French submarine Surcouf

Type

Cruiser Submarine

Period

20th Century

Nation

France

Overview: Surcouf was a one-off French "cruiser submarine" built between the world wars, designed to combine submarine stealth with cruiser-style surface firepower. She was, at the time of her 1929 launch, the largest submarine in the world, a record she held until surpassed by Japan's I-400 class in 1944. Specifications: A modeler should note her twin 203 mm (8 in) deck guns forward of the conning tower, anti-aircraft guns, and a mix of internal and external 550 mm/400 mm torpedo tubes. She was a large French gun-armed cruiser submarine of the mid 20th century, carrying two 203 mm guns as well as anti-aircraft guns and, for most of her career, a floatplane. Distinctively, she carried a small collapsible Besson MB.411 floatplane in a hangar built into the after part of the conning tower, launched and recovered only while surfaced, a unique feature for any submarine of the era. Service History: Surcouf entered service with the French Navy in 1934 and, after the fall of France, was seized by British forces in July 1940 and subsequently served with the Free French Naval Forces during the Second World War. Surcouf disappeared during the night of 18/19 February 1942 in the Caribbean Sea, possibly after colliding with the US freighter Thompson Lykes, although this has not been definitely established. Notable Facts: Her disappearance with all 130 crew has never been conclusively explained, spawning enduring wartime rumors (including unfounded claims she was secretly resupplying U-boats) and later speculation ranging from a collision to more fanciful theories; no wreck has ever been definitively located and identified. She remains a favorite subject for submarine modelers because of her unusual silhouette: a large gun turret faired into the forward hull, an aircraft hangar behind the conning tower, and external pivoting torpedo tube mounts on the casing.