View source for Tambor-class submarine

{{Short description|US Navy submarine class of World War II}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = [[File:Usstambor.jpg|300px|USS Tambor]]
| Ship caption = USS ''Tambor'' (SS-198)
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = ''Tambor'' class
| Builders = [[General Dynamics Electric Boat|Electric Boat Company]], [[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]], [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]]<ref name="Register">{{cite book
  | last = Bauer
  | first = K. Jack
  | author-link = K. Jack Bauer
  |author2=Roberts, Stephen S.
   | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants
  | publisher = Greenwood Press
  | date = 1991
  | location = [[Westport, Connecticut]]
  | pages = 270
  | isbn = 0-313-26202-0 }}</ref>
| Operators = {{navy|United States|1912}}
| Class before = {{sclass|Sargo|submarine|4}}<ref name="Register"/>
| Class after = {{sclass|Mackerel|submarine|4}}<ref name="Register"/>
| Subclasses = 
| Built range = 1939–1941<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates">{{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | author-link = Norman Friedman
  | title = U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History
  | publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]]
  | date = 1995
  | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
  | pages = 285–304
  | isbn = 1-55750-263-3 }}</ref>
| In commission range = 1940–1946<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
| Total ships building = 
| Total ships planned = 
| Total ships completed = 12<ref name="Register"/>
| Total ships cancelled = 
| Total ships active = 
| Total ships laid up = 
| Total ships lost = 7<ref name="Register"/>
| Total ships retired = 5<ref name="Register"/>
| Total ships preserved = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = [[Diesel-electric]] [[submarine]]
| Ship displacement = *{{convert|1475|long ton|t|lk=on}} standard, surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs">''U.S. Submarines Through 1945'' pp. 305-311</ref>
*{{convert|2370|long ton|t}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship length = {{convert|307|ft|2|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship beam = {{convert|27|ft|3|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship draft = {{convert|14|ft|7+1/2|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship propulsion = *4 × [[diesel engine]]s driving [[electrical generator]]s ([[Fairbanks-Morse]] or [[Electro-Motive Diesel|General Motors]])<ref name="Register"/>
*2 × 126-[[Electrochemical cell|cell]] [[USS Sargo (SS-188)#Sargo batteries|''Sargo'']] [[Battery (electricity)|batteries]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*4 × high-speed [[General Electric]] [[electric motors]] with [[gear|reduction gears]]<ref name="Register"/>
*two shafts<ref name="Register"/>
*{{convert|6400|hp|abbr=on}} surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*{{convert|2740|hp|abbr=on}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship speed = *{{convert|20.4|kn|km/h|0}} surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*{{convert|8.75|kn|km/h|0}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship range = {{convert|11000|nmi|km}} at {{convert|10|kn|km/h}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship endurance = 48 hours at {{convert|2|kn|km/h}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship test depth = {{convert|250-300|ft|abbr=on}} Crush Depth Possible {{convert|500|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship complement = 6 officers, 54 enlisted<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = *10 × [[American 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s (six forward, four aft)
*24 [[torpedo]]es<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*1 × [[3"/50 caliber gun|3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber]] [[deck gun]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

The '''''Tambor''-class submarine''' was a [[United States Navy]] [[submarine]] design, used primarily during [[World War II]].  They were the USN's first fully successful [[fleet submarine]], and began the war close to the fighting. Six of the class were in [[Hawaii]]an waters or the Central Pacific on 7 December 1941, with {{USS|Tautog|SS-199|2}} at [[attack on Pearl Harbor|Pearl Harbor during the attack]].<ref name="navsource.org">[http://www.navsource.org/Naval/usf06.htm US submarine deployment 7 December 1941]</ref> They went on to see hard service; seven of the twelve boats in the class were sunk before the survivors were withdrawn from front-line service in early 1945; this was the highest percentage lost of any US submarine class. ''Tautog'' was credited with sinking 26 ships, the largest number of ships sunk by a US submarine in [[World War II]]. The ''Tambor''s attained the top speed of {{convert|21|kn|km/h|0}} and range of {{convert|11000|nmi|km}} (allowing patrols in [[Imperial Japan|Japanese]] home waters) of the preceding {{sclass|Sargo|submarine|4}}, and improvements included six bow [[torpedo tube]]s, a more reliable full [[diesel-electric]] propulsion plant, and improved combat efficiency with key personnel and equipment relocated to the [[conning tower]].<ref name="Friedman, pp. 204-205">Friedman, pp. 204-205</ref><ref name="pwencycl.kgbudge.com">[http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/T/a/Tambor_class.htm ''Tambor'' class article at The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia]</ref> In some references, the ''Tambor''s are called the "T&nbsp;Class", and SS-206 through SS-211 are sometimes called the "''Gar''&nbsp;class".<ref>Silverstone, pp. 190-193</ref>

