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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY - UNITED KINGDOM

SUBMARINES

L9 submarines

L9 1920

L23 1939

Name No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
L9   Denny, Dumbarton 10/1916 29/1/1918 5/1918 BU 6/1927
L10   Denny, Dumbarton 2/1917 24/1/1918 6/1918 sunk 30/10/1918
L11   Vickers, Barrow 1/1917 26/2/1918 6/1918 BU 2/1932
L12   Vickers, Barrow 1/1917 16/3/1918 6/1918 BU 2/1932
L14   Vickers, Barrow 1/1917 10/6/1918 10/1918 BU 5/1934
L15   Fairfield, Govan 11/1916 16/1/1918 3/1918 BU 2/1932
L16   Fairfield, Govan 11/1916 9/4/1918 5/1918 BU 2/1934
L17   Vickers, Barrow 1/1917 13/5/1918 9/1918 BU 2/1934
L18   Vickers, Barrow 6/1917 21/11/1918 5/1919 BU 10/1936
L19   Vickers, Barrow 7/1917 4/2/1919 8/1919 BU 4/1937
L20   Vickers, Barrow 7/1917 23/9/1918 1/1919 BU 1/1935
L21   Vickers, Barrow 9/1917 11/10/1919 10/1920 BU 2/1939
L22   Vickers, Barrow 11/1917 25/10/1919 6/1921 BU 8/1935
L23 23L - N23 Vickers, Barrow / Chatham DYd 8/1917 1/7/1919 10/1924 foundered while towed for BU 5/1946
L24   Vickers, Barrow 2/1918 19/2/1919 2/1920 collision 14/1/1924
L25   Vickers, Barrow 2/1918 13/2/1919 7/1920 BU 9?/1935
L26 26L - N26 Vickers, Barrow / Portsmouth DYd 1/1918 29/5/1919 10/1926 scuttled 9/1946
L27 27L - N27 Vickers, Barrow / Sheerness DYd 1/1918 14/6/1919 3/1926 sunk as target 25/9/1945
L28   Vickers, Barrow 1918 --- --- cancelled 1919
L29   Vickers, Barrow 1918 --- --- cancelled 1919
L30   Vickers, Barrow 1918 --- --- cancelled 1919
L31   Vickers, Barrow 1918 --- --- cancelled 1919
L32   Vickers, Barrow 1918 23/8/1919 --- cancelled 1919, BU 3/1920
L33   Swan Hunter, Wallsend 9/1917 29/5/1919 12/1919 BU 2/1932
L34   Pembroke DYd 1918 --- --- cancelled 1919
L35   Pembroke DYd 1918 --- --- cancelled 1919

 

 

 

Displacement standard, t

  

Displacement normal, t

890 / 1080

Length, m

72.7

Breadth, m

7.20

Draught, m

4.00

No of shafts

2

Machinery

Vickers diesels / electric motors

Power, h. p.

2400 / 1600

Max speed, kn

17 / 10.5

Fuel, t

diesel oil 78

Endurance, nm(kts)

3800(10) / 75(4)

Armament

L9, 10, L15, L16, L18 - 24, L26 - 35: 4 - 533 TT (bow, 8), 2 - 450 ÒÀ (beam, 2), 1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV

L11, L12, L14, L17: 4 - 533 TT (bow, 8), 1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV, 16 mines

L25: 4 - 533 TT (bow, 8), 1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV, 14 mines

Complement

38
Diving depth operational, m 50

Ship project history: Majority of these submarines become operational after the armistice. The design is developed on the basis of "E" class, which in 1916 were old and hard to "stretch" to accommodate further improvements. Admiralty experimented with double-hulled and partially double-hulled designs but eventually reverted to saddle-tank design with higher than "E" speeds. The first two submarines were intended as lengthened "E" and named originally E57 and E58 but showed very many improvements and later were chosen as new class prototypes L1 and L2. That pair was ordered in February 1916, later submarines in May 1916.

2nd series of "L" class was an attempt to increase bow torpedo salvo. These subs had 4 21`` bow TT instead of 4 18`` on predecessors but beam TTs calibre was retained to avoid to enlarge hull breadth. L9 was ordered in August 1916, L11-12 and L14-35 in December. Five 2nd series submarines (L11, L12, L14, L17 and L25) are completed as minelayers; 16 mines (14 on L25) were carried in vertical tubes which are passing through outer side tanks. L12 and later ships had 102mm gun raised on bridge deck level. It was intended to permit the submarine to engage German submarine out of torpedo launch range with sub trimmed down. Bow tube compartment was separated from bow TT compartment by additional bulkhead. L18 onwards carried 78t of fuel, later all earlier "L" class submarines were so retro-fitted.

Modernizations: None

Naval service: L10 was sunk 24/1/1918 by German destroyer. L24 was lost 14/1/1924 as result of collision. 

L20

 

 

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