Som-class submarine

For later submarines known as Som class, see Tango-class submarine.
Russian submarine Beluga.
Class overview
NameSom class
BuildersNevski Yard, St. Petersburg
Operators Imperial Russian Navy
In commission1905–1913
Completed7
Lost7
General characteristics
TypeSubmarine
Displacement
  • 105 tons surfaced
  • 122 tons submerged
Length20 m (66 ft)
Beam3.5 m (11 ft)
Draught2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) surfaced
  • 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) submerged
Complement24
Armament

The Som class were a series of submarines built for the Imperial Russian Navy in 1904–1907. They were designed by the Electric Boat Company and ordered in the 1904 emergency programme at the time of the Russo-Japanese War. The boats were built in St. Petersburg and were designed to be transportable by train. The first boat, Som, was originally Fulton, an experimental submarine that was the prototype for USS Plunger and subsequent Plunger-class submarines. The vessel was sold and delivered to Russia in sections and re-assembled in St. Petersburg.[1]

Ships

Ship namesake Launched Service / Fate
Som – Сом Catfish 1904 ex Fulton – Delivered to Vladivostok 1904; to Black Sea Fleet then to Baltic Fleet 1915; sunk in collision 10 May 1916. The wreck was found in 2015 in Swedish territorial waters.
Beluga – Белуга Beluga 1905 Baltic Fleet – Scuttled 25 February 1918 in Tallinn
Losos – Лосось Salmon 1905 Black Sea Fleet – Scuttled 1919 in Sevastopol
Peskar – Пескарь Gudgeon 1905 Baltic Fleet – Scuttled 25 February 1918 in Tallinn
Schuka – Щука Pike April 1905 Baltic Fleet – Scuttled 25 February 1918 in Tallinn
Sterlyad – Стерлядь Sterlet 1905 Baltic Fleet – Scuttled 25 February 1918 in Tallinn
Sudak – Судак Sander 1907 Black Sea Fleet – Scuttled 1919 in Sevastopol

Wreck found

Main article: 2015 Swedish submarine wreck discovery

In July 2015 it was reported that the wreck of Som (Сом) had been located in Swedish waters.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ Gardiner, Robert (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Conway Maritime Press. pp. 312–313. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
  2. ^ Sohl Stjernberg, Max; Ronge, Johan; Nilsson, Mimmi (27 July 2015). "Främmande ubåt hittad i svenskt vatten" [Foreign submarine found in Swedish waters]. Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Sweden investigating underwater wreckage as possible Russian submarine". The Guardian. Reuters. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2015.

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