==Design history==

===Preliminary designs===
Early U.S. submarine designs of [[World War I]] assigned to escort shipping revealed that they had minimal ability to deter an aggressive threat. Despite the fact that [[German Empire|German]] [[U-boat]]s proved beyond a doubt that no navy could be a world sea power without submarines, the role played by U.S. submarines in the defense of the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] would have to be rethought by Navy planners.

Following the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]], and after testing the capabilities of German design via captured U-boats, the U.S. Navy began to see the potential for extended offensive submarine operations. Submarine operations with the fleet required boats with a high speed of 21 knots so that they could maneuver with the [[Standard-type battleship]]s. A high endurance was also desired to enable sustained patrols in Japanese home waters, hopefully providing warning of enemy operations as well as sinking warships close to home.<ref>Friedman, pp. 163-165</ref> These qualities would later prove vital in commerce raiding during World War II, though this was largely absent from prewar planning due to the restrictions of the [[Washington Naval Treaty]].<ref>Friedman, p. 163</ref> The huge advancement in American technology required to fill that role with "a new all-purpose fleet submarine" also became apparent.<ref>Friedman, pp. 99-100</ref>

The first attempt to produce a fleet submarine was the {{sclass|AA-1|submarine|4}}, later renamed the T class, launched 1918-19. These produced a high speed with four engines clutched together in tandem pairs. This design resulted in excessive vibration and engine damage, and the class was decommissioned in the 1920s and scrapped in 1930. The second attempt was the ''Barracuda'' class; the first three [[V-boat]]s, launched 1924–25. These combined large [[direct drive]] main diesels with small diesel-electric diesels to achieve 21 knots. Their engines, built by the [[Bureau of Steam Engineering]] (BuEng) based on German [[MAN Energy Solutions|MAN]] designs, were unreliable and the boats had poor [[seakeeping]] qualities.<ref>Friedman, pp. 112-113</ref> They were decommissioned in 1937 and saw only limited service, mostly training and experimental, in [[World War II]].

A different direction, that of a large, long-range [[submarine cruiser|"cruiser" submarine]] with moderate speed, was taken with {{USS|Argonaut|SM-1|2}}, {{USS|Narwhal|SS-167|2}}, and {{USS|Nautilus|SS-168|2}}, the second trio of V-boats launched 1927–30. These were influenced by [[Imperial German Navy|German]] "U-cruisers" such as the [[German Type U 139 submarine|Type U-139]] of [[World War I]]. Up to {{convert|381|ft|abbr=on}} overall and {{convert|2710|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced displacement, these were the largest non-nuclear submarines ever built by the United States. They were armed with a pair of [[6"/53 caliber gun|6-inch]] [[deck gun]]s to allow engaging [[armed merchant cruiser]]s or [[Q-ship]]s on the surface. However, their huge size was a disadvantage in most tactical situations. They could not dive quickly and were slow in maneuvering.<ref>Friedman, pp. 173-182</ref> They found a role inserting raiders and supplying [[guerrilla warfare|guerrillas]] in World War II, famously in the [[Makin Island raid]] but also in the [[Philippines]].

After the unsuccessful attempts outlined above, Navy designers finally worked towards a practical fleet submarine. The first successful approaches to this were the [[United States Porpoise-class submarine|Porpoise]] or "P"-class and {{sclass|Salmon|submarine|5}} / {{sclass|Sargo|submarine|5}} or new "S"-class submarines, launched 1935–1939. These were smaller, more maneuverable boats than the cruiser-type [[V-boat]]s. However, the "P" class was lacking in speed and their early diesel-electric propulsion was vulnerable to arcing. Although the new "S" class had a faster "composite" power plant combining direct drive and diesel-electric components, they were somewhat lacking in reliability and firepower. Some of the new "S" class were equipped with the [[Hooven-Owens-Rentschler]] [[double-acting cylinder|double-acting]] diesels, which had poor reliability.

