7010 POLISH SUBMARINE SEP 1956

ORP Sęp was a Polish submarine from the Second World War. The keel for this vessel was laid in 1936, and the launch took place in October 1938. The unit was commissioned in April 1939. The total length of the ship at the time of launching was 84 meters and a width of 6.7 meters. The displacement in immersion was about 1,470 tons, and the maximum speed in immersion was about 9 knots. The armament consisted of 12 550 mm torpedo tubes, 1 105 mm gun and 1 40 mm gun. ORP Sęp was one of the two Orzeł type submarines. Vessels of this type were built for the Polish Navy in Dutch shipyards, with the participation of Polish engineers. The design of these units was based on some elements of the Dutch O.16 type. In particular, external torpedo tubes were used. It was assumed that the ships of this type would be able to submerge at least 80 meters, but during the tests this depth was successfully slightly exceeded. Overall, it can be assumed that the Eagle type was rather successful. ORP Sęp was built at the Rotterdamsche shipyard in the Netherlands and entered service in the Polish Navy almost on the eve of World War II. He took part in the initial phase of the September campaign in 1939, but due to damage and inability to break through to Polish ports, he headed for Sweden, where he was interned on September 17, 1939. There he spent the entire Second World War and did not return to Poland until October 1945. The unit remained in active service until 1969. In the course of post-war service, the unit underwent modernization, including in 1958 a 105 mm gun was dismantled.