USS B-3

Last updated

USS Tarantula - 19-N-60-9-5.jpg
Tarantula, underway near the New York Navy Yard, 1909
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameTarantula
NamesakeThe tarantula
Builder Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts
Cost$185,077.84 (hull and machinery) [1]
Laid down5 September 1905
Launched30 March 1907
Sponsored byMrs. George S. Radford
Commissioned3 December 1907
Decommissioned6 November 1909
Recommissioned15 April 1910
Decommissioned4 December 1912
Recommissioned2 September 1913
Decommissioned25 July 1921
RenamedB-3 (Submarine Torpedo Boat No.12), 17 November 1911
Stricken17 January 1922
Identification
FateSunk as a target
General characteristics [2]
Class & type B-class submarine
Displacement
  • 145 long tons (147 t) surfaced
  • 173 long tons (176 t) submerged
Length82 ft 5 in (25.12 m)
Beam12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Draft10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)
Installed power
  • 250  bhp (190 kW) surfaced
  • 150 bhp (110 kW) submerged
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9  kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) surfaced
  • 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range
  • 540  nmi (1,000 km; 620 mi) at 9 kn surfaced
  • 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth150 ft (46 m)
Complement
  • 1 officer
  • 9 enlisted
Armament2 × 18 inch (450 mm) bow torpedo tubes (4 torpedoes)

USS Tarantula/B-3 (SS-12), also known as "Submarine Torpedo Boat No. 12", was one of three B-class submarines built for the United States Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the tarantula, group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae.

Contents

Design

The B-class submarines, also known as the Viper-class, were enlarged versions of the preceding Plunger-class. They had a length of 82 ft 5 in (25.12 m) overall, a beam of 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m), and a mean draft of 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m). They displaced 145 long tons (147 t) on the surface and 173 long tons (176 t) submerged. The B-class boats had a crew of one officer and nine enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 150 feet (45.7 m). [3]

For surface running, they were powered by one 240- brake-horsepower (180 kW) gasoline engine that drove the single propeller shaft. When submerged the propeller was driven by a 115-horsepower (86 kW) electric motor. [3] The boats could reach 9  kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) on the surface and 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. On the surface, they had a range of 540  nmi (1,000 km; 620 mi) at 9 kn and 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged. [4]

The B-class boats were armed with two 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried two reloads, for a total of four torpedoes. [4]

Construction

Tarantula was laid down 5 September 1905, in Quincy, Massachusetts, by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company, under a subcontract from Electric Boat Company, of New Suffolk, Long Island. Tarantula was launched on 30 March 1907, sponsored by Mrs. George S. Radford; the boat was commissioned on 4 December 1907. [5]

Service history

Tarantula reported to the Atlantic Fleet, and operated along the Atlantic coast, with the First and Second Submarine Flotillas, on training and experimental exercises until going into reserve at Charleston Navy Yard, on 6 November 1909. She was recommissioned on 15 April 1910, and served with the Atlantic Torpedo Fleet until assigned to the Reserve Torpedo Group, Charleston Navy Yard, on 9 May 1911, and placed out of commission on 4 December 1912. On 17 November, Tarantula was renamed B-3. [5]

On 6 December 1912, B-3 was towed to Norfolk Navy Yard, and loaded onto the collier Ajax, along with her sister ship B-2, for transfer to the Asiatic Station. Arriving at Cavite, in the Philippine Islands, on 30 April 1913, B-3 was launched from Ajax on 12 May. She was recommissioned on 2 September and remained in the Philippines where she served with Submarine Division 4, Torpedo Flotilla, Asiatic Fleet. [5]

Excerpts from the autobiography of Captain C.Q. Wright, indicate he was the "Officer in Charge" of B3 at Cavite. His crew launched the two subs off the deck of the Ajax. They then retrofitted the gasoline powered engines and motors in the Cavite Navy Yard shop readying the subs for a 48-hour shakedown cruise. The first tour of duty began with sealed orders at 1900 hours, guarding Manila Bay's Naval Base Manila, in the event hostilities broke out with the Empire of Japan. Orders were to sink any Japanese war vessel that came into sight, although none did.[ citation needed ]

In 1914, B-3 was awarded the "Battle Efficiency Pennant" for the best operating submarine in the US fleet, Commanding Officer Ensign C.Q. Wright.[ citation needed ]

After World War I broke out in Europe early in the summer of 1914, she carried out patrols to prevent belligerent warships from violating the neutrality of Philippine waters until the United States entered the conflict in the spring of 1917. Then, through the Armistice, she continued much the same work, ostensibly to protect the archipelago from the Imperial German Navy, a force that long before had been driven from the oceans. [5]

Fate

Decommissioned at Cavite, on 25 July 1921, B-3 was subsequently sunk as a target. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 17 January 1922. [5]

References

Bibliography

Further reading