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HMS A13

HMS A13 underway
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS A13
BuilderVickers, Sons & Maxim Ltd. Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down19 February 1903
Launched18 April 1905
Commissioned22 June 1908
FateSold for scrap in 1920
General characteristics
Class and typeA-class submarine
Displacement
  • 190 long tons (193 t) surfaced
  • 206 long tons (209 t) submerged
Length105 ft (32.0 m)
Beam12 ft 9 in (3.9 m)
Draught10 ft 8 in (3.3 m)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) surfaced
  • 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) submerged
Range400 nautical miles (740 km; 460 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
Complement2 officers and 9 ratings
Armament2 × 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes

HMS A13 was an A-class submarine built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She was the first British submarine not to use a petrol engine. After surviving World War I, she was sold for scrap in 1920.

Design and description

A model of A13

A13 was a member of the first British class of submarines, although slightly larger, faster and more heavily armed than the lead ship, HMS A1. The submarine had a length of 105 feet 1 inch (32.0 m) overall, a beam of 12 feet 9 inches (3.9 m) and a mean draft of 10 feet 8 inches (3.3 m). They displaced 190 long tons (190 t) on the surface and 206 long tons (209 t) submerged. The A-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 9 ratings.[1]

For surface running, A13 was powered by a single vertical, six-cylinder 500-brake-horsepower (373 kW) Hornsby-Akroyd oil engine that drove one propeller shaft. When submerged the propeller was driven by a 150-horsepower (112 kW) electric motor. They could reach 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) on the surface and 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) underwater.[1] The heavy oil engine was 3 long tons (3 t) heavier than the petrol engines used by the other boats in the class and an equal amount of fuel had to be removed, which reduced their range despite the heavy oil engine's more economical consumption. On the surface, the boat had a range of about 400 nautical miles (740 km; 460 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph);[2] submerged the boat had a range of 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph).[3]

The boats were armed with two 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They could carry a pair of reload torpedoes, but generally did not as doing so that they had to compensate for their weight by an equivalent weight of fuel.[4]

Construction and career

H.M. Submarine A13 circa 1910

A13 was ordered as part of the 1903–04 Naval Programme from at Vickers.[5] She was laid down at the shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness in 1903, launched on 8 February 1905 and completed on 8 May 1905.[3] The boat was broken up in 1920.

Notes

  1. ^ a b Gardiner & Gray, p. 86
  2. ^ Harrison, Chapters 3 and 25
  3. ^ a b Akermann, p. 120
  4. ^ Harrison, Chapter 27
  5. ^ Harrison, Chapter 3

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.
  • Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). 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)". RN Subs. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
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