SC-497-class submarine chaser

The SC-497-class submarine chasers were a class of 438 submarine chasers built primarily for the United States Navy from 1941-1944.[1] The SC-497s were based on the experimental submarine chaser, USS SC-453. Production began in 1941 and continued until they were succeeded by the SC-1466-class submarine chaser in 1944. Submarine chasers of this variety were collectively nicknamed "the splinter fleet" due to their wooden hulls. [2]

USS SC-661
Class overview
Operators:
Preceded by: Protoytpe submarine chaser USS SC-453
Succeeded by: SC-1466 class
Built: 1941-1944
Planned: 475
Completed: 438
Cancelled: 37
Active: 0
Lost: 17
Preserved: 1
General characteristics
Type: Submarine chaser
Displacement: 98 tons
Length: 110 ft 10 in (34 m)
Beam: 17 ft 11.5 in (5 m)
Draft: 10 ft 10 in (3 m)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × 1,540 or 880 hp (1,150 or 660 kW) General Motors 8-268A 2-stroke diesel engines
  • 2 × shafts
Speed: 15.6 or 21 knots (28.9 or 38.9 km/h; 18.0 or 24.2 mph)
Complement: 3 officers, 25 enlisted
Armament: 1 3”/23 caliber gun (later replaced with 1 40mm Bofors), 2 twin .50 caliber machine guns (later replaced by 2-3 single mounted 20mm cannons), depth charges, K-guns
Armor: Wooden hull

History

The SC-497s were off-shore patrol and anti-submarine warfare vessels. Seventy of the SC-497s were converted into patrol control crafts (SCC), 18 were converted into coastal minesweepers (AMC), and 8 were converted into patrol gunboats, motor (PGM).[3]

Sixteen SC-497s were lost and another one was lost after her conversion into a PGM-1-class motor gunboat.[3][4]

Despite the large number of SC-497s, none are credited with destroying an enemy ship. (USS SC-669 is sometimes incorrectly credited with sinking the Japanese submarine RO-107 on 29 May 1943,[3] but RO-107 was still active on 6 July 1943.[5])

During World War II, 142 SC-497-class submarine chasers were lent to allies of the United States as part of the Lend-Lease program. Seventy-eight were sent to the Soviet Union, 50 to France, 8 to Brazil, 3 to Norway, and 3 to Mexico.[3][1] The three Norwegian examples served with distinction on the Shetland bus service, running agents, refugees and weapons past the German blockade between occupied Norway and Britain.

Survivors

HNoMS Hitra (ex-USS SC-718) is preserved at the Royal Norwegian Navy Museum. Some remains of HNoMS Hessa (ex-USS SC-683) and HNoMS Vigra (ex-USS SC-1061) can be seen near the coast of Sweden.

See also

References
  1. Submarine Chaser (SC) Index, retrieved 21 March 2009
  2. Splinter Fleet, retrieved 16 January 2019
  3. Information on WWII SCs, retrieved 21 March 2009
  4. Submarine chasers: SC-497 class, retrieved 21 March 2009
  5. HIJMS Submarine RO-107: Tabular Record of Movement, retrieved 21 March 2009
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