Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Marine Nationale — Submarine Q166

French submarine Ondine (Q166)

Orion-class submarine

Displacement
558 long tons (567 t)
Length
67 m (219.8 ft)
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Speed
14 knots (25.9 km/h, 16.1 mph)
Complement
41
Main gun
76 mm (3 in)

Service

  1. Marine Nationale as Ondine5 July 1932 — 3 July 1940306 days of the war
Orion-class submarine Particulars
Name
Ondine
Pennant / hull number
Q166
Namesake
Undine, a category of elemental beings associated with water
Builder
Chantiers Dubigeon, Nantes, France
Laid down
30 August 1929
Launched
4 May 1931
Commissioned
5 July 1932
Fate
Seized by United Kingdom 3 July 1940
Cannibalized for spare parts
Stricken April 1943 or 26 March 1946 (see text)
Scrapped (1940)
Status
Scrapped

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
558 long tons (567 t)
Displacement, submerged
787 long tons (800 t)
Length
67 m (219.8 ft)
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Draught
4.4 m (14.4 ft)
Speed
14 knots (25.9 km/h, 16.1 mph)
Range
4,000 nmi (7,408 km)
Complement
41
Main gun
76 mm (3 in)

Ondine was a Orion-class submarine, operated by the Marine Nationale. She carried the pennant number Q166. She was named for Undine. Her keel was laid at Chantiers Dubigeon, Nantes, France on 30 August 1929. She entered service on 5 July 1932, having been launched on 4 May 1931.

She was one of two ships of her class. The class followed the Argonaute class and was succeeded by the Diane class.

The boat displaced 558 long tons surfaced and 787 long tons submerged. She measured 67 m (220 ft) long with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft). Her designed speed was 14 knots, and she carried a complement of 41.

Her main battery was one 76 mm (3.0 in) guns.

She was in commission for 306 days of the Second World War.

She was broken up for scrap on 3 July 1940.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 2 × Sulzer diesel engines, 1400 hp
  • 2 × electric motors, 1000 hp
Armament
  • 6 × 550 mm torpedo tubes
  • 2 × 400 mm torpedo tubes
  • 1 × 76 mm M1 deck gun
  • 1 × 13.2 mm machine gun
  • 2 × 8 mm machine gun

Sister ships

Sources