The ill-fated French Navy submarine cruiser

The world's largest submarine, the Surcouf, in the early 1940s suffered a series of problems from the time it was built until its mysterious disappearance in the Pacific Ocean.

Surcouf was once called the "underwater cruiser" thanks to its powerful firepower. Photo: Bernews

The mysterious disappearance of the super submarine Surcouf in the Pacific during World War II remains an unsolved mystery to this day. This was just the tragic end of a ship that had encountered a series of problems since it was built and commissioned into the French navy, according to War History.

The French submarine Surcouf was launched on October 18, 1929. With a length of 110 m, a width of 9 m, a height of over 7 m, and a submerged displacement of 4,304 tons, it was the largest submarine in the world until the Japanese I-400 was launched in 1943. France planned to build three, but in the end only built one due to the naval treaty between the great powers.

In addition to being designed to hunt surface warships, the Surcouf is also equipped with a Besson MB.411 seaplane for reconnaissance missions. The ship has 10 torpedo tubes, including 6 550 mm tubes and 4 400 mm tubes. The Surcouf is also equipped with two 203 mm naval guns, similar to the medium guns on cruisers, which can fire within 3 minutes of surfacing.

The giant submarine was equipped with machine guns and anti-aircraft guns for self-defense, along with a motorboat and a cargo hold that could hold 40 prisoners. It used large fuel tanks, capable of traveling 19,000 kilometers. Its supplies were enough to feed its 118-man crew for 90 days.

Despite its impressive specifications, the Surcourf suffered from a series of problems right from the start. The boat was difficult to adjust when submerged and difficult to maneuver in rough seas. The Surcouf took two minutes to dive to a depth of just 12 meters, making it an easy target for enemy anti-submarine aircraft.

Surcouf on a voyage. Photo: Bernews

In addition to the technical problems, the ship also had a very troubled operational history. In 1940, Surcouf was stationed in Cherbourg, then underwent maintenance in Brest when Nazi Germany invaded France. Because the Allies did not want the Germans to requisition Surcouf, the crew was ordered to move to the port of Plymouth, England.

However, on the way, an engine on the ship broke down. The British Navy issued an ultimatum, demanding that the French crew join the fight against fascism, or else sink the ship or stay out of the war. On July 3, 1940, British soldiers boarded the Surcouf for inspection, a fight broke out, killing three British soldiers and one French sailor.

The matter was resolved peacefully, the Surcouf was repaired by the British and handed over to the French resistance. In late 1941, the Surcouf was attacked by German aircraft in the Atlantic, forcing it to go to Portsmouth, USA for repairs.

In January 1942, the French Resistance sent the submarine Surcouf to Tahiti to join the campaign against the Japanese navy in the Pacific. However, as it prepared to pass through the Panama Canal on February 18, the ship suddenly and mysteriously disappeared.

Many theories have been put forward for the sudden disappearance of the submarine Surcouf. Some believe that the submarine sank in the Bermuda Triangle. Rear Admiral Paul Auphan, former French Navy Minister, believes that the Surcouf was sunk by an American merchant ship in the Caribbean Sea for a variety of reasons, including political ones.

Another theory is that the Surcouf was mistakenly attacked by the US Air Force. Archives of the US 6th Heavy Bomber Squadron show that they sank a large submarine on February 19 in the area near the Panama Canal.

At the time, there were no German submarines in the area. Squadron 6 itself was based in Panama, not far from where Surcouf is believed to have disappeared.

However, this record is not enough to confirm that Surcouf was sunk by American bombers. To this day, the disappearance of this giant submarine remains a mystery, and its wreckage has not been found or recovered.

According to VNE