Export subs

Export Dolfijn type  for  Spain

By Gorka L. Martínez Mezo.

In April of 1952, M.F. Gunning, designer of the Dolfijn class SSK, visited Spain on a sales tour of his project. This event is almost unknown in Spain.

The most interesting fact is that, at that time, Spain was under a UN arms embargo due to its Nazi-style dictatorship, but this was being relaxed since Spain was needed in the Cold War. Mr. Gunning was able to obtain an interview with Spanish Navy top heads and naval engineers who promised to study the project. The Spanish Navy was never really interested in the Dutch submarine, as the project seemed complex (three cylinder hull) and construction promised to be quite difficult.

Zeehond (3), a Dolfijn class boat, in Amsterdam 27 May 1988.

The state of the Spanish naval industry was not very good at that time. In fact, Spanish shipyards were working on the D and G class submarines. The first program was begun in 1934! And the second was for a license-built of type VII-C U-boats which was later cancelled.
Finally, the navy rejected the Dutch offer in January of 1953. But  NV Nederlandsche Vereenigde Scheepsbouw Dockyards tried again in April, offering not only the submarines, but also the Friesland and Holland ASW destroyers and even 8000 tm cruiser projects, but to no avail.

By 1953 Spain was about to sign a Defence Treaty with the USA and it was hoped that modern ships would be handed over to Spain, including subs, free of charge. In fact, only one sub was to arrive (a Fleet Schnorkel Balao class), but only many years later. Mr. Gunning came again in April of 1954, but returned to the Netherlands without having obtained a contract from Spain.

 

By Gorka L. Martínez Mezo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have any comments, corrections, additions or do you have material like stories, photos or other data available for this or any other page on this website? Then please do not hesitate to contact us at webmaster@dutchsubmarines.com

 

---

	Home	Classes	Boats	Tenders	News	Export
	R&D	Men	Books	Pictures	Links
	Models	M-media	Specials	Forum	Search	Help US !
	Copyright © 1997-2006 - Design and content DutchSubmarines.com

---