View source for Havmanden-class submarine (1911)

{{Short description|Royal Danish Navy's Havmanden-class of submarines}}
{{Hatnote|For other ship classes of the same name, see [[Havmanden-class submarine (disambiguation)|Havmanden-class submarine]]}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:Undervandsbåden Havmanden 1914 gs.jpg|300px|{{ship|HDMS|Havmanden|A 3|2}}, the [[class leader]] of the ''Havmanden'' class]]
|Ship caption={{ship|HDMS|Havmanden|A 3|2}}, the [[class leader]] of the ''Havmanden'' class
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Builders=*[[Whitehead & Co.]], [[Fiume]] (3)<ref name=Con-354>Gardiner, p. 354.</ref>
* [[Copenhagen Navy Yard]] (3)<ref name=Con-354 />
|Operators={{navy|Denmark}}
|Class before={{HDMS|Dykkeren||2}}
|Class after= B class
|Subclasses=
|Built range=1911–1914
|In commission range=1912–1932
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=6
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=6
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Submarine]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|164|t|ST}} surfaced
* {{convert|204|t|ST|0}} submerged<ref name=Con-354 />
|Ship length={{convert|127|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=Con-354 />
|Ship beam={{convert|11|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=Con-354 />
|Ship draft={{convert|7|ft|7|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=Con-354 />
|Ship propulsion=*1 × shaft
* 1 × 6-cylinder [[diesel engine]], {{convert|430|-|450|bhp|abbr=on}}
* 2 × [[electric motor]]s<ref name=Con-354 />
|Ship speed=*{{convert|13|knots|km/h}} surfaced
* {{convert|10|knots|km/h}} submerged<ref name=Con-354 />
|Ship range=
* {{convert|1400|nmi|km}} at {{convert|10|knots|km/h}} surfaced<ref name=Con-354 />
* {{convert|23|nmi|km}} at {{convert|8|knots|km/h}} submerged

|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth=
|Ship complement=10, as built; 14, later<ref name=Con-354 />
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*2 × {{convert|457|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} bow torpedo tubes
* 1 × {{convert|8|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[machine gun]] (after 1917)<ref name=Con-354 />
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
The '''''Havmanden'' class''' was a [[ship class|class]] of six [[submarine]]s built for the [[Royal Danish Navy]] from 1911 to 1914. Also later known as the '''A class''', the boats were designed by the [[Austria-Hungary|Austro-Hungarian]] firm [[Whitehead & Co.]] of [[Fiume]]. The first three submarines were built by the company, while the remaining three were constructed under license in [[Copenhagen]].

The boats were just over {{convert|127|ft|m}} long and their armament consisted of two {{convert|457|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} bow torpedo tubes, later supplemented with an {{convert|8|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[machine gun]]. The boats had a single shaft and were propelled by a [[Fiat]] or [[M.A.N.]] [[diesel engine]] on the surface and two [[electric motor]]s while submerged.

Although there was at least one close call for the [[class leader]] {{ship|HDMS|Havmanden|A 3|2}} during [[World War I]], none of the six boats was sunk in service. All six boats of the class remained active in the Royal Danish Navy from their time of construction until 1928, when the first two boats were stricken. The remaining boats were all stricken by 1932. The ''Havmanden'' class served as the basis for the [[Austro-Hungarian Navy]]'s {{sclass|U-20|submarine|1}}s built during [[World War I]].

