Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Marine Nationale — Submarine Q159

French submarine Amphitrite (Q159)

Diane-class submarine

Displacement
571 long tons (580 t)
Length
64.4 m (211.3 ft)
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Complement
41
Main gun
76 mm (3 in)

Service

  1. Marine Nationale as Amphitrite8 June 1933 — May 19462,193 days of the war
Diane-class submarine Particulars
Name
Amphitrite
Pennant / hull number
Q159
Namesake
Amphitrite, the goddess and queen of the sea and wife of Poseidon in Greek mythology
Builder
Chantiers et Ateliers Augustin Normand, Le Havre, France
Laid down
8 August 1928
Launched
20 December 1930
Commissioned
8 June 1933
Struck
May 1946
Fate
Sunk 8 November 1942
Refloated 12 March 1943
Condemned 26 March 1946 (1942)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
571 long tons (580 t)
Displacement, submerged
809 long tons (822 t)
Length
64.4 m (211.3 ft)
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Draught
4.3 m (14.1 ft)
Range
4,000 nmi (7,408 km)
Complement
41
Main gun
76 mm (3 in)

Amphitrite was a Diane-class submarine built for the Marine Nationale. She carried the pennant number Q159. The ship was named after Amphitrite. Her keel was laid at Chantiers et Ateliers Augustin Normand, Le Havre, France on 8 August 1928. She entered service on 8 June 1933, having been launched on 20 December 1930.

Nine ships of the class were built. The class followed the 600 Series submarines and was succeeded by the Orion-class submarine.

The boat displaced 571 long tons surfaced and 809 long tons submerged. She measured 64.4 m (211 ft) long with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft). She carried a complement of 41.

Her main battery was one 76 mm (3 in) guns.

She was in commission for 2,193 days of the Second World War. She was struck from the register in May 1946.

She was sunk on 8 November 1942, at 33°06′N 7°37′W. The wreck survives.

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 x 650 hp Normand-Vickers diesel engines
  • 2 x 500 hp electric motors
Armament
  • 3 × 550 mm bow torpedo tubes
  • 3 × 550 mm torpedo tubes in forward external rotating turret
  • 1 × 550 mm and 2 x 400 mm torpedo tubes in after external rotating turret
  • 1 × 76.2 mm deck gun
  • 1 × 13.2 mm machine gun
  • 2 × 8 mm machine guns

Sister ships

Sources