|
Particulars
of British Submarines 1939
H CLASS
ENLARGE
|
H28 |
Vickers
|
1918
|
|
H31 |
Vickers
|
1919
|
|
H32 |
Vickers
|
1919
|
| Emergency
War |
H33 |
C.
Laird
|
1919
|
| Programme
1916 |
H34 |
C.
Laird
|
1919
|
|
H43 |
Armstrong
|
1919
|
|
H44 |
Armstrong
|
1920
|
|
H49 |
Beardmore
|
1919
|
|
H50 |
Beardmore
|
1920
|
These boats
were the survivors of a once numerous class built during the First
World War and were of the American Holland type designed by the
Electric Boat Company. The early boats of the class were built
in the USA and Canada but these nine boats were of the H21 class
of modified design built in the United Kingdom. They had 21"
instead of 18" torpedo tubes and British machinery, batteries,
periscopes and other equipment. The H class proved a popular type
both during the First World War when they were used for operations
and afterwards when they were used mainly for anti-submarine training.
They were now only considered fit for operations in emergency
as, except for H32 they had no asdic set. Their diving depth was
also shallow, they were slow and only had a very primitive wireless
transmitter.
Dimensions
|
277'
x 26½' x 16' |
1312
tons (surface) |
|
1579
tons (submerged) |
|
Armament
|
Six
21" internal bow torpedo tubes.
Four 21" external bow torpedo tubes.
Sixteen 21" Mark VIII torpedoes.
One 4" QF Mark III gun on an S1 mounting. 120 rounds
ammo.
Two Lewis guns and five rifles. |
|
Propulsion
|
Twin
diesel engines. 2500 HP = 16.28 knots.
134 tons oil fuel = 4050 miles @ 14 kts or 9550 miles @
8 kt.
Vickers boats had Vickers engines. C. Laird boats had Sulzer
engines.
Scotts boats had MAN engines and Chatham boats had Admiralty
engines.
Main
motors 1450 HP = 9 knots submerged.
Batteries. 336 cells of 140 tons.
|
| Hull |
Saddle
tank type. Diving depth 300 ft. |
| Complement |
4
Officers and 49 men. |
Detecting
devices
|
Two
34 foot periscopes. Type 129 asdic set. |
|