Contents

Foreword by Rear Admiral Mark Anderson

Introduction

Acknowledgments


CHAPTER 1: GIANT SUBMARINES

Russian Plans

Royal Navy Monster Boats

The U-Cruisers


CHAPTER 2: DESIGN CRITERIA

A Ship of Extremes

Captain Nasmith’s Preferences

Design Aims

The Alternative Capital Ship


CHAPTER 3: PROPULSION MACHINERY

Main Engines

Auxiliary Engines and Generators

Main Motors

Batteries


CHAPTER 4: HANDLING

The Lessons of Experience

Commander Robert H T Raikes DSO and Bar

Hydroplanes

Diving

Trimming

Diving Trials

‘Ain’t Misbehavin’

Diving Time

Surface Handiness


CHAPTER 5: ARMAMENT

5.2in Turrets

Surface Gun Action

Practice Makes Perfect

Anti-Aircraft Armament

Torpedoes

Proposals for a Sister-Ship


CHAPTER 6: THE SHIP, HER HULL, FITTINGS AND COMPLEMENT

The Hull

Fuel and Oil Storage

Colour Schemes

Sensors and Communications

Control Facilities

Boats

Complement


CHAPTER 7: TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS

A Guilty Secret

The Daily Herald Affair

Commissioning and Early Trials

A First Foray Overseas

The Mayers Scandal of 1927


CHAPTER 8: A CUSHY BILLET

‘Why not our own magazine?’

Mediterranean Service

Distinguished Visitors


CHAPTER 9: A LITANY OF FAILURES

The Shale Oil Experiment

More Mishaps

Deliberate Misinformation

Home in Disgrace

Revealed at Last


CHAPTER 10: AN UNLUCKY FALL

Decline into Oblivion


CHAPTER 11: ONLY THE BRITISH WERE FOOLED

United States’ Cruiser Submarines

Surcouf

Japanese Boats

Raeder’s Z-Plan


CHAPTER 12: REFLECTIONS AND EPILOGUE

Sabotage?

Penury

What Might Have Been

Epilogue


APPENDICES

Appendix A: Extracts from X.1’s Log Books

Appendix B: The Plans

Appendix C: Comparison between the 5.2in and later 5.25in Guns

Notes

Bibliography

Index