design dated 20 February 1924. S584-191
final design. S584-195
A design for such a minelayer submarine dated 20 February 1924 was approved by the US Secretary of navy on 10 May the same year to be used as a basic design for a fleet submarine to be built under the Fiscal Year 1925. The result was that this design was modified including the results of a conference on 24th June at the Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut, USA. The USS Argonaut was built using the final design mentioned as U.S.S. V-4.(1)
Dimensions 360’0” (designers waterline)-381’0” (over all) x 31’2½”(extreme/moulded on waterline) x 15’7” (draft). Freeboard 14’10” (maximum at stem)-3’11” (A.P.)-9’10” (at side M.P.). Coefficients at surface displacement of 2.780 tons: longitudinal .700, block .556, midship .975, water plane .719 and displacement : length 59.58.
Weight hull 1/160 tons, hull fittings 245 tons, protection 18 tons, steam engineering 550 tons, variable ballast 50tons&water n.w.t. end 70 tons, battery 72 tons, ammunition 114 tons, equipment 140 tons, outfit and 2/3 stores 50 tons and outfit p. compartment 63 tons, lubricating oil 10 tons, fuel oil normal supply 110 tons, margin&90 tons of lead 228 tons resulting in a total surface displacement of 2.780 tons. Submerged 3.758 tons. Displacement full load condition with reserve F.O. 3.324 tons.
Speed 8 (submerged)-15 knots (surface). Cruising range when surfaced with normal oil supply and a speed of 10 knots 4.000 miles and with 10 knots and a maximum oil supply 10.000 (?) miles. And when submerged 8 miles during one hour rate, with 10 hours rate 50 miles and with the lowest speed of 1½-2½ knots 36 hours. Machinery 2-1.400 hp 6 cylinder Bureau English Type mechanical drive, 1-550hp 6 cylinder Bureau English Type charging engine. Storage battery 2x120 cells UL37 Type.
Armament consisted of 2-15,24cm/6” 53 cal guns for which 2x200 round were available, 4-53,34cm/21” torpedo tubes in the bow carrying 16 torpedoes with her, 60 mines for the 2-101,5cm/40” mine tubes in the stern,2 machineguns and 1 reconnaissance plane type M.S. or X.S. Test diving depth 30’0 feet. Fitted out for 90 days patrol. Crew numbers 80 men including 8 officers. In the final design was for instance the hangar for stricken.
Source
The so-called Spring Styles Book 1 (March 1911-September 1925). Naval History and Heritage Command. Lot S-584-191. Preliminary designs prepared by mostly civilians working at the Bureau of Construction and Repair (succeeded by the Bureau of Ships nowadays the Naval Sea Systems Command) under supervision of naval architects of the Navy Construction Corps. A major part of the drawings was presented to the General Board which advices the Secretary of the Navy.
Note
1. Laid down by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, USA as V-4 on 1 May 1925, launched on 10 November 1927, commissioned on 2 April 1928, renamed Argonaut on 19 February 1931, classified as SM-1 (submarine, minelayer) since 1 July 1931, converted into a troop transport submarine in 1942, classified as APS-1 with hull number SS-166 and sunk by Japanese destroyers off Rabaul, island New Britain, Papua New Guinea on 10 January 1943. Displacement 2.750 (surfaced standard)-3.950 (surfaced full loaded)-4.228 (submerged) tons and as dimensions 109 (waterline)-116 (over all) x 10,30 x 4,88 metres or 358-381 x 33.9½ x 16.025 feet. In 1942 were during her conversion into a troop transport submarine the mine tubes aft removed.
