Soviet submarine Shch-421

Shch-421 was a Shchuka-class submarine of the Soviet Navy. She served in the Northern Fleet during World War II. She was led by commander Nikolai Lunin, before he was replaced by his second-in-command Fyodor Vidyayev.

Shch-421 was of X series.
History
Soviet Union
NameShch-421
Laid down20 November 1934
Launched12 May 1935
Commissioned5 December 1937
FateScuttled on sea on 9 April 1942
General characteristics
Class and typeShchuka-class submarine, Type X[1]
Displacement
  • 577 tons surfaced
  • 704 tons submerged
Length57.00 m (187 ft 0 in)
Beam6.20 m (20 ft 4 in)
Draught3.78 m (12 ft 5 in)
Propulsion2 shaft diesel electric, 1,020 kW (1,370 bhp) diesel, 600 kW (800 bhp) electric
Speed
  • 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph) on the surface;
  • 6.3 knots (11.7 km/h; 7.2 mph) submerged
Range6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph)
Test depth91 m (300 ft)
Complement38
Armament
  • 4 × bow torpedo tubes
  • 2 × stern torpedo tubes
  • (10 torpedoes)
  • 2 × 45 mm (1.8 in) semi-automatic guns

Service history

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The submarine operated in the Northern Fleet and made torpedo attacks during 1941 and 1942, missing multiple targets and sinking one.[citation needed] On 19 February 1942, she ran aground in Skorbeevskaya Bay. She was refloated on 6 March and taken in to Polyarny for repairs.[2] On 8 April 1942 the submarine suffered heavy damage in a minefield: with no more power and close to enemy shores, the crew built a sail out of the canvas cover and managed to move away from the dangerous area. ShCh-421 was then found by K-22. All crew was taken onboard K-22 and the crippled submarine was sunk with a torpedo.

Ships sunk by Shch-421[3]
Date Ship Flag Tonnage Notes
5 February 1942 Konsul Schulte   2,975 GRT freighter(torpedo)
Total: 2,975 GRT

References

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  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Shch (Scuka) class". Uboat. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  2. ^ Chernyshev, Alexander Alekseevich (2012). Погибли без боя. Катастрофы русских кораблей XVIII–XX вв [They died without a fight. Catastrophes of Russian ships of the XVIII-XX centuries] (in Russian). Veche. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  3. ^ "ShCh-421 of the Soviet Navy – Submarine of the ShCh (Scuka) class – Allied Warships of WWII". Uboat.net. Retrieved 15 September 2018.