===''Tambor''-class proposal===

In the fall of 1937 a proposal for an improved fleet submarine was put forward by the team of officers put together by then-Commander [[Charles A. Lockwood]] (later Admiral and [[ComSubPac|Commander Submarine Force Pacific]]), Lt. Cmdr. [[Andrew McKee]], planning officer at [[Portsmouth Navy Yard]], and Lt. Armand M. Morgan, head of the Navy's submarine design section. It was to be large (1,500&nbsp;tons), and carry the latest [[diesel engine]]s, ten [[torpedo]] tubes, a {{convert|5|in|0|adj=on}} gun, and an updated [[Torpedo Data Computer]]. Habitability would be increased by the addition of fresh water [[distillation]] units and [[air conditioning]].

However, the design concepts faced opposition from Admiral [[Thomas C. Hart|Thomas Hart]], Chairman of the [[General Board of the United States Navy|General Board]]. Hart stubbornly defended the building of small, coastal defense boats (without "luxuries" like air conditioning, whose primary function was not comfort but the elimination of prevalent electrical shorts). Through determination and skilled political maneuvering, the design of Lockwood's team prevailed (though Hart would consent to only a {{convert|3|in|0|adj=on}} gun). As with other classes, the small gun was to prevent submarines from attempting to engage heavily armed escorts on the surface. This design was finally adopted by the Navy's General Board and the Submarine Officers' Conference for the 1939 program.

===Design specifications===

The ''Tambor''s had several key improvements over the ''Sargo'' class. For the first time in a US submarine, six bow [[torpedo tube]]s were equipped. This had been delayed for several years due to an overestimate of the tonnage required for the two extra tubes. The four stern tubes of the ''Sargo''s were retained. Larger torpedo rooms eliminated the deck stowage of torpedoes on previous classes, which was abandoned during World War II in any case.<ref name="Friedman, pp. 204-205"/> Combat efficiency was improved by relocating the sonar operators and the [[Torpedo Data Computer]] into an enlarged [[conning tower]] to enable direct communication with the captain, and a new [[periscope]] with a small head to avoid detection was equipped.<ref name="pwencycl.kgbudge.com"/><ref>Friedman, pp. 196-197</ref> The "negative tank" or "down express" tank found on some World War I-era [[United States S-class submarine|S-boats]] was revived; this could be quickly flooded when diving to provide negative buoyancy and get the submarine under water more quickly. The hull had improved streamlining for a higher cruising speed.<ref name="Friedman, pp. 204-205">Friedman, pp. 204-205</ref>

Although the ''Tambor''s were initially equipped with a [[3"/50 caliber gun|3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber]] deck gun, Lockwood and the Submarine Officers' Conference prevailed upon Admiral Hart to allow a supporting deck strengthened to accommodate a [[5"/51 caliber gun|5-inch (127 mm)/51 caliber gun]] if experience warranted this. In 1942–43, four ''Tambor''s: SS-198, SS-199, SS-200 (which was the first one to be so modified, with USS ''Bonita'''s gun), SS-203, and two ''Gar''s: SS-206, SS-209, were rearmed with the 5-inch/51 guns. All pieces were taken from the [[V-boat|''Barracuda'' class]] or spares for that class, as they were the only class with a submarine "wet mount" for that gun.<ref>Friedman, pp. 214-218</ref> As with many other submarines that started the war with the 3"/50, the remaining ''Tambor''s received [[4"/50 caliber gun|4-inch (102 mm)/50 caliber gun]]s removed from old S-boats that were being withdrawn from combat service.

The full diesel-electric propulsion plant found in a few ''Sargo''s was continued, and probably improvements over the ''Porpoise'' class eliminated the arcing that had plagued those boats. The "new S-class" had boats with either [[General Motors]]-[[Electro-Motive Diesel|Winton]] engines or [[Hooven-Owens-Rentschler]] (HOR) engines. The HOR engines proved very unreliable, and were replaced by early 1943.<!-- based on dates of first wartime overhauls; Friedman says 1944 in some cases --><ref>Friedman, pp. 263, 360-361</ref> The non-GM engine selected was the [[Fairbanks-Morse]] [[Fairbanks Morse 38 8-1/8 diesel engine|38 8-1/8 engine]]. Still used as backup power on [[nuclear submarines]], this was one of the best submarine engines ever. The ''Tambor''s were lucky; twelve of the subsequent {{sclass|Gato|submarine|0}} boats were initially equipped with HORs, apparently to speed up production.<ref>Friedman, pp. 360-361</ref>

