The Submarine Heritage Centre - Rainbow Class

Sponsorship Comments

This painting was sponsored by ex Chief Radio Supervisor (CRS) Terry (Nobby) Hall, Chairman of the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association.

Rainbow Class Technical Facts:

- Builder: Vickers-Armstrong Ltd.
- Pennant Number: 88.
- Yard Number: 654.
- Ordered: 26th February 1929.
- Launched: 11th July 1930.
- Completed: 7th December 1930.
- Dimensions (in feet and inches): Length: 287 ft 2, Diameter: 16 ft 9, Draught: 16 ft 9.
- Displacement: Surfaced: 1,750 tons, Submerged: 2,007 tons.
- Machinery: Surfaced: Twin 8 cylinder diesels, 4,640 bhp. Submerged: Twin electric motors, 1,670 bhp. Twin shafts.
- Speed: Surfaced: 18 knots, Submerged: 8.5 knots.
- Endurance: Surfaced: 9,700 nautical miles at 8 knots. Submerged: 60 nautical miles at 4 knots.
- Armaments: 8 x 21 inch torpedo tubes ( 6 in the bow, two in the stern), 14 torpedoes carried. 1 x 4.7 inch deck gun.

Historical Facts:

Rainbow Class of four submarines, three of which were built in the shipyard in Barrow, the lead boat Rainbow was built in the Royal Dockyard at Chatham.

The Barrow built boats Regent, Regulas and Rover all being launched on the same day, 11th July 1930.

These were the first British submarines to be fitted with a bathroom for the officers. There was however no increase in fresh water capacity.

On commissioning the entire class was sent to Hong Kong until the outbreak of WWII.

1940 sent to the Mediterranean , patrolling from Alexandria.

On the 7th December 1940 Regulas was listed as overdue in the Straits of Tarento, it is though that she hit a mine.

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