French submarine Diane (1916)
The French submarine Diane (1916) was the lead boat of the Diane class built for the French Navy during World War I. It was ordered in 1912, laid down in 1913, launched in 1916 and commissioned in 1917. Diane sank in the Bay of Biscay off La Pallice on 11 February 1918 after an internal explosion, with the loss of its entire crew.
The Diane class were smaller, diesel-powered submarines based on the Gustave Zédé design. Diane displaced about 673 tonnes surfaced and around 900 tonnes submerged, was 68 meters long, with a beam of 5.53 meters and a draft of 3.56 meters. It had a crew of 34.
On the surface, Diane used two diesel engines (~800 hp each) driving two propeller shafts; when submerged, two electric motors (~700 hp each) powered the shafts. Top speeds were 15 knots on the surface and 11.5 knots submerged. It could travel about 2,500 nautical miles at 10 knots on the surface, and around 110–130 nautical miles submerged at 5 knots.
Armament included ten 450 mm torpedoes: four in the bow, two in external bow tubes, two in external stern tubes, and four external rotating launchers amidships. A 75 mm gun was ordered for the class, but it is unclear whether Diane carried one.
Construction notes: the original surface engines were to be built by Chaléassière, but delivery delays led to the use of two British 800 hp engines in 1915, which reduced the top speed from 17 knots to 15 knots.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:50 (CET).