The ''Tambor''s had a significant weakness: all four engines were in one compartment, making the boat very vulnerable to damage. This was corrected in the ''Gato'' class, whose test depth was also increased from {{convert|250|ft|abbr=on}} to {{convert|300|ft|abbr=on}}, based on testing of depth charges against ''Tambor''.<ref>Friedman, pp. 205–206, 310</ref>

====Mine armament====
The Tambor class could substitute mines in place of torpedoes. For the Mk 10 and Mk 12 type mines used in World War II, each torpedo could be replaced by as many as two mines, giving the submarine a true maximum capacity of 48 mines. However, doctrine was to retain at least four torpedoes on mine laying missions, which would limit the capacity to 40 mines, and this is often stated as the maximum in various publications. In practice during the war, submarines went out with at least 8 torpedoes, and the largest minefields laid were 32 mines. Post-war, the Mk 49 mine replaced the Mk 12, while the larger Mk 27 mine was also carried which only allowed one mine replacing one torpedo.<ref>[https://maritime.org/doc/mines-usn/index.php ORD696 Operational Characteristics of U.S. Naval Mines]</ref>

==Service==
[[File:Japanese Cargo Ship Sinking.jpg|thumb|left|Periscope photo of a Japanese merchant ship sinking.]]
Six ''Tambor''s were in Hawaiian waters or the Central Pacific on 7 December 1941, with {{USS|Tautog|SS-199|2}} at [[attack on Pearl Harbor|Pearl Harbor during the attack]]. The remainder of the class was in the continental United States, recently commissioned or on trials. The bulk of the available submarines in the Pacific (not including any ''Tambor''s) had been forward deployed to the Philippines in October 1941.<ref name="navsource.org"/> The ''Tambor''s went on to see hard service; seven of the twelve boats in the class were sunk before the survivors were withdrawn from front-line service for training and experimental duties in early 1945; this was the highest percentage lost of any US submarine class. ''Tautog'' was credited with sinking 26 ships, the largest number of ships sunk by a US submarine in [[World War II]]. Postwar, {{USS|Tuna|SS-203|2}} was a target in the [[Operation Crossroads]] [[nuclear weapons]] tests at [[Bikini Atoll]] in 1946, but was only lightly damaged. She was later expended as a target in 1948.

{{clear}}

==Boats in class==

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:97%;"
|+ Construction data
|-
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Hull no.|Hull number}}
! scope="col" | Builder
! scope="col" | Laid down
! scope="col" | Launched
! scope="col" | Commissioned
! scope="col" | Fate
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Tambor|SS-198|2}}
|SS-198
|rowspan=3|[[Electric Boat]], [[Groton, Connecticut]]
|16 January 1939
|20 December 1939
|3 June 1940
|Decommissioned 10 December 1945.  Reserve training ship postwar; sold for scrap 1 September 1959.
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Tautog|SS-199|2}}
|SS-199
|1 March 1939
|27 January 1940
|3 July 1940
|Decommissioned 8 December 1945. Reserve training ship postwar; sold for scrap 15 November 1959, to the [[Bultema Dock and Dredge Company]] of [[Manistee, Michigan]].
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Thresher|SS-200|2}}
|SS-200
|27 April 1939
|27 March 1940
|27 August 1940
|Decommissioned 13 December 1945.  Sold for scrap 18 March 1948 to Max Siegel of [[Everett, Massachusetts]].
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Triton|SS-201|2}}
|SS-201
|rowspan=2|[[Portsmouth Navy Yard]], [[Kittery, Maine]]
|5 July 1939
|25 March 1940
|15 August 1940
|Lost to attack by three destroyers 20 March 1943.
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Trout|SS-202|2}}
|SS-202
|8 August 1939
|21 May 1940
|15 November 1940
|Lost around 29 February 1944, probably to enemy action.
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Tuna|SS-203|2}}
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | SS-203
|[[Mare Island Navy Yard]], [[Vallejo, California]]
|19 July 1939
|2 October 1940
|2 January 1941
|Decommissioned on 11 December 1946.  Expended as target 24 September 1948.
|}
The last six of the ''Tambor'' class are often listed as "''Gar''-class" submarines. They were ordered in fiscal year 1940 (FY40); the previous six were ordered in FY39, and some design differences were anticipated. On 17 December 1938, the secretary of the navy decided that the FY40 class would duplicate the FY39 class. However, design collapse depth was increased from {{convert|450|ft}} to {{convert|500|ft}}, with test depth remaining at {{convert|250|ft}}.<ref name="Friedman, pp. 204-205"/>
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:97%;"
|+ Construction data (''Gar''-class)
|-
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Hull no.|Hull number}}
! scope="col" | Builder
! scope="col" | Laid down
! scope="col" | Launched
! scope="col" | Commissioned
! scope="col" | Fate
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Gar|SS-206|2}}
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | SS-206
|rowspan=3|Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut
|27 December 1939
|27 November 1940
|14 April 1941
|Decommissioned on 11 December 1945.  Reserve training ship postwar; sold for scrap 18 November 1959 to [[Acme Scrap Iron and Metal]] Company.
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Grampus|SS-207|2}}
|SS-207
|14 February 1940
|23 December 1940
|23 May 1941
|Lost 5 March 1943, probably to enemy action.
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Grayback|SS-208|2}}
|SS-208
|3 April 1940
|31 January 1941
|30 June 1941
|Lost to enemy action 27 February 1944.
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Grayling|SS-209|2}}
|SS-209
|rowspan=2|Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine
|15 December 1939
|29 November 1940
|1 March 1941
|Lost between 9 and 12 September 1943, to accident or enemy action.
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Grenadier|SS-210|2}}
|SS-210
|2 April 1940
|29 November 1940
|1 May 1941
|Scuttled following enemy action 22 April 1943.
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Gudgeon|SS-211|2}}
|SS-211
|Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California
|22 November 1939
|25 January 1941
|21 April 1941
|Lost between 7 April and 7 June 1944, to accident or enemy action.
|}

