Summary
HMS L16 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1934.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS L16 |
| Builder | Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan |
| Laid down | 21 November 1916 |
| Launched | 9 April 1918 |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping, February 1934 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | L-class submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 238 ft 7 in (72.7 m) |
| Beam | 23 ft 6 in (7.2 m) |
| Draught | 13 ft 3 in (4.0 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | 3,800 nmi (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) on the surface |
| Test depth | 150 feet (45.7 m) |
| Complement | 38 |
| Armament |
|
Design and description edit
L9 and its successors were enlarged to accommodate 21-inch (53.3 cm) torpedoes and more fuel. The submarine had a length of 238 feet 7 inches (72.7 m) overall, a beam of 23 feet 6 inches (7.2 m) and a mean draft of 13 feet 3 inches (4.0 m).[1] They displaced 914 long tons (929 t) on the surface and 1,089 long tons (1,106 t) submerged. The L-class submarines had a crew of 35 officers and ratings.[2]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 12-cylinder Vickers[3] 1,200-brake-horsepower (895 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor.[1] They could reach 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) on the surface and 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater. On the surface, the L class had a range of 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[4]
The boats were armed with four 21-inch torpedo tubes in the bow and two 18-inch (45 cm) in broadside mounts. They carried four reload torpedoes for the 21-inch tubes for a grand total of ten torpedoes of all sizes.[5] They were also armed with a 4-inch (102 mm) deck gun.[2]
Construction and career edit
HMS L16 was laid down on 1 September 1917 by Fairfield at their Govan shipyard, launched on 9 April 1918, and completed on 31 May. During the war, the boat operated from Harwich or Teesport. HMS L16 was sold in February 1934 to Malcolm Brechin, Granton, Edinburgh.
Notes edit
References edit
- Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 1-904381-05-7.
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Harrison, A. N. (January 1979). "The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)". RN Subs. Retrieved 27 September 2022.