The ''Leninets'' or L class were the second class of
submarine
A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...
s to be built for the
Soviet Navy. Twenty-five were built in four groups between 1931 and 1941. They were
minelaying
A minelayer is any warship, submarine or military aircraft deploying explosive mines. Since World War I the term "minelayer" refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines. "Mine planting" was the term for installing controll ...
submarines and were based on the
British L-class submarine
The British L-class submarine was originally planned under the emergency war programme as an improved version of the British E-class submarine. The scale of change allowed the L class to become a separate class.
The armament was increased when ...
, , which was sunk during the
British intervention in the
Russian Civil War
, date = October Revolution, 7 November 1917 – Yakut revolt, 16 June 1923{{Efn, The main phase ended on 25 October 1922. Revolt against the Bolsheviks continued Basmachi movement, in Central Asia and Tungus Republic, the Far East th ...
. Some experience from the previous s was also utilised. The boats were of the saddle tank type and mines were carried in two stern galleries as pioneered on the pre-war
Russian submarine Krab (1912), the world's first minelaying submarine. These boats were considered successful by the Soviets. Groups 3 and 4 had more powerful engines and a higher top speed.
Ships
Group 1
![Shadowgraph Leninets class II mod series submarine](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Shadowgraph_Leninets_class_II_mod_series_submarine.svg)
Six ships were built (L1 to L6), all launched in 1931. Three were assigned to the
Baltic Fleet
, image = Great emblem of the Baltic fleet.svg
, image_size = 150
, caption = Baltic Fleet Great ensign
, dates = 18 May 1703 – present
, country =
, allegiance = (1703–1721) (1721–1917) (1917–1922) (1922–1991)(1991–present)
...
and three to the
Black Sea Fleet
Chernomorskiy flot
, image = Great emblem of the Black Sea fleet.svg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Great emblem of the Black Sea fleet
, dates = May 13, ...
, including
Soviet submarine L-3
The World War II Soviet submarine ''L-3'' belonged to the L-class or ''Leninets'' class of minelayer submarines. It had been named ''Bolshevik'' and later ''Frunzenets'', before it was decided that submarines should stop having names and carry num ...
.
Group 2
![Shadowgraph Leninets class XI mod series submarine](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Shadowgraph_Leninets_class_XI_mod_series_submarine.svg)
Six ships were built (L7 to L 12) and launched between 1935 and 1936. All were built for the Pacific Fleet by plant 202 "Dalzavod" Vladivostok and plant 199 Komsomolsk-na-Amure.
Group 3
![Shadowgraph Leninets class XIII mod series submarine](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Shadowgraph_Leninets_class_XIII_mod_series_submarine.svg)
Seven ships were built (L13 to L19) and launched from 1937 to 1938. All were assigned to the Pacific Fleet. Considered a new project, the hull was based on the
''Srednyaya'' class. They carried 18 mines.
Group 4
![Shadowgraph Leninets class XIII-1938 series submarine](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Shadowgraph_Leninets_class_XIII-1938_series_submarine.svg)
6 ships were built (L20 to L25) and launched from 1940 to 1941. 3 were assigned to the Baltic Fleet and 3 to the Black Sea Fleet. This group added stern torpedo tubes and new, more powerful diesel engines.
References
Sources
*
* Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946.'' Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. .
* Yakubov, Vladimir and Worth, Richard. (2008) ''Raising the Red Banner: The Pictorial History of Stalin's Fleet 1920-1945.'' Spellmount.
External links
L-class submarines
{{WWII Soviet ships