==See also==
* [[List of most successful American submarines in World War II]]
* [[Allied submarines in the Pacific War]]
* [[Fleet submarine]]
* [[Unrestricted submarine warfare]]
* [[Torpedo]]
* [[List of submarine classes of the United States Navy]]
* [[List of lost United States submarines]]
* [[List of submarines of the Second World War]]

==References==

===Citations===
{{Reflist|2}}

===Sources===
* Alden, John D., Commander (USN, Ret). ''The Fleet Submarine in the U.S. Navy: A Design and Construction History''. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1979. {{ISBN|0-85368-203-8}}.
* {{cite book | last = Bauer | first = K. Jack | author-link = K. Jack Bauer |author2=Roberts, Stephen S.  | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants | publisher = Greenwood Press | year = 1991 | location = [[Westport, Connecticut]] | isbn = 0-313-26202-0 }}
* Blair, Clay, Jr. ''Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan''. New York: Bantam, 1976. {{ISBN|0-553-01050-6}}.
* Campbell, John ''Naval Weapons of World War Two'' (Naval Institute Press, 1985), {{ISBN|0-87021-459-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Friedman|first=Norman |author-link= Norman Friedman |title=U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History |publisher= [[Naval Institute Press]] |year=1995|location=[[Annapolis, Maryland]] |isbn=1-55750-263-3}}
* Gardiner, Robert and Chesneau, Roger, ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946'', London: Conway Maritime Press, 1980. {{ISBN|0-83170-303-2}}.
* Lenton, H. T. ''American Submarines (Navies of the Second World War)'' (Doubleday, 1973), {{ISBN|0-38504-761-4}}.
* Roscoe, Theodore. ''United States Submarine Operations in World War II''. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1949. {{ISBN|0-87021-731-3}}.
* Silverstone, Paul H., ''U.S. Warships of World War II'' (Ian Allan, 1965), {{ISBN|0-87021-773-9}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tambor class submarines}}
* [http://oneternalpatrol.com On Eternal Patrol], website for lost US subs
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/04idx.htm Navsource.org fleet submarines photo index page]
* [http://pigboats.com/ Pigboats.com pre-1941 submarine photo site]
* [http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_3-50_mk10-22.htm DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com later 3"/50 caliber gun]
* [http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_4-50_mk9.htm DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com 4"/50 caliber gun]
* [http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_5-51_mk7.htm DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com 5"/51 caliber gun]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140322093118/http://www.fleetsubmarine.com/sublist.html List of USN World War II fleet submarines at The Wayback Machine, archived from www.fleetsubmarine.com]

{{Tambor class submarine}}
{{WWII US ships}}

[[Category:Submarine classes]]
[[Category:Tambor-class submarines| ]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of the United States| Tambor]]