French submarine Surcouf

 

Surcouf was a large French gun-armed cruiser submarine of the mid 20th century. She carried two 8" guns as well as anti-aircraft guns and (for most of her career) a floatplane. Surcouf served in the French Navy and, later, the Free French Naval Forces during the Second World War.

Surcouf disappeared during the night of 18/19 February 1942 in the Caribbean Sea, possibly after colliding with the American freighter Thompson Lykes, although this is not definitely established. She was named after the French privateer and shipowner Robert Surcouf. She was the largest submarine built until surpassed by the first Japanese I-400 class aircraft carrier submarine in 1944.