Name HMS C38 Laid down 5 April 1909 Fate Sold, 25 June 1919 Construction started 5 April 1909 Length 43 m | Builder Vickers, Barrow Commissioned 31 March 1910 Class and type C-class submarine Launched 10 February 1910 Draft 3.51 m | |
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HMS C38 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 1919.
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Design and description
The C-class boats of the 1907–08 and subsequent Naval Programmes were modified to improve their speed, both above and below the surface. The submarine had a length of 142 feet 3 inches (43.4 m) overall, a beam of 13 feet 7 inches (4.1 m) and a mean draft of 11 feet 6 inches (3.5 m). They displaced 290 long tons (290 t) on the surface and 320 long tons (330 t) submerged. The C-class submarines had a crew of two officers and fourteen ratings.
For surface running, the boats were powered by a single 12-cylinder 600-brake-horsepower (447 kW) Vickers petrol engine that drove one propeller shaft. When submerged the propeller was driven by a 300-horsepower (224 kW) electric motor. They could reach 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) on the surface and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. On the surface, the C class had a range of 910 nautical miles (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).
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 they would have to remove an equal weight of fuel in compensation.
Construction and career
HMS C38 was built by Vickers, Barrow. She was laid down on 5 April 1909 and was commissioned on 31 March 1910. Along with her sisters C36 and C37, C38 was transferred to Hong Kong in February 1911 to operate with the Royal Navy's China Squadron. HMS C38 was sold on 25 June 1919 in Hong Kong.