HMS K15

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HMS K15 IWM SP 2506.jpg
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS K15
Builder Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Greenock
Laid down19 April 1916
Launched30 October 1917
Commissioned30 April 1918
FateSold, August 1924
General characteristics
Class and type K-class submarine
Displacement
  • 1,980 long tons (2,010 t) surfaced
  • 2,566 long tons (2,607 t) submerged
Length339 ft (103 m)
Beam26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
Draught20 ft 11 in (6.38 m)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph) surfaced
  • 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range
  • Surfaced :
  • 800  nmi (1,500 km; 920 mi) at 24 kn (44 km/h; 28 mph)
  • 12,500 nmi (23,200 km; 14,400 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
  • Submerged :
  • 8 nmi (15 km; 9.2 mi) at 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph)
  • 40 nmi (46 mi; 74 km) at 4 kn (4.6 mph; 7.4 km/h)
Complement59 (6 officers and 53 ratings)
Armament

HMS K15 was a K class submarine built by Scotts, Greenock. She was laid down on 19 April 1916 and was commissioned on 30 April 1918.

Contents

K15 sank due to an accident, when moored alongside the light cruiser Canterbury at Portsmouth Harbour on 25 June 1921. She was then salved in July 1921. K15 was sold in August 1924 in Upnor.

Design

K15 displaced 1,800 long tons (1,800 t) when at the surface and 2,600 long tons (2,600 t) while submerged. [1] It had a total length of 338 ft (103 m), a beam of 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m), and a draught of 20 ft 11 in (6.38 m). [2] The submarine was powered by two oil-fired Yarrow Shipbuilders boilers each supplying one geared Brown-Curtis or Parsons steam turbine; this developed 10,500 shaft horsepower (7,800 kW) to drive two 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) screws. Submerged power came from four electric motors each producing 350 to 360 horsepower (260 to 270 kW). [2] It was also had an 800 hp (600 kW) diesel engine to be used when steam was being raised, or instead of raising steam. [3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 24 kn (44 km/h) and a submerged speed of 9 to 9.5 kn (16.7 to 17.6 km/h). [2] [4] It could operate at a maximum depth of 150 ft (46 m) and travel submerged at 2 kn (3.7 km/h) for 80 nmi (150 km). [1] K15 was armed with ten 18-inch (460 mm) torpedo tubes, two 4-inch (100 mm) deck guns, and a 3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun. [2] The torpedo tubes were mounted in the bows, the midship section firing to the beam, and two were on a rotating mounting on the deck. [1] Its complement was fifty-nine crew members. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "K for Katastrophe", Undersea Warfare, US Navy, archived from the original on 24 September 2015, retrieved 20 August 2015
  2. 1 2 3 4 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.
  3. ↑ Bruce, Anthony; Cogar, William (27 January 2014). Encyclopedia of Naval History. Routledge. p. 356. ISBN   978-1-135-93534-4.
  4. 1 2 Holland, Julian (1 May 2012). Amazing & Extraordinary Facts Steam Age. David & Charles. p. 145. ISBN   978-1-4463-5619-7.

Bibliography

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