EML Kalev (1936)
| The “Kalev” ENS Kalev which did not survived the Second World War.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | ENS Kalev |
| Operator | Estonian Navy |
| Ordered | 12 December 1934 |
| Builder | Vickers and Armstrongs Ltd., United Kingdom |
| Laid down | May 1935 |
| Launched | 7 July 1936 13:20 |
| Commissioned | 12 March 1937 |
| In service | 1937 - 1941 |
| Out of service | 1941 |
| Homeport | Tallinn |
| Motto | list error: <br /> list (help) "Vääri oma nime" ("Be worth of Your name") |
| Nickname(s) | Kalev |
| Captured | by USSR in 1940 |
| Fate | missing after 29 October 1941 |
| Badge | File:.jpg |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | list error: <br /> list (help) 665 tons surfaced 853 tons submerged |
| Length | 59.5 m |
| Beam | 7.5 m |
| Draught | 3.6 m |
| Propulsion | list error: <br /> list (help) Twin diesel/electric 2 diesel engines: Vickers and Armstrongs Ltd. – 1200 hp 2 Electric engines: Metropolitan-Vickers – 790 hp |
| Speed | list error: <br /> list (help) surface - 13.5 knots submerged - 8.5 knots |
| Test depth | list error: <br /> list (help) 90 m operational 120 m tested |
| Complement | 4 officers + 28 sailors |
| Armament | list error: <br /> list (help) 4 × bow torpedo tubes (8 21" torpedoes) 1 × 40 mm AA gun "Bofors" 1 × 7.7mm AA gun "Lewis" 24 mines |
| Armor | list error: <br /> list (help) thickness of hull steel 12 mm |
ENS Kalev was one of the twin submarines of the Republic of Estonia launched in 1936 at Vickers and Armstrongs Ltd. in England. Its twin sister “Lembit” survived the Second World War and is the oldest submarine to afloat in the world till today.
History
The “Kalev” was the second pre-war Estonian Navy submarine.Estonia is a maritime nation and as every country with a long coastline has to defend and safeguard its territorial waters. With due regard to experiences of World War I the submarines found their proper application in pre-last war Estonian Navy. The collection organised by the Submarine Fleet Foundation in May 1933 developed into a one of the most successful undertakings among the similar events demonstrating a nation-wide determination to defend one’s country.
In the course of building and testing two submarines the Estonian crews got a top level naval training of the time in England in 1935-1937. In the period of 1937-1940 the submarines "Lembit" and "Kalev" were the most imposing naval vessels of Estonian Navy. Their non-interference upon annexation of Estonia by the USSR was a political decision made irrespective of the will of the navy.[1]
Kalev in World War II
The submarine “Kalev” joined the Estonian Navy in spring 1937 where it operated until the Soviet overtake in 1940. (On 24 February, 1940, The third Reich had expressed its interest in obtaining the submarine, if Estonia would sell it, but this offer was turned down.)
During the Soviet occupation
The submarine was formally overtaken by the Soviet Navy on 18 September, 1940, by which only five men of the submarine crew remained in place, to instruct the new Soviet crews. After the outbreak of the German-Russian war in June 1941, Kalev was re-complemented, having since then totally Russian-speaking crew, although the original name Kalev was retained. During the Second World War the Kalev participated in military operations among the vessels of the Soviet Baltic Fleet. Kalev did not return from its second patrol (missing since 29 October, 1941).[2]
Interesting facts
The submarines Kalev ultimate fate or location of the wreck is still unknown (it is usually assumed that she hit a mine and sunk off Keri in the Gulf of Finland between Tallinn and Helsinki, but she could be anywhere between Kronstadt and Hanko; some sources suggest she was scuttled in the Bay of Tallinn at the Soviet evacuation on 28 August, 1941).
See also
References
- ^ http://www.meremuuseum.ee/?op=body&id=45 Estonian Maritime Museum
- ^ http://users.tkk.fi/~andres/models_lembit.html Kalev
External links
