Farfadet-class submarine

The Farfadet class consisted of four submarines built for the French Navy at the beginning of the 20th century designed by Gabriel Maugas. Two boats were lost in diving accidents. All were disposed of prior to the outbreak of the First World War.

Farfadet under way in harbour
Class overview
Name	Farfadet class
Operators	French Navy
Preceded by	Sirène class
Succeeded by	Français class
Subclasses	Lutin
Built	1900–1905
In commission	1902–1913
Completed	4
Scrapped	4
General characteristics (Farfadet)
Type	Submarine
Displacement	185 t (182 long tons) (surfaced) 202 t (199 long tons) (submerged)
Length	41.35 m (135 ft 8 in) (o/a)
Beam	2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Draught	2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Installed power	183 hp (136 kW)
Propulsion	1 or 2 shafts; 2 electric motors
Speed	8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (surfaced) 4.3 knots (8.0 km/h; 4.9 mph) (submerged)
Range	75 nmi (139 km; 86 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) (surfaced) 28 nmi (52 km; 32 mi) at 4.32 knots (8.00 km/h; 4.97 mph) (submerged)
Complement	14
Armament	4 × exterior 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo launchers

Design and description

The Farfadets were designed by Gabriel Maugas, an early French submarine engineer at the Rochefort Naval Dockyard. The Farfadets were single-hulled, and powered by electric motors only, limiting their range and surface performance compared to the contemporary Sirène class. However they had variable-pitch propellers, developed by Maugas, obviating the need for a reversing engine.

The first three submarines, Farfadet, Gnome, and Korrigan, displaced 185 metric tons (182 long tons) surfaced and 202 metric tons (199 long tons) submerged. They had an overall length of 41.35 meters (135 ft 8 in), a beam of 2.9 meters (9 ft 6 in), and a draft of 2.7 meters (8 ft 10 in). The fourth submarine, Lutin, had an overall length of 41.45 meters (136 ft). The crew of all of the submarines numbered 2 officers and 12 enlisted men.^[1]

All of the boats were powered by a pair of Sautter-Harlé electric motors providing a total of 300 metric horsepower (296 bhp; 221 kW), both driving the single propeller shaft, except for Lutin which had two shafts. The first three boats were fitted with side-thrusting propellers (French: évoleurs) at the stern to assist in steering. They could reach a maximum speed of 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) on the surface and 4.3 knots (8.0 km/h; 4.9 mph) underwater. The Farfadet class had a surface endurance of 430 nautical miles (800 km; 490 mi) at 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) and a submerged endurance of 28 nmi (52 km; 32 mi) at 4.3 knots (8.0 km/h; 4.9 mph).^[1]

The boats were armed with four external 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo launchers, two aimed forward and two aimed to the rear.^[1]

Service history

The Farfadets were ordered as part of the French Navy's 1899 building programme, and were constructed over the next three years at the naval dockyards at Rochefort. However they were not successful in service; Farfadet was lost in a diving accident in July 1905, and Lutin in October 1906. Farfadet was raised and recommissioned as Follet, remaining in service until 1911, but the other three vessels were disarmed and converted to other use.

Ships

Farfadet raised 1905

Lutin raised 1906

Construction data

Ship	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Fate
Farfadet	Arsenal de Rochefort	2 April 1900	17 May 1901	29 August 1902	Lost in diving accident, 6 July 1905. Raised, re-commissioned as Follet, stricken, 22 Nov 1913, and sold for scrap.
Korrigan		23 April 1900	25 January 1902		Sold for scrap, 10 August 1911
Gnome		c. 1901	23 July 1902	2 June 1905	Sold for scrap, 24 March 1912
Lutin		27 February 1902	12 February 1903	1904	Sold for scrap, 2 August 1911