The British V-class submarine (officially "U-Class Long hull 1941–42 programme") was a class of submarines built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War.[1]
Forty-two vessels were ordered to this design, all to be built by Vickers-Armstrong at either Barrow-in-Furness or at Walker-on-Tyne, but only 22 were completed. Note that seven of these vessels received 'U' names (conversely, four of the U class had received names beginning with 'V').
The V-class submarines were very similar to the preceding U-class (short-hull) boats, of which they constituted a linear development, but had 3/4-inch pressure hull plating instead of 1/2-inch for deeper diving, also a lengthened stern and fining at the bows to reduce noise and improve underwater handling.
It was one of this class, HMS Venturer (P68), that would go down in history as the only submarine to sink another submarine while submerged - that submarine was the German U-864.
The vessels which were ordered are shown below in their programme order (not all completed construction):
The next eighteen vessels were ordered on 21 May 1942 under that year's programme, but six of these were cancelled in early 1944.