Estonian Submarine Lembit- minelayer In December 1934 the Estonian Government concluded a contract with the British shipyard Vickers-Armstrong to have two submarines built. Twin submarines Kalev and Lembit were festively launched at Barrow-in-Furness on  July 7th, 1936 and the ensign of the Estonian Navy was hoisted on Lembit on  May 14th, 1937. Both submarines belonged to the Estonian Navy until Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union in June 1940. During WW-II they both were complemented to the Soviet Baltic Fleet and participated in the war with replaced crews; Kalev hit the mine on October 30, 1941. The submarine Lembit, which was serving as a museum ship at Soviet navy museum, was brought back to Estonia on April 27, 1992 with the support of Estonian naval veterans and the sea museum. Finally after 52 years the Estonian flag was raised again on Lembit. Specifications, Lembit: Displacement (srf/sub tons): 665/8544 Dimensions (L*B*D meter): 59.5*7.5*3.6 Propulsion: 2*600hp Vickers-Armstrong diesel engines, 2*395hp Metropolitan Vickers electric motors, 2 shafts Speed (srf/sub knots): 13.7/8.5 Range (srf/sub n/miles@knots): un known Diving depth (meter): 90 Complement: 32 officers and crew Torpedo: 4*bow torpedo tubes+8 torpedoes Mines: 10 mine chambers, 20 mines Armament: 40mm AA (originally Bofors) machine-gun Back to History Index       Image Country Year Description Estonia 1996 Submarine minelayer Lembit.(orderd in 1936 from England) Estonia 1996 Submarine minelayer Lembit.(orderd in 1936 from England)