Heller 81069 Sous-marin DAPHNE

Daphne was a French submarine, belonging to the class of units of the same name. Daphne-class submarines are diesel-electric (SS) fighter ships that were built between 1964 and 1975. In total, twenty-five units of this class were created. The length of the Daphne-class ship used in the French Marine Nationale was 57.8 m, width 6.8 m, and the underwater displacement reached approx. 1050 tons. The maximum underwater speed is 16 knots. The main armament of units of this class were 12 550 mm torpedo tubes.

The Daphne-class ships were created in connection with the desire of the French Navy to have vessels smaller than the Narval class, intended to operate in areas less distant than those to which the Narval class was dedicated. At the same time, however, when creating the Daphne type ships, emphasis was placed on such elements as: low noise level and very good soundproofing, good maneuverability, as small a crew as possible, and simple operation of components and the entire ship. The aim was to achieve high speed and the ability to fire a powerful torpedo salvo, which resulted in as many as 12 torpedo tubes on the ship. Successful units were finally created, enjoying considerable interest among export recipients, because they were purchased by Spain, Portugal, Pakistan and South Africa.