HMS B10
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS B10 |
| Builder | Vickers |
| Launched | 23 March 1906 |
| Completed | 28 April 1906 |
| Fate | Sunk 9 August 1916 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | B-class submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 142 ft 3 in (43.4 m) |
| Beam | 12 ft 7 in (3.8 m) |
| Draught | 11 ft 2 in (3.4 m) |
| Installed power | |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | 1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 8.7 kn (16.1 km/h; 10.0 mph) on the surface |
| Test depth | 100 feet (30.5 m) |
| Complement | 2 officers and 13 ratings |
| Armament | 2 × 18 in (450 mm) bow torpedo tubes |
HMS B10 was one of 11 B-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.
Design and description
The B class was an enlarged and improved version of the preceding A class. The submarine had a length of 142 feet 3 inches (43.4 m) overall, a beam of 12 feet 7 inches (3.8 m) and a mean draft of 11 feet 2 inches (3.4 m). They displaced 287 long tons (292 t) on the surface and 316 long tons (321 t) submerged. The B-class submarines had a crew of two officers and thirteen ratings.[1]
For surface running, the boats were powered by a single 16-cylinder 600-brake-horsepower (447 kW) Vickers petrol engine that drove one propeller shaft. When submerged the propeller was driven by a 180-horsepower (134 kW) electric motor. They could reach 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) on the surface and 6.5 knots (12.0 km/h; 7.5 mph) underwater.[1] On the surface, the B class had a range of 1,000 nautical miles (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 8.7 knots (16.1 km/h; 10.0 mph).[2]
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.[3]
Construction and career
B10 was built by Vickers at their Barrow-in-Furness shipyard, launched 23 March 1906 and completed 28 April 1906. The boat was deployed to the Mediterranean soon after the outbreak of World War I. Due to the lack of spare parts this group of submarines were not used after September 1915.
On 9 August 1916 B10 was sunk by aircraft of the Austrian Naval Air Service (Kaiserliche und Königliche Seeflugwesen) while under repair at Venice. She was lost as she was tied up after taking part in the blockade of Pula alongside the Italian cruiser Marco Polo, which was acting as a depot ship. B10 was the first submarine to be sunk by an aircraft.[4]
An attempt to repair the bomb damage was abandoned after a welding torch ignited a fuel tank resulting in further damage.[5] The submarine was then sold to be broken up.[5]
Notes
- ^ a b Gardiner & Gray, p. 87
- ^ Akermann, p. 123
- ^ Harrison, Chapter 27
- ^ Kemp, Paul J. (1990). British Submarines of World War One. London: Arms and Armour Press. p. 8. ISBN 9781854090102.
- ^ a b Tall, J.J; Paul Kemp (1996). HM Submarines in Camera An Illustrated History of British Submarines. Sutton Publishing. p. 16. ISBN 0-7509-0875-0.
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. (1984). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|lastauthoramp=ignored (|name-list-style=suggested) (help) - Harrison, A. N. (January 1979). "The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)". Submariners Association: Barrow in Furness Branch. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- Wilson, Michael (1981). "The British 'B' Class Submarine". In Roberts, John (ed.). Warship Volume V. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 38–44, 74–79. ISBN 0-85177-244-7.