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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Cuttlefish / B-2 (SS-11)

B Class Submarine: Laid down, 30 August 1905, at Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, MA.; Launched, 1 September 1906; Commissioned USS Cuttlefish, 18 October 1907; Decommissioned, 30 November 1909, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, SC; Recommissioned, 15 April 1910; Renamed USS B-2, 17 November 1911; Decommissioned, 4 December 1912; Recommissioned, 2 August 1913, at Cavite Navy Yard, PI; Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 12 December 1919; Final Disposition, sunk as a target.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced 145 t., Submerged 173 t.; Length 82' 5"; Beam 12' 6"; Draft 10' 7"; Speed, surfaced 9 kts, submerged 8 kts; Complement, 1 Officer 9 Enlisted; Armament, two 18" torpedo tubes, four torpedoes; Propulsion, gasoline-electric, Craig Shipbuilding Co. gasoline engines, 250 hp, Fuel Capacity, 1,880 gals, Electric Dynamic Co, electric motors, Battery Cells 60, single propeller.

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
103k	Launching of Cuttlefish (SS-11) at Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, MA. 1 September 1906.	Photo courtesy of R.C. Richards, U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press.
109k	The three B-boats (Inboard) Cuttlefish (SS-11), Tarantula (SS-12), and Viper (SS-10) share a snowy dry dock at the New York Navy Yard, January 25, 1907. Note that each one still has a single fixed periscope, with a flagstaff above it. Boats running submerged flew flags on these staffs to warn surface ships against running them down. Note, too, the running lights affixed to boards on the foremasts.	Collection of Rear. Admiral Henry Williams. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press.
221k	The B-boats of the *Viper class: Viper* (SS-10), Cuttlefish (SS-11),& Tarantula (SS-12), the ultimate development of the single screw *Holland* design, introduced a much more extensive superstructure for sea keeping. As designed, *Viper* had only the single periscope shown, as in *Plunger*, it was let into the conning tower. A second (hull) periscope was later added. Engine gearing had been abandoned, the propleller shaft no longer coincided precisley with the axis of the hull. Air compressors and main bilge pumps were driven from the main shaft via cluthces and gears; they could be operated by either the motor or the engine. Note that, in a boat this small, a reload torpedo occupied much of the hull.	Collection of Rear. Admiral Henry Williams. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press.
76k	Cuttlefish (SS-11) underway, circa 1907. Photographed by the Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 55541.
92k	Cuttlefish (SS-11) off Newport, Rhode Island, circa 1907.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 55540.
102k	Cuttlefish (SS-11) in port, circa 1907-1911.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 37.
101k	Cuttlefish (SS-11) in port with crew members on deck, circa 1907-1911	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 36.
120k	Cuttlefish (SS-11), circa 1907-1911, place unknown.	US Navy photo
101k	Cuttlefish (SS-11) in port, probably at the New York Navy Yard, circa 1908. Photographed by Enrique Muller.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 55539A.
470k	Viper (SS-10), Cuttlefish (SS-11) and Tarantula (SS-12) lie together in dry dock at the New York Navy Yard, January 25, 1908.	NARA (National Archives and Record Administration) photo # 19N15-28-6, courtesy of Daniel Dunham.
85k	The Cuttlefish (SS-11), probably in dry dock at the New York Navy Yard, January 25, 1908.	Courtesy of Robert Hurst. Photo added 10/20/06.
109k	Cuttlefish (SS-11), Tarantula (SS-12), and Viper (SS-10) In port, circa 1909.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 29.
122k	Cuttlefish (SS-11) participating in a naval review in New York Harbor, circa 1910.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 76492.
82k	Ajax (AC-14) in Manila Bay, Philippine Islands, preparing to launch B-2 (ex-Cuttlefish) (SS-11) from her deck, circa 12 May 1913. *Ajax* had transported *B-2* and B-3 (ex-Tarantula) (SS-12) to Manila from Norfolk, Virginia.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 98923.
97k	B-3 (ex-Tarantula) (SS-12) lies in Manila Bay after her voyage from Norfolk with B-2 (ex-Cuttlefish) (SS-11) as deck cargo, forward, in late April or May 1913, before they were launched from her deck.	USNHC photo # NH 90172, from the Philip H. Wilson Collection, submitted by Joe Radigan, MACM USN Ret.
80k	B-2 (ex-Cuttlefish) (SS-11) off the Cavite Navy Yard, Philippine Islands, with an awning rigged and crew members on deck, circa 1913-1917.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 63093.
80k	B-2 (ex-Cuttlefish) (SS-11) and General Alava (AG-5) in Philippine waters, prior to World War I.	Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1977. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 85719.
72k	Cavite Navy Yard, Philippine Islands. View on the waterfront, with a rather rough sea running, circa 1914-1916. B-2 (ex-Cuttlefish) (SS-11) is alongside the pier in right center.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 88580.
67k	B-1 (SS-10), (inboard) & B-2 (SS-11) at the Cavite Naval Base, Phillipines, 1916.	Photo courtesy of Vern Maxson, LCDR(SS), USNR-Ret.