View source for British L-class submarine

{{Short description|Type of British submarines in service during WWI and WWII}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2013}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin|sclass=2}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= [[File:Submarine Flotilla 1933 at Gosport.jpg|300px|Submarine Flotilla 1933 at Gosport]]
|Ship caption=''L52'', ''L22'', ''L20'' & ''L6'', at Gosport in 1933
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=
|Builders=
|Operators=*{{navy|United Kingdom}}
*{{navy|Soviet Union}}
|Class before=[[British E-class submarine|E class]]
|Class after={{sclass|Odin|submarine|4}}
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range=
|In service range=   
|In commission range=  1917 - 1942
|Total ships building= 
|Total ships planned=73
|Total ships completed=27
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Submarine]]
|Ship displacement=*''Group 1'' :
*{{convert|890|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|1074|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged
*''Group 2'' :
*{{convert|914|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|1089|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged
*''Group 3'' :
*{{convert|960|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|1150|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged<ref name="battleships-cruisers">{{Cite web
 |url= http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/l_class.htm
 |title=L Class Submarines
 |work=battleships-cruisers.co.uk
 |access-date=12 May 2010
}}</ref>
|Ship length=*''Group 1'' : {{convert|222|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
*''Group 2'' : {{convert|228|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
*''Group 3'' : {{convert|230|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship beam={{convert|23|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship height=
|Ship draught=
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed=*'''Surfaced'''
*''Group 1'' : {{convert|17.3|kn|lk=in}}
*''Group 2'' : {{convert|17|kn}}
*''Group 3'' : {{convert|17.5|kn}}
*'''Submerged'''
*{{convert|10.5|kn}}
|Ship range=*''Group 1 & 2'' :
*{{convert|2800|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn|abbr=on}} surfaced
*''Group 3'' :
*{{convert|4800 |nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|8|kn|abbr=on}} surfaced<ref name="battleships-cruisers"/>
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth=
|Ship complement=*''Group 1'' : 35
*''Group 2'' : 38
*''Group 3'' : 44
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*'''Group 1''' :
*6 × 18-inch (450 mm) [[torpedo tube]]s (4 bow, 2 beam)
*10 × [[British 18 inch torpedo|18-inch torpedoes]]
*1 × [[QF 4 inch naval gun Mk IV, XII, XXII|4-inch gun]]
*'''Group 2''' :
*4 × {{convert|21|in|mm|adj=on|0}} bow torpedo tubes
*2 × 18-inch (450 mm) beam torpedo tubes
*8 × [[British 21 inch torpedo|21-inch]] and 2 × [[British 18 inch torpedo|18-inch]] torpedoes
*1 × 4-inch gun
*'''or'''
*4 × [[British 21 inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|mm|adj=on|0}}]] [[torpedo tube]]s (bow)
*16 × [[Naval mine|mines]]
*1 × 4-inch gun
*'''Group 3''' :
*6 × {{convert|21|in|mm|0|adj=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s (bow)
*12 × [[British 21 inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|mm|adj=on|0}} torpedo]]es
*2 × {{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|0}} guns<ref name="battleships-cruisers"/>
|Ship armour=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
The '''British L-class submarine''' was originally planned under the emergency war programme as an improved version of the [[British E-class submarine]]. The scale of change allowed the L class to become a separate class.

The armament was increased when the [[British 21 inch torpedo|21-inch torpedoes]] came into service. The Group 3 boats had two [[QF 4 inch naval gun Mk IV, XII, XXII|QF 4-inch guns]] fore and aft of the lengthened [[conning tower]]. Also, 76 tons of fuel oil was carried in external wing tanks for the first time in British submarines. Several of the Group 1 boats were configured as minelayers including ''L11'' and ''L12''. In the Group 2 boats, ''L14'', ''L17'' and ''L24'' to ''L27'' were built as minelayers carrying 16 [[Naval mine|mines]] but without the two beam  [[torpedo tube]]s.

The introduction of the L class came too late to contribute significantly in [[World War I]]. {{HMS|L2||2}} was accidentally depth-charged by three American [[destroyer]]s in early 1918. {{HMS|L12||2}} torpedoed the German submarine {{Ship|SM|UB-90||2}}. {{HMS|L10||2}} torpedoed the German destroyer ''S33'' in October 1918 but was sunk by accompanying destroyers. {{HMS|L24||2}} was sunk with all hands lost in a collision with the battleship {{HMS|Resolution|09|2}} during an exercise off Portland Bill in the English Channel on 10 January 1924.

{{HMS|L55||2}} was sunk in 1919 during [[British campaign in the Baltic (1918–1919)|the British naval intervention]] in the Russian civil war by Bolshevik Russian [[destroyers]]. She was salvaged by the Russians and who re-commissioned her with the same name.

The L class served throughout the 1920s and the majority were scrapped in the 1930s but three remained operational as training boats during [[World War II]]. The last three were scrapped in 1946.

Parts of uncompleted L-class submarines were used for the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Yugoslav]] {{sclass|Hrabri|submarine|2}}s.

