HMS A6

Last updated

A class submarines.jpg
A group of British "A" class submarines
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS A6
Builder Vickers, Sons & Maxim Ltd. Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down1 September 1903
Launched3 March 1904
Commissioned23 March 1905
FateSold, 8 October 1920 for breaking up
General characteristics
Class and type A-class submarine
Displacement
  • 190 long tons (193 t) surfaced
  • 206 long tons (209 t) submerged
Length105 ft (32.0 m)
Beam12 ft 9 in (3.9 m)
Draught10 ft 8 in (3.3 m)
Installed power
Propulsion
  • 1 × 16-cylinder Wolseley petrol engine
  • 1 × electric motor
Speed
  • 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) surfaced
  • 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
Range500 nautical miles (930 km; 580 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
Complement2 officers and 9 ratings
Armament2 × 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes

HMS A6 was an A-class submarine built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

Contents

Design and description

A6 was a member of the first British class of submarines, although slightly larger, faster and more heavily armed than the lead ship, HMS A1. The submarine had a length of 105 feet 1 inch (32.0 m) overall, a beam of 12 feet 9 inches (3.9 m) and a mean draft of 10 feet 8 inches (3.3 m). They displaced 190 long tons (190 t) on the surface and 206 long tons (209 t) submerged. The A-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 9 ratings. [1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by a single 16-cylinder 550- brake-horsepower (410 kW) Wolseley petrol engine that drove one propeller shaft. When submerged the propeller was driven by a 150-horsepower (112 kW) electric motor. They could reach 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) on the surface and 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) underwater. [1] On the surface, A6 had a range of 500 nautical miles (930 km; 580 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph); submerged the boat had a range of 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). [2]

The boats were armed with two 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They could carry a pair of reload torpedoes, but generally did not as doing so that they had to compensate for their weight by an equivalent weight of fuel. [3]

Construction and career

A6 was ordered as part of the 1903–04 Naval Programme from at Vickers. [4] She was laid down at the shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness on 1 September 1903, launched on 3 March 1904 and completed on 23 March 1905. [2]

A6 ran aground on a sandbank in Sandown harbour on 31 July 1906, but received little damage. [5]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Gardiner & Gray, p. 86
  2. 1 2 Akermann, p. 120
  3. ↑ Harrison, Chapter 27
  4. ↑ Harrison, Chapter 3
  5. ↑ "Naval Matters—Past and Prospective: Portsmouth Dockyard". The Marine Engineer and Naval Architect. Vol. 29. 1 September 1906. p. 41.

Related Research Articles

HMS A2 was an A-class submarine built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

HMS <i>A13</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS A13 was an A-class submarine built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She was the first British submarine not to use a petrol engine. After surviving World War I, she was sold for scrap in 1920.

HMS A12 was an A-class submarine built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. After surviving World War I, she was sold for scrap in 1920.

HMS <i>A11</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS A11 was an A-class submarine built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. After surviving World War I, she was sold for scrap in 1920.

HMS <i>A10</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS A10 was an A-class submarine built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. After surviving World War I, she was sold for scrap in 1919.

HMS <i>C2</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS C2 was one of 38 C-class submarines built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. The boat survived the First World War and was sold for scrap in 1920.

HMS <i>C38</i> C-class submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS C38 was one of 38 C-class submarines built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. The boat survived the First World War and was sold for scrap in 1919.

HMS <i>L6</i>

HMS L6 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 1935.

HMS <i>L52</i>

HMS L52 was a late-model L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1935.

HMS L53 was a late-model L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1939.

HMS L54 was a late-model L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1939.

HMS L56 was a late-model L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1938.

HMS L69 was a late-model L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1939.

HMS <i>L9</i>

HMS L9 was an L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1927.

HMS <i>L12</i>

HMS L12 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was one of five boats in the class to be fitted as a minelayer. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1932.

HMS <i>L15</i>

HMS L15 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 1932.

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.

HMS L17 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was one of five boats in the class to be fitted as a minelayer. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1934.

HMS <i>L18</i>

HMS L18 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat was completed after the war and was sold for scrap in 1936.

HMS L25 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was one of five boats in the class to be fitted as a minelayer. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1935.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.