Rahul Sharma (Editor)

HMS L3

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Name
  
HMS L3

Commissioned
  
31 January 1918

Length
  
70 m

Test depth
  
30 m

Laid down
  
21 June 1916

Class and type
  
L-class submarine

Construction started
  
21 June 1916

Draft
  
4.04 m

Fate
  
Sold for scrapping, February 1931

Displacement
  
891 long tons (905 t) surfaced 1,074 long tons (1,091 t) submerged

Builders
  
Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness

HMS L23 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 1931.

Contents

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.

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 12-cylinder Vickers 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. 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. 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).

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. They were also armed with a 4-inch (102 mm) deck gun.

Construction and career

HMS L3 was laid down on 21 June 1916 by Vickers at their Barrow shipyard, launched on 26 January 1918, and completed on 15 May. She was based at Falmouth, Cornwall in 1918. The boat was assigned to the Reserve Flotilla in Hong Kong in 1923. L3 was sold in February 1931 and broken up in Charlestown, Fife.

References

HMS L3 Wikipedia