==Design==
The L class emerged as an improvement on the earlier [[British E-class submarine|E class]]; the first two members of the L class were originally ordered as lengthened E-class boats, and were initially named ''E57'' and ''E58''. The design returned to the circular [[pressure hull]] of the E-class boats, as the irregularly shaped hulls of the [[British G-class submarine|G]] and [[J-class submarine|J classes]] had proved to be unsuccessful, particularly because the circular hull shape was much better at withstanding the force of underwater explosions.<ref name=A166>Akermann, p. 166</ref>

===Characteristics===
[[File:HMS L 15 starboard bow view.jpg|thumb|left|{{HMS|L15}}, c. 1918]]
The L-class boats were divided into three separate sub-classes: the I, II, and III types. The I-type boats were {{convert|231|ft|1|in}} [[length overall|long overall]] and they had a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|23|ft|5.5|in|abbr=on}} and a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|13|ft|3|in|abbr=on}} at normal loading. They displaced {{convert|891|LT|t}} surfaced and {{convert|1074|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged. The II-type boats were slightly longer, at {{convert|238|ft|7|in|abbr=on}} overall, with the same beam and draught. They displaced {{convert|914|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced and {{convert|1089|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged. The III-type submarines were {{convert|235|ft|abbr=on}} long, with the same beam but a draught of {{convert|13|ft|1.5|in|abbr=on}}. They displaced more than their half-sisters, at {{convert|960|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced and {{convert|1150|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged. The three sub-classes had crews of 35, 38, and 44, respectively.<ref name=GG934>Gardiner & Gray, pp. 93–94</ref>

All three sub-classes had the same propulsion system: two [[diesel engine]]s for use while surfaced and two corresponding electric motors for use submerged. The diesel engines were rated at {{convert|2400|hp}}, while the electric motors produced {{convert|1600|hp|abbr=on}}. They could cruise at {{convert|17|kn|lk=in}} while surfaced and {{convert|10.5|kn|abbr=on}} while submerged. While running on the surface at {{convert|10|kn}}, the submarines could cruise for a range of {{convert|3800|nmi|lk=in}}; range figures for the Type-III boats were instead {{convert|4500|nmi}} at {{convert|8|kn}}.<ref name=GG934/>

The L-class submarines were armed with a primary armament of six [[torpedo tube]]s. The Type-I boats were equipped with six {{convert|18|in|adj=on}} tubes, with four in the bow and two on the [[Broadside (naval)|broadside]]. These were supplied with a total of ten [[torpedo]]es. The Type-II boats exchanged the 18-inch bow tubes for more powerful {{convert|21|in|adj=on}} tubes; these had eight torpedoes in total. The 18-inch broadside tubes retained a single torpedo apiece. Those Type-II submarines that were completed as minelaying submarines kept their bow tubes but were not fitted with the broadside tubes. They instead had a capacity for fourteen to sixteen [[naval mine]]s. The Type-III boats were equipped with six 21-inch tubes, all located in the bow. The first two sub-classes were also equipped with a {{convert|4|in|adj=on}} [[deck gun]] for use whilst surfaced, while the Type-III submarines had two such guns. The gun was mounted on a revolving platform on the bridge level to increase its range and permit it to engage surfaced enemy submarines beyond torpedo range and in heavier seas.<ref name=GG934/>

==Members of the class==
[[File:HMS L52.jpg|thumb|{{HMS|L52}} underway]]

=== Group 1 (''L1''-class)===
{{Div col}}
* {{HMS|L1}}
* {{HMS|L2}}
* {{HMS|L3}}
* {{HMS|L4}}
* {{HMS|L5}}
* {{HMS|L6}}
* {{HMS|L7}}
* {{HMS|L8}}
{{Div col end}}

=== Group 2 (''L9''-class)===
{{Div col}}
* {{HMS|L9}}
* {{HMS|L10}}
* {{HMS|L11}}
* {{HMS|L12}}
* {{HMS|L14}}
* {{HMS|L15}}
* {{HMS|L16}}
* {{HMS|L17}}
* {{HMS|L18}}
* {{HMS|L19}}
* {{HMS|L20}}
* {{HMS|L21}}
* {{HMS|L22}}
* {{HMS|L23}}
* {{HMS|L24}}
* {{HMS|L25}}
* {{HMS|L26}}
* {{HMS|L27}}
* ''L28'' to ''L32'' were broken-up after commencement
* {{HMS|L33}}
* ''L34'' and ''L35'' were cancelled
* ''L36'' to ''L49'' were not ordered
* ''L50'' and ''L51'' were cancelled
{{Div col end}}

=== Group 3 (''L50''-class)===
{{Div col}}
* {{HMS|L52}}
* {{HMS|L53}}
* {{HMS|L54}}
* {{HMS|L55}}
* {{HMS|L56}}
* ''L57'' to ''L68'' were cancelled
* {{HMS|L69}}
* ''L70'' was cancelled
* {{HMS|L71}}
* ''L72'' to ''L74'' were cancelled
{{Div col end}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|20em}}

==References==
*{{cite book|last=Akermann|first=Paul|title=Encyclopedia of British Submarines 1901–1955|year=2002|location=Penzance|publisher=Periscope Publishing Ltd.|isbn=9781904381051}}
*{{cite book|editor1-last=Gardiner|editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Gray|editor2-first=Randal|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921|year=1985|location=Annapolis|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=0-87021-907-3  | url=https://archive.org/details/allworldsfightin00rgre}}

==Further reading==
{{Commons category|British L class submarines}}
* {{cite book | last = Hutchinson | first = Robert | title = Jane's Submarines: War Beneath the Waves from 1776 to the Present Day | url = https://archive.org/details/janessubmarinesw0000hutc | url-access = registration | year = 2001 | location = [[London]] | publisher = [[HarperCollins]] | isbn = 978-0-00-710558-8 | oclc = 53783010 }}
*{{Cite Colledge2006}}

{{British L class submarine}}
{{WWI British ships}}
{{WWII British ships}}

[[Category:Submarine classes|L class submarine, British]]
[[Category:British L-class submarines| ]]