Laid down in 1939, the prototype X-craft was built by one of the leading advocates of midget submarines - a First World War submariner, Commander Varley - and, following successful trials off Scotland in October 1942, was commissioned as X3 (X1 was an experimental fleet submarine built in 1925, and X2 was a captured Italian submarine). A second prototype vessel X4, was constructed and based on these two boats, operational craft were quickly developed.
In December 1942, Vickers began to build six X-craft (X5 to X10) for employment in European waters. Their obvious primary operation was to attack the German battleship Tirpitz, which was 'holed up' in Alten Fjord, Norway. By September 1943, the six X5 Class midget submarines and their hand-picked, highly trained crews were ready to undertake a mission that was to write a chapter in the history of submarine warfare.
With engines that generated 42 hp (surfaced) and only 30 hp (submerged), the X-craft were too small to undertake long passages and were, therefore, always towed to their target area by full-sized submarines, at maximum speeds of 10.5 knots (surfaced) and 12 knots (submerged). As can be expected, towing midgets reduced the endurance of submarines - the S Class, for example, had a 30 per cent reduction in endurance, and the comparable figure for the larger T Class was 5 1/2 per cent.
Six further X-craft, X20 to X25 , were built in 1945, five of which were scrapped at the end of the war. The sixth, X22, was lost in a collision with HM Submarine Syrtis in the Pentland Firth
Midget Subs to plant Atomic Bombs in Russia
The Royal Navy planned to build midget submarines capable of planting a nuclear weapon inside Russian harbours, documents newly released at the Public record Office have revealed. Designs were drawn up for the so-called X-craft, which was a development on similar devices that had been used in the 1939-1945 War on missions, including the crippling of the German battleship, Tirpitz.
My first glimpse of a Midget Submarine was about August 1942 when my then foreman in the Submarine Dock sent me to have my photograph taken to form a special pass to enter a secure area set in the North Shop (formerly the Gun Shop and now the Nuclear Build Shop) to work on a special project. I had no idea what the project was and doubted whether anyone else in working in my area did either.
Robert Aitken was the diver aboard X7 during Operation Source against the German Battleship Tirptiz. This is his story.
Bill's prime Cause Celebre has resulted in his being included in the Guinness Book of Records as having made the deepest unaided ascent from a sunken submarine. He has other claims worthy of recognition, he was among those officers and men who trained many of the crews who joined the Twelfth Submarine Flotilla during WW2. This Flotilla consisted of X Craft and Two Man Chariots. It was based at Port Bannantyne on the Isle of Bute. The HQ was known as HMS Varbel.
A flotilla of mini-submarines set off to sink or cripple the mighty German battleship Tirpitz. Among the men behind this attack was Max Shean from Perth, a volunteer for one of World War II's most daring and hazardous naval missions. Shean's courage in command of the X-craft submarines in Europe and the Pacific earned him an unrivalled reputation as a leader whose aggressive instincts were always tempered by concern for his crew. He died on June 15, 2009, aged 90.
Further Reading |
|
| Midget Submarines of the Second World War |
Paul Kemp An account of the development and use of the human torpedoes, semi-submersible and midget submarines mainly in WW2 but including some of the developments that took place in 1918, with many half tone photo ills. and brief accounts of many of the actions involving these craft |
| X3 to X54 |
Keith Hall The X and XE-Class submarines were conceived during the Second World War: around 51ft (16m) long, they were designed to be towed by a mother submarine and use their small size to complete stealth missions, such as attacking harbours and performing reconnaissance. Although they would not begin active service until 1942, the submarine crews achieved quite the record, racking up 167 honours between them, including four Victoria Crosses. |
| Above Us the Waves |
C.E.T. Warren / James Benson It was the Italians who pioneered the use of two-man human torpedoes or 'chariots', and their attacks on ships of the Royal Navy in Alexandria Harbour in 1941 caused Winston Churchill to write to the Chief of Staffs committee to enquire what was being done to emulate these daring attacks. |
| Class: | 1936 - 1958: U Class |
| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | U1 |
| Fate: | |
| Scrapped in March 1946 at Troon. | |
15 pages added or updated in the last Array month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
Midget Subs to plant Atomic Bombs in Russia
The Royal Navy planned to build midget submarines capable of planting a nuclear weapon inside Russian harbours, documents newly released at the Public record Office have revealed. Designs were drawn up for the so-called X-craft, which was a development on similar devices that had been used in the 1939-1945 War on missions, including the crippling of the German battleship, Tirpitz.
My first glimpse of a Midget Submarine was about August 1942 when my then foreman in the Submarine Dock sent me to have my photograph taken to form a special pass to enter a secure area set in the North Shop (formerly the Gun Shop and now the Nuclear Build Shop) to work on a special project. I had no idea what the project was and doubted whether anyone else in working in my area did either.
Robert Aitken was the diver aboard X7 during Operation Source against the German Battleship Tirptiz. This is his story.
Bill's prime Cause Celebre has resulted in his being included in the Guinness Book of Records as having made the deepest unaided ascent from a sunken submarine. He has other claims worthy of recognition, he was among those officers and men who trained many of the crews who joined the Twelfth Submarine Flotilla during WW2. This Flotilla consisted of X Craft and Two Man Chariots. It was based at Port Bannantyne on the Isle of Bute. The HQ was known as HMS Varbel.
A flotilla of mini-submarines set off to sink or cripple the mighty German battleship Tirpitz. Among the men behind this attack was Max Shean from Perth, a volunteer for one of World War II's most daring and hazardous naval missions. Shean's courage in command of the X-craft submarines in Europe and the Pacific earned him an unrivalled reputation as a leader whose aggressive instincts were always tempered by concern for his crew. He died on June 15, 2009, aged 90.
Further Reading |
|
| Midget Submarines of the Second World War |
|
Paul Kemp An account of the development and use of the human torpedoes, semi-submersible and midget submarines mainly in WW2 but including some of the developments that took place in 1918, with many half tone photo ills. and brief accounts of many of the actions involving these craft |
| X3 to X54 |
|
Keith Hall The X and XE-Class submarines were conceived during the Second World War: around 51ft (16m) long, they were designed to be towed by a mother submarine and use their small size to complete stealth missions, such as attacking harbours and performing reconnaissance. Although they would not begin active service until 1942, the submarine crews achieved quite the record, racking up 167 honours between them, including four Victoria Crosses. |
| Above Us the Waves |
|
C.E.T. Warren / James Benson It was the Italians who pioneered the use of two-man human torpedoes or 'chariots', and their attacks on ships of the Royal Navy in Alexandria Harbour in 1941 caused Winston Churchill to write to the Chief of Staffs committee to enquire what was being done to emulate these daring attacks. |
| Class: | 1936 - 1958: U Class |
| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | U1 |
| Fate: | |
| Scrapped in March 1946 at Troon. | |
15 pages added or updated in the last Array month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
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