HMS R2

Last updated

R class submarine.svg
R-class submarine
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS R2
Builder Chatham Dockyard, Kent
Laid down4 February 1917
Launched25 April 1918
Commissioned20 December 1918
FateSold, 21 February 1923
General characteristics
Class and type R-class submarine
Displacement
  • 410 long tons (417 t) surfaced
  • 503 long tons (511 t) submerged
Length163 ft 9 in (49.91 m)
Beam15 ft 3 in (4.65 m)
Draught11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Installed power
  • 240  bhp (180 kW) (diesel)
  • 1,200 hp (890 kW) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph) surfaced
  • 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) submerged
Range2,400  nmi (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) surfaced; 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth150 feet (45.7 m)
Complement2 officers and 20 ratings
Sensors and
processing systems
Bow hydrophone array
Armament6 × bow 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes

HMS R2 was one of 10 R-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 1923.

Contents

Design and description

The R-class submarine was designed to meet an Admiralty requirement for a specialised hunter-killer submarine with an emphasis on submerged performance. The boats had a length of 163 feet 9 inches (49.9 m) overall, a beam of 15 feet 3 inches (4.6 m) and a mean draft of 11 feet 6 inches (3.5 m). They displaced 410 long tons (420 t) on the surface and 503 long tons (511 t) submerged. The R-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 20 ratings. [1] They had a diving depth of 150 feet (45.7 m). [2]

For surface running, the boats were powered by a single eight-cylinder [3] 240- brake-horsepower (179 kW) diesel engine that drove the single propeller shaft. When submerged it was driven by a 1,200-horsepower (895 kW) electric motor. They could reach 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph) on the surface and 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) underwater. On the surface, the R class had a range of 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) and 60  nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged. [4]

The boats were armed with six 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried six reload torpedoes for a grand total of a dozen torpedoes. They were equipped with an array of five hydrophones in the bow to allow them to locate and engage targets while submerged. [4]

Construction and career

HMS R2 was laid down at Chatham Dockyard on 4 February 1917, launched on 25 April 1918 and commissioned on 20 December. She came too late to see any combat in World War I, like most of the other R class submarines. R2 was sold on 21 February 1923 to E. Suren.

Notes

  1. Gardiner & Gray, p. 93
  2. Harrison, Chapter 19
  3. Harrison, Chapter 25
  4. 1 2 Harrison, Chapter 10

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>A6</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

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

HMS <i>A9</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS A9 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 R1 was one of 10 R-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 1923.

HMS C21 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 1921.

HMS <i>R3</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS R3 was one of 10 R-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 1923.

HMS R4 was one of 10 R-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 1934.

HMS R7 was one of 10 R-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 1923.

HMS R8 was one of 10 R-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 1923.

HMS R9 was one of 10 R-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 1923.

HMS R10 was one of 10 R-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 1929.

HMS R11 was one of 10 R-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 1923.

HMS R12 was one of 10 R-class submarines 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 1923.

HMS C23 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>C31</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS C31 was one of 38 C-class submarines built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She struck a mine in 1915 and sank with the loss of all hands.

HMS <i>C34</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS C34 was one of 38 C-class submarines built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. The boat was sunk by a German submarine in 1917.

HMS C32 was one of 38 C-class submarines built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. The boat ran aground in the Baltic in 1917 and had to be destroyed to prevent her capture.

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 <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 L19 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1937.

HMS <i>L22</i>

HMS L22 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1935.

References