History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | HMS B4 |
Builder | Vickers |
Launched | 14 November 1905 |
Completed | 28 January 1906 |
Fate | Sold for scrap, 1 April 1919 |
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 B4 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.
The B class was an enlarged and improved version of the preceding A class. The submarines 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 (450 mm) 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]
B4 was built by Vickers at their Barrow-in-Furness shipyard, launched on 14 November 1905 and completed on 28 January 1906. [4]
B4 collided with a dredger when entering Portsmouth harbour on 21 July 1906 and was badly damaged as a result, having to be beached before being taken into dry dock for repair. [5] When the war began in 1914, the boat was assigned to defend the Straits of Dover. B4 was sold for breaking up on 1 April 1919 to the Ardrossan Dry Dock Co.