The
Narwal was according to one source (www.uboat.net) part of the
Porpoise-class, according to another of the
Grampus-class (according to en.wikepedia.org). The
Porpoise was in fact the prototype, her class counted just her. Sister ships of her were the
Grampus,
Porpoise,
Cachelot,
Rorqual and
Seal. Her pennant was N 45. She was laid down at the yard of Vickers Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness 29 May 1934, launched 29 August a year later and commissioned 28 February 1936. According to a tiding of a German aircraft she was probably destroyed by the same plane in the afternoon of 23 July 1940 east of Aberdeen, 56º50’ North and 01º40’ East, while underway towards Kristiansund, Norway ordered to lay mines there. She departed Blyth 22 July towards this destination.
She had a displacement of 1.810 tons surfaced and 2.157 tons submerged, with as dimensions 293’0” x 25’6” x 16’10”. A diesel engine delivered through 2 shafts 3.300 hp, and an electric engine 1.630 hp, giving her a speed of 15.5 knots surfaced and 8.75 knots submerged. Her crew numbered 59 men. She was armed with 6-21” torpedo tubes, fitted in her bow, carried with her 12 torpedoes, 1-4” gun placed on deck and 50 mines (transported in a special ‘gallery’ with a conveyor belt built into the outer casing).
Sources
http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3414.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Narwhal_(N45)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grampus_class_submarine
