The Orion-class submarines were a class of two submarines built for the French Navy between 1928 and 1931.

Orion-class submarine
Class overview
NameOrion class
Operators French Navy
Preceded byArgonaute class
Succeeded byDiane class
Built1928 - 1931
In service1932 - 1943
Planned2
Completed2
Retired2
General characteristics
TypeSubmarine
Displacement
Length67 m (219 ft 10 in)
Beam6.2 m (20 ft 4 in)
Draught4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × diesel engines, 1,400 hp (1,044 kW)
  • 2 × electric motors, 1,000 hp (746 kW)
Speed
  • 14 knots (26 km/h) (surfaced)
  • 9 knots (17 km/h) (submerged)
Range
  • 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h)
  • 82 nautical miles (152 km) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h) (submerged)
Test depth80 m (260 ft)
Complement41 men
Armament

Design

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The Orion-class submarines were ordered in 1928 to a Loire-Simonot design. 67 m (219 ft 10 in) long, with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) and a draught of 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in), they could dive up to 80 m (260 ft). The submarines had a surfaced displacement of 558 long tons (567 t) and a submerged displacement of 787 long tons (800 t). Propulsion while surfaced was provided by two diesel engines with a total of 1,400 hp (1,044 kW) and two electric motors with a total of 1,000 hp (746 kW). The submarines' electrical propulsion allowed it to attain speeds of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) while submerged and 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface. Their surfaced range was 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) with a submerged range of 82 nautical miles (152 km) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h).[1][2][3]

Ships

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Orion-class submarines
Name Ordered laid down launched commissioned fate
Orion 27 December 1927 9 July 1929 21 April 1931 5 July 1932 Scrapped for spare parts in 1944.[1]
Ondine 27 December 1927 30 August 1929 4 May 1931 5 July 1932 Scrapped for spare parts in 1944.[4]

[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Q 165". 29 October 2013. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013.
  2. ^ "Oron class Submarines - Allied Warships of WWII". uboat.net. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  3. ^ "French submarines of World War II". naval-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Q 166". 4 March 2016. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  5. ^ Smith, Gordon. "French Navy, World War 1". www.naval-history.net.