HMS L6
| History | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name: | HMS L6 |
| Builder: | William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir |
| Laid down: | October 1916 |
| Commissioned: | 3 July 1918 |
| Fate: | Sold for scrapping, January 1935 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | L-class submarine |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: | 231 ft 1 in (70.4 m) |
| Beam: | 23 ft 6 in (7.2 m) |
| Draught: | 13 ft 3 in (4.0 m) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: |
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| Range: | 3,800 nmi (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) on the surface |
| Test depth: | 100 feet (30.5 m) |
| Complement: | 35 |
| Armament: |
|
HMS L6 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 1935.
Design and description
The L-class boats were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding E class. The submarine had a length of 231 feet 1 inch (70.4 m) overall, a beam of 23 feet 6 inches (7.2 m) and a mean draft of 13 feet 3 inches (4.0 m). They displaced 891 long tons (905 t) on the surface and 1,074 long tons (1,091 t) submerged. The L-class submarines had a crew of 35 officers and ratings.[1]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 12-cylinder Vickers[2] 1,200-brake-horsepower (895 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor.[1] They could reach 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) on the surface and 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater.[3] On the surface, the L class had a range of 3,200 nautical miles (5,900 km; 3,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[1]
The boats were armed with a total of six 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes. Four of these were in the bow and the remaining pair in broadside mounts. They carried 10 reload torpedoes, all for the bow tubes.[4] They were also armed with a 4-inch (102 mm) deck gun.[5]
Construction and career
HMS L3 was laid down on 19 October 1916 by William Beardmore and Company at their Dalmuir shipyard, launched on 14 January 1918, and completed on 3 July 1918. She was based at Falmouth, Cornwall in 1918. HMS L6 was sold for scrap in January 1935 in Newport, Monmouthshire.
Notes
References
- Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 1-904381-05-7.
- 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. OCLC 67375475.
- Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1984). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Harrison, A. N. (January 1979). "The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)". Submariners Association: Barrow in Furness Branch. Retrieved 19 August 2015.