== Design and construction ==
After taking delivery of its first submarine—the problematic {{HDMS|Dykkeren}},<ref name=USSubCasualties1966>{{cite journal |title=Submarine Casualties Booklet |publisher=U.S. Naval Submarine School |year=1966 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/8200 |access-date=2009-09-08 |journal= |archive-date=2011-07-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727224438/http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/8200 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> built at [[La Spezia]] by [[Fiat-Laurenti]] in 1909<ref name=Miller-70>Miller, p. 70.</ref>—the [[Royal Danish Navy]] looked for a submarine design that could be built in Denmark.<ref name=Miller-16>Miller, pp. 16–17.</ref> In 1910, the Navy contracted with [[Whitehead & Co.]] of [[Fiume]] for the class' namesake boat, {{ship|HDMS|Havmanden|A 3|2}}, to be built by Whitehead, and plans for a second, {{ship|HDMS|Havfruen|A 2|2}}, to be built at the [[Copenhagen Navy Yard]].<ref name=Con-354 /> In May 1911,<ref name=Con-354 /> while the first two were still under construction,<ref name=Miller-16 /> the Navy ordered two more boats from Whitehead, {{ship|HDMS|Thetis|A 4|2}} and {{ship|HDMS|Triton|A 5|2}}, and plans for a final two, {{ship|HDMS|Najaden|A 6|2}} and {{ship|HDMS|Nymfen|A 7|2}}.<ref name=Con-354 />

The ''Havmanden''-class boats were submarines that displaced {{convert|164|t|ST}} surfaced and {{convert|204|t|ST|0}} submerged. The boats were {{convert|127|ft|8|in|m}} long with a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|11|ft|10|in|m}} and a [[draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|7|ft|7|in|m}}. For propulsion, they featured a single shaft, a single [[Fiat]] or [[MAN SE|M.A.N.]] [[diesel engine]] for surface running, and twin [[electric motor]]s for submerged travel. The diesels of the Whitehead boats were rated at {{convert|430|bhp|abbr=on}}, while the Copenhagen boats were {{convert|450|bhp|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Con-354 />

The boats were equipped with two bow torpedo tubes of {{convert|457|mm|in|abbr=on}}, but had no [[deck gun]]s. In 1917, all were outfitted with a single {{convert|8|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[machine gun]]. The complement of the boats as built was ten men, but was later increased to fourteen.<ref name=Con-354 />

In December 1911, ''Havmanden'' became the first boat of the class to be [[launch (ship)|launch]]ed, with ''Havfruen'' and ''Thetis'' following in 1912. ''Triton'' and ''Najaden'' were launched in 1913, while ''Nymfen'', the final ship constructed, was launched in February 1914.<ref name=Con-354 />

After the outbreak of [[World War I]], the [[Austro-Hungarian Navy]] seized plans for the ''Havmanden'' boats from Whitehead & Co. and used them as the basis for its four {{sclass|U-20|submarine|1}}s.<ref name=Con-341>Gardiner, p. 341.</ref>

== Service careers ==
Initially ''Havfruen'', ''Havmanden'', and ''Thetis'' received pennant numbers of ''H 1'', ''H 2'', and ''T 1'', respectively, but were changed to ''2'', ''3'', and ''4'' in April 1913. The other three submarines—''2den April'' (the newly renamed ''Triton''), ''Najaden'', and ''Nymfen''—received pennant numbers ''5'', ''6'', and ''7'' at the same time.<ref name=Con-354 />

Sources do not report when any of the ''Havmanden'' boats were [[commission (ship)|commission]]ed, but all boats were active for neutral Denmark during [[World War I]].<ref name=Miller-22>Miller, p. 22.</ref> ''Havmanden'' had a narrow escape in September 1914 when a British submarine mistook her for a German U-boat and launched an unsuccessful torpedo attack on her.<ref name=Comp-140>Compton-Hall, p. 140.</ref>

Late in their careers, the class was identified as the A class and the pennant numbers of all the submarines were prefixed with an ''A'', becoming ''A-2'' to ''A-7''.<ref name=Miller-16 /> None of the boats, however, ever displayed an ''A'' on their [[conning tower]]s. ''Havmanden'' and ''Thetis'' were the first two boats taken out of service when they were stricken in April 1928. ''Havfruen'' was the last boat removed from service when she was stricken in May 1932.<ref name=Con-354/>

== Class members ==
There were six submarines of the ''Havmanden'' or A class.

