[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Frank the tank

I'm currently on my second SH4 patrol in 1941. I was just wondering what preferences you guys have for the different types of subs.

Currently I have a salmon class. Is there anything better? And if so what are the advantages of other classes.

Cheers

Well, next in line you have your Sargos, Tambors, Gatos and Balaos

The Sargos were completed in 1939 and were quite modern boats. They were essentially slightly modified Salmons. They were required to be able to maintain 17 knots on three of their four diesel engines and to have 25 percent reserve buoyancy. They used a new Navy battery design in place of the commercial batteries previously used. Both fore and aft torpedo tubes could lay mines (with stowage for a total of 40 mines). Extra fuel could be carried in some of the ballast tanks at the cost of reducing dive capability. The class introduced the "down express" ballast tank, which was fitted under the forward torpedo room to reduce the dive time; this was flooded at the start of the dive, to pull the ship down, then blown as soon as the ship was underwater. However, even with this assistance, it took 39 seconds for a boat to reach periscope depth.

The Tambors were completed in 1940-1941 and were essentially improved Sargos. They established the configuration (six forward torpedo tubes, four rear torpedo tubes, and a total of 24 torpedoes) that characterized all American submarines built during the war. They were the first American submarines designed in light of early experience with the torpedo data computer, and this was placed in the conning tower where the commander could quickly refer to it while at the periscope. The sonar operators were also moved into the conning tower where they could feed data directly to the TDC operator and the commander.

The Gatos were just beginning to join the fleet at the start of the war. The last peacetime design, they were somewhat larger than their predecessors, improving stability and subdivision and allowing more powerful machinery. Their large engine rooms were subdivided by a pressure-proof bulkhead. They were a good design that was suitable for mass production, and they became the definitive U.S. submarine model of the Pacific War. They set new standards of habitability and endurance, had sophisticated fire control computers (by the standards of the day), and were heavily armed.

Their chief faults were that they were not very maneuverable (having a turning radius of 150 yards or 137m submerged) and were slow to dive. The original conning towers were also quite high. Once war broke out, they were cut down considerably to reduce the silhouette of the boats. But the chief limitation of American submarines generally was not the submarines themselves, but the atrocious torpedoes they carried, which did not begin to approach acceptable performance until late 1943.

The Balaos were completed in 1943-45 and were essentially Gatos with strengthened hulls. This allowed them to dive deeper, which was tactically important when evading Japanese depth charge attacks.