K XIV-class submarine

The K XIV-class submarine was a class of five submarines, built for the Royal Netherlands Navy. Used for patrols in the Dutch colonial waters. The class comprised K XIV, K XV, K XVI, K XVII and K XVIII. The submarines diving depth was 80 m (260 ft). Three of the five ships were lost in World War II

HNLMS K XVIII
Class overview
NameK XIV class
Builders
Operators Royal Netherlands Navy
Preceded byK XI class
Succeeded byO 19 class
Built1930–1934
In commission1933-1946
Completed5
Lost3
General characteristics
TypeSubmarine
Displacement
  • 865 tons surfaced
  • 1045 tons submerged
Length73.64 m (241 ft 7 in)
Beam6.51 m (21 ft 4 in)
Draught3.93 m (12 ft 11 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph) surfaced
  • 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) submerged
Range
  • 10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) on the surface
  • 26 nmi (48 km; 30 mi) at 8.5 kn (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) submerged
Complement38
Armament
  • 4 × 21 inch bow torpedo tubes
  • 2 × 21 inch stern torpedo tubes
  • 2 × 21 inch external-traversing torpedo tubes forward of the conning tower
  • 1 x 88 mm gun
  • 2 x 40 mm gun

Design

The K XIV-class submarines were the last designs of J.J. van der Struyff, a submarine designer and engineer of the Royal Netherlands Navy.[1] The submarines of the K XIV-class were fully riveted and their pressure hull were made of 14 mm thick steel. To increase their seaworthiness the pressure hull was plated with 3 mm thick steel. As a consequence the K XVII was 200 ton heavier than the submarines in the previous class, the K XI-class submarines.[2] However, this did allow the submarines of the K XIV-class to dive as deep as 80 to 100 meters, while withstanding the enormous water pressure.[1] Between the plating and the pressure hull there was room for the ballast tanks, fuel tanks, anchor, torpedo tubes and more.[3]

Furthermore, the submarines were divided into six compartments.[4] The first compartment at the front contained a room with four torpedo launchers which were loaded during wartime, while there were also four reserve torpedoes stored. The room also acted at the same time as sleeping accommodation, galley and mess for the crew. In the second and third compartment the batteries were stored, and also contained the sleeping accommodation for officers. The fourth compartment was the nerve center of the K XIV-class submarines, since this was the place where all control panels, instruments and command tower were located. The command tower was made of thick and pressure-resistant steel. The fifth compartment contained the machine chamber and thus the diesel motor. The sixth, and last, compartment was located at the back and had two torpedo launchers and the electric motor. There was also space for two reserve torpedoes. The torpedo tubes of the K XIV-class submarines had a width of 53 cm.[2] To enter the submarines six water resistant shutters were built.

Construction

The ships were built by two different shipyards. K XIV, K XV and K XVI were built by R.D.M, Rotterdam and K XVII and K XVIII at Fijenoord shipyard also in Rotterdam.

Name Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned
K XIV 31 May 1930 11 July 1931 6 July 1933 23 April 1946
K XV 31 May 1930 10 December 1932 30 December 1933 23 April 1946
K XVI 31 May 1930 8 April 1933 30 Januari 1934 25 December 1941 (sunk by I 66)
K XVII 1 June 1931 26 July 1932 19 December 1933 21 December 1941 (struck by a mine)
K XVIII 10 June 1931 27 September 1932 23 March 1934 2 March 1942 (scuttled later raised by the Japanese to be converted into an air warning picket hulk)
16 June 1945 (sunk by HMS Taciturn)

References
  • van Royen, P.C. (1997). Hr.Ms. K XVII en Hr.Ms. O 16: De ondergang van twee Nederlandse onderzeeboten in de Zuid-Chinese Zee (1941). Amsterdam: Van Soeren. ISBN 90-6881-075-8.
  • de Bles, Harry; Boven, Graddy; Homburg, Leon (2006). Onderzeeboten!. Zaltbommel/Den Helder: Aprilis/Marinemuseum. ISBN 9059941306.
  • Kimenai, Peter (April 16, 2010). "Hr. Ms. K XVII: gezonken door een mijn of door een aanslag?" (in Dutch). TracesOfWar.com. pp. 1–7. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2018.

Footnotes
  1. van Royen, pp. 13
  2. Kimenai, pp. 1
  3. Ibidem.
  4. van Royen, pp. 13-14
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