FFN Surcouf

[RAFF-35]

Well, I've built an aircraft and a tank so far for this group build. So now I shall build a submarine to keep up the variety.

The basic premise is that the Surcouf escapes the German invasion and limps across the channel to safety.
The Royal Navy offers to complete the refit that was being undertaken in France before the invasion.
Included in the refit is increased surface area of the rear dive planes, larger ballast tank valves, additional bilge keels, a modified the gun site/ range finder to be telescopic and linking this to a Mk.IX Admiralty Fire Control Table (AFCT) which fed instructions to the watertight gun turret. The AFCT allowed the guns to be in position before the Surcouf surfaced.
The wireless system was also upgraded
(was the aircraft removed at this point? If so, was it replaced by anything?)
The Surcouf was also repainted during the refit to feature a more effective camouflage.
These modifications fostered an amicable relationship between the French crew and the Royal Navy (and crucially delayed the relaunch of the Surcouf by a few weeks compared to the real world timeline,  meaning that it avoided what ever fate met the Surcouf on it's way to the Panama Canal).
Once established that the French crew would operate under the Free French Navy,  the Surcouf was released from impound and began escorting duties across the North Atlantic, even carrying additional cargo in the prisoner/passenger room and aircraft hangar.
After this, the Surcouf headed for the Pacific to harass the Japanese who had invaded French territories. It specialised in hit and run attacks on Japanese shipping, but later it came into it's own in the shore bombardment role where it supported U.S. forces on their pacific island hopping campaign all the way through to the invasion of the Japanese mainland where it continued to aid allied amphibious landings.

I'll probably expand/ modify the story at some point, but here's the obligatory starting picture....

[PR19_Kit]

I like the whole idea, I always thought the Surcouf had a bit of a bad deal one way and another, not helped by de Gaulle's attitude to anything that wasn't French or pro-France.

[Weaver]

Couldn't agree more Kit. Her problems and lacklustre record were mostly not the fault of the design, which, despite some issues, was basically sound. I think that without the bad faith and bad luck, she might well have proved valuable.

[Rheged]

Kit and Weaver have the right of it! De Gaulle could be a blasted nuisance at times. 

 I've been working in a desultory sort of way for some time on the service history of the Soufriere,  Surcouf's lesser  known half sister.  I will amend my musings to include her service with the French flotilla attached to BPF

[buzzbomb]

Oh goody, want to see how this kit goes 

[PR19_Kit]

I've been working in a desultory sort of way for some time on the service history of the Soufriere,  Surcouf's lesser  known half sister.  I will amend my musings to include her service with the French flotilla attached to BPF

And I'll be looking forward to that Mike. 

[RAFF-35]

I've been working in a desultory sort of way for some time on the service history of the Soufriere,  Surcouf's lesser  known half sister.  I will amend my musings to include her service with the French flotilla attached to BPF

And I'll be looking forward to that Mike. 

I'll second that! In fact, could I have a sneak peak now for extra build motivation? 😄

[RAFF-35]

I managed to spend a bit of time starting the Surcouf yesterday, but doubt I'll do much today as I'm taking the family to Duxford.

[NARSES2]

Looking forward to this 

[Charlie_c67]

I like the whole idea, I always thought the Surcouf had a bit of a bad deal one way and another, not helped by de Gaulle's attitude to anything that wasn't French or pro-France.

Does make you wonder what might have happened had Giraud replaced De Gaulle as the Americans apparently wished...

[jcf]

Wasn't Soufriere equipped with a Dorand G.20 Gyroplane?

[RAFF-35]

Wasn't Soufriere equipped with a Dorand G.20 Gyroplane?

The G.20 is a fantastic idea to replace the float plane! What's the Soufriere? Isn't it the French word for St. Lucia?

[RAFF-35]

A short burst of whiffing this evening has brought the build to this point. I don't think there are many more physical alterations that need to be made at this point? 🤔

My naval knowledge isn't too strong, so my question to you is how do you think the Surcouf could've best served the allies during Operation Downfall? Would it be shore bombardment,  merchant shipping attacks, taking part in special forces operations or something else I haven't thought of?
All ideas welcome 

[Rheged]

La Soufrière is an active volcano on the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent

[Old Wombat]

Surcouf was too big for extended shallow water operations, so anti-Axis shipping op's are off the table in most cases, as their merchant ships tended to try to stick to the shoreline where possible.

Commando/Special Op's tasks, where she would be in-&-out in a night, & be able to provide some fire support if necessary, might be an option, though.