USS L-7 (SS-46), also known as "Submarine No. 46", was an L-classsubmarine of the United States Navy. She worked on exercises off the West Coast, prior to sailing to the Azores, during WWI. After the war she transferred back to the Pacific, where she worked with experimental torpedoes and underwater detection equipment.
The L-class boats designed by Lake Torpedo Boat (L-5 through L-8) were built to slightly different specifications from the other L boats, which were designed by Electric Boat, and are sometimes considered a separate L-5 class. The Lake boats had a length of 165ft (50.3m)overall, a beam of 14ft 9in (4.5m), and a mean draft of 13feet 3inches (4.0m). They displaced451 long tons (458t) on the surface and 527 long tons (535t) submerged. The L-class submarines had a crew of two officers and 28 enlisted men. They had a diving depth of 200ft (61.0m).[2]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 600-brake-horsepower (447kW)Busch-Sulzerdiesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 400-horsepower (298kW)electric motor. They could reach 14kn (26km/h; 16mph) on the surface and 10.5kn (19.4km/h; 12.1mph) underwater. On the surface, the Lake boats had a range of 5,150nmi (9,540km; 5,930mi), at 11kn (20km/h; 13mph),[2] and 150nmi (280km; 170mi), at 5kn (9.3km/h; 5.8mph), submerged.[4]
The boats were armed with four 18-inch (450 mm)torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried four reloads, for a total of eight torpedoes. The L-class submarines were also armed with a single 3in (76mm)/23 caliber on a disappearing mount.[4]
Patrolling off Charleston until 15 October 1918, the submarine finally steamed for the waters of Europe, to battle the U-boats. Arriving at Ponta Delgada, Azores, early in November, she joined Submarine Division 6. for anti-submarine warfare operations. The Armistice with Germany, of 11 November 1918, ended World War I, and L-7 sailed for home on 19 November.[5]
Following stops at Caribbean and Central American ports, the submarine arrived at San Pedro, California, on 14 February 1919, completing one of the best long distance seagoing performances of America's youthful submarine force.[5]
Fate
From 1919 to 1922, she remained on the West Coast, experimenting with new torpedoes and undersea detection equipment. After a period of commission in ordinary early in 1922, L-7 was returned to full commission on 1 July, and sailed for Hampton Roads, Virginia, the same month. She decommissioned there on 15 November 1922, and was sold on 21 December 1925, to M. Samuel and Sons for scrapping.[5]
Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-85177-245-5.
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