In addition, Tangs would use the HY42 (42000 lb (19.1 t) yield stress) steel. (The new HY75 would not appear until the middle 1950s.) Her design planned for 25 kn (49 km/h; 30.4 mph) speed and closed cycle propulsion (as would the contemporary Porpoise
HMS Porpoise (S01)
HMS Porpoise was a Porpoise-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 25 April 1956, commissioned on 17 April 1958, and was sunk as a target in 1985....
and Narval classes.
Boats
In October 1946, the first two boats were ordered. was built at Portsmouth Naval ShipyardPortsmouth Naval Shipyard
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard located in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is used for remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships...
; at the Electric Boat
Electric boat
While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion...
yard in Groton, Connecticut
Groton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
. In 1947, contracts were awarded to Portsmouth for and to Electric Boat
Electric boat
While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion...
for . Then in 1948, a similar pair of contracts were awarded for and . Their names were based on six US submarines lost during the war, of which most, if not all of their commanding officers were killed in action while combatting Japanese surface vessels: , , , , and .
Construction and delivery followed without significant difficulty, but when the boats went to sea in the early 1950s, the new engines did not work well. Their compact design made them difficult to maintain, and they tended to leak oil into their generators. In 1956, the Navy decided to replace the "pancake" engines with ten-cylinder Fairbanks-Morse opposed-piston diesels. To accommodate the larger engines, the boats had to be lengthened some nine feet in the engine room, and even then, only three could be installed. Accordingly, in 1957 and 1958, the first four Tangs were lengthened, while Gudgeon and Harder, still on the ways, were built to the new length, with the new engines.
In 1967, Tang, Wahoo, Gudgeon, and Harder received an additional 15- or 18-foot (15 or) section added to receive the PUFFS
Puffs
Puffs is a brand of facial tissue manufactured by Procter & Gamble. Introduced in 1960, it is among the leading national brands of facial tissue in the United States...
passive sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
installation.