Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:19:01-2:23:24

The overlooked Royal Navy V-class submarines

The V class leads a wider argument that British submarine operations and achievements receive too little attention in Second World War narratives.

Royal NavySubmarine WarfareU Class SubmarinesV Class SubmarinesWorld War II
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Question

What is the most underrated submarine class in naval history?

Short answer

The Royal Navy V class, whose combat record includes the only submerged-on-submerged submarine kill, yet remains much less famous than German and American types.

Notes

The V class is the choice for the most underrated submarine class because its obscurity contrasts with its submerged-on-submerged combat achievement. German Type VII and Type XXI boats receive far more attention, often through engineering statistics. A combat record supplies a different basis for comparison. The U class is also praised for the ratio between the tonnage its boats sank and their combined displacement. British submarine operations were spread across the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, Norwegian waters, Indian Ocean, and Pacific, which helps explain why comparatively few could be concentrated in any one theatre.