HMS R12 was one of 10 R-class submarines built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1923.
 R-class submarine | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS R12 |
| Builder | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead |
| Laid down | 1 December 1917 |
| Launched | 9 April 1918 |
| Commissioned | 29 October 1919 |
| Decommissioned | December 1919 |
| Fate | Sold, 21 February 1923 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | R-class submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 163 ft 9 in (49.91 m) |
| Beam | 15 ft 3 in (4.65 m) |
| Draught | 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | 2,400 nmi (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) surfaced; 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged |
| Test depth | 150 feet (45.7 m) |
| Complement | 2 officers and 20 ratings |
| Sensors & processing systems | Bow hydrophone array |
| Armament | 6 × bow 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes |
Design and description
editThe R-class submarine was designed to meet an Admiralty requirement for a specialised hunter-killer submarine with an emphasis on submerged performance. The boats had a length of 163 feet 9 inches (49.9 m) overall, a beam of 15 feet 3 inches (4.6 m) and a mean draft of 11 feet 6 inches (3.5 m). They displaced 410 long tons (420 t) on the surface and 503 long tons (511 t) submerged. The R-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 20 ratings.[1] They had a diving depth of 150 feet (45.7 m).[2]
For surface running, the boats were powered by a single eight-cylinder [3] 240-brake-horsepower (179 kW) diesel engine that drove the single propeller shaft. When submerged it was driven by a 1,200-horsepower (895 kW) electric motor. They could reach 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph) on the surface and 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) underwater. On the surface, the R class had a range of 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) and 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged.[4]
The boats were armed with six 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried six reload torpedoes for a grand total of a dozen torpedoes. They were equipped with an array of five hydrophones in the bow to allow them to locate and engage targets while submerged.[4]
Construction and career
editHMS R12 was laid down on 1 December 1917 by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead, launched on 9 April 1918 and commissioned on 29 October 1919. She came too late to see any combat in World War I, like most of the other R class submarines. R12 was paid off in December 1919, and sold on 21 February 1923 to J. Smith.
Notes
editReferences
edit- 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 from the 15th Century to the Present (3rd Rev ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.
- 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.