HMS H8

HMS H4, another submarine of the same class
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS H8
Builder	Canadian Vickers, Montreal
Laid down	19 May 1915
Commissioned	June 1915
Fate	Sold, 29 November 1921
General characteristics
Class & type	H-class submarine
Displacement	364 long tons (370 t) surfaced 434 long tons (441 t) submerged
Length	150 ft 3 in (45.80 m)
Beam	15 ft 4 in (4.67 m)
Propulsion	1 × 480 hp (358 kW) diesel engine 2 × 620 hp (462 kW) electric motors
Speed	13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Range	1,600 nmi (3,000 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 130 nmi (240 km) at 2 kn (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) submerged
Complement	22
Armament	4 × 18 in (457 mm) bow torpedo tubes 6 × 18 inch torpedoes

HMS H8 was a British H-class submarine built by the Canadian Vickers Co., Montreal. She was laid down on 19 May 1915 and commissioned in June 1915. Like other Canadian-built submarines, she was sailed across the Atlantic for service in the North Sea and as recognition of this she initially remained under the command of her Canadian captain, Lieutenant-Commander B. L. Johnson, R.N.R. with a largely reserve crew. HMS H8 was sold on 29 November 1921 in Arbroath.

Design

She had a displacement of 364 long tons (370 t) at the surface and 434 long tons (441 t) while submerged. Her total length was 150 feet 3 inches (45.8 m), with a beam of 15 feet 4 inches (4.7 m) and a draught of 12 feet (3.7 m).

Her two diesel engines provided a total power of 480 horsepower (360 kW) and her two electric motors provided 320 horsepower (240 kW) power which gave the submarine a maximum surface speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) and a submerged speed of 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph). She would normally carry 16.4 long tons (16.7 t) of fuel and had a maximum capacity of 18 long tons (18 t) ^[1] and a range of 1,600 nautical miles (2,963 km; 1,841 mi). The boat was armed with a 6-pounder (2.7 kg) Hotchkiss quick-firing gun and four 18-inch (457 mm) bow torpedo tubes with six 18-inch (457 mm) torpedoes carried. The complement was twenty-two crew members.

References

1. J. D. Perkins (1999). "Building History and Technical Details for Canadian CC-Boats and the Original H-CLASS". Electric Boat Company Holland Patent Submarines. Retrieved 20 August 2015.

Bibliography

• Gardiner, Robert (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   0-85177-245-5.
• Robert Hutchinson. Submarines, War Beneath The Waves, From 1776 To The Present Day.
• William Guy Carr. By Guess and by God.

External links

• Crew of H8