[[File:Havmanden-Xsection.jpg|thumb|right|upright|A cross section of the Danish submarine ''Havmanden'', the lead ship of the class]]

=== ''Havfruen'' (A 2) ===
The plans for ''Havfruen'' were purchased in 1910 and the boat was built at the Copenhagen Navy Yard. She was launched on 31 August 1912. She initially received the pennant number of ''H 1'', but was assigned the number ''2'' in April 1913. She was later designated ''A 2'' when the class became known as the ''A class'' late in her career. ''Havfruen'' was the last ship of the class to be removed from service when she was stricken on 3 May 1932.<ref name=Con-354 />

=== ''Havmanden'' (A 3) ===
''Havmanden'' was ordered in 1910 from Whitehead & Co. in Fiume. She was launched on 23 December 1911. She initially received the pennant number of ''H 2'', but was assigned the number ''3'' in April 1913. In September 1914, ''Havmanden'', displaying her pennant number of ''3'' on her [[conning tower]], was mistaken for the German U-boat {{SMS|U-3|Germany|6|sub=y}} by the British submarine {{HMS|E11}}, but ''Havmanden'' escaped without damage when ''E11''{{'}}s torpedo missed its mark.<ref name=Comp-140 /> ''Havmanden'' was designated ''A 3'' when the class became known as the ''A class'' later in her career. Along with ''Thetis'', she was one of the first two boats of the class removed from service when stricken on 26 April 1928.<ref name=Con-354 />

=== ''Thetis'' (A 4) ===
''Thetis'' was ordered in May 1911 from Whitehead & Co. in Fiume. She was launched on 19 June 1912. She initially received the pennant number of ''T 1'', but was assigned the number ''4'' in April 1913. ''Thetis'' was designated ''A 4'' when the class became known as the ''A class'' later in her career. She and ''Havmanden'' were stricken on 26 April 1928, the first two boats of the class to be removed from service.<ref name=Con-354 />

=== ''2den April'' (A 5) ===
''Triton'' was ordered in May 1911 from Whitehead & Co. in Fiume. She was launched on 31 March 1913. Her purchase was financed by a subscription offer made by the public and, as a result, she had been renamed ''2den April''—in honor of the first [[Battle of Copenhagen (1801)|Battle of Copenhagen]], fought on 2 April 1801—by the time she was assigned the pennant number ''5'' in April 1913. She was designated ''A 5'' when the class became known as the ''A class'' later in her career. After ''2den April'' was stricken on 15 January 1929, she was used as a target and ultimately broken up in 1932.<ref name=Con-354 />

=== ''Najaden'' (A 6) ===
The plans for ''Najaden'' were purchased in May 1911 and the boat was built at the Copenhagen Navy Yard. She was launched on 9 July 1913. She was assigned the pennant number of ''6'' in April 1913. She was designated ''A 6'' when the class became known as the ''A class'' later in her career and was stricken on 9 September 1931.<ref name=Con-354 />

=== ''Nymfen'' (A 7) ===
The plans for ''Nymfen'' were purchased in May 1911 and the boat was built at the Copenhagen Navy Yard. She was launched on 10 February 1914, and was the final ship of the class launched. She was assigned the pennant number of ''7'' in April 1913, but designated ''A 7'' when the class became known as the ''A class'' later in her career. ''Nymfen'' was stricken on 11 March 1932.<ref name=Con-354 />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book | last = Compton-Hall | first = Richard | title = Submarines at War, 1914–18 | location = [[Penzance]] | publisher= Periscope Publishing | year = 2004 | orig-year = 1991 | isbn = 978-1-904381-21-1 | oclc = 57639764 }}
* {{cite book | editor-last = Gardiner | editor-first = Robert | title = Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921 | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]] | publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]] | year = 1985 | isbn = 978-0-87021-907-8 | oclc = 12119866 }}
* {{cite book | last = Miller | first = David | title =  The Illustrated Directory of Submarines of the World | location = [[St. Paul, Minnesota]] | publisher = MBI Pub. Co | year = 2002 | isbn = 978-0-7603-1345-9 | oclc = 50208951 }}
{{Refend}}

{{1911 Havmanden class submarines}}

{{good article}}

[[Category:Submarine classes]]
[[Category:Havmanden-class submarines (1911)| ]]