The Submarine Heritage Centre - L Class

Sponsorship Comments

This painting is dedicated by Captain John Green Merchant Navy - retired, in memory of Hubert "Bert" Thompson, who served with the Royal Navy as an Engine Room Artificer in World War I, he subsequently joined the ranks of the Royal Air Force, eventually retiring as Wing Commander. He fought for his country during two world wars, was mentioned in despatches and awarded the M.B.E.

L Class Technical Facts:

A class of 27 submarines, of which Vickers built 18, between May 1917 and October 1919.

- Dimensions (in feet): Length: 231 ft, Breadth: 23.5 ft, Draught: 14 ft.
- Displacement: Surface: 890 tons, Submerged: 1,074 tons.
- Propulsion: Surfaced: 2 x 12 cylinder SA Vickers diesels = 2,400bhp. Submerged: 2 x electric motors = 1,600bhp. An auxiliary 20hp motor driving the starboard shaft to give a slow submerged speed of 1.75 knots.
- Speed: Surfaced: 17.5 knots, Submerged: 10.5 knots.
- Endurance: Surfaced: 1,700 nautical miles @ 17.5 knots. Submerged: 14 nautical miles @ 10.5 knots, 100 nautical miles @ 2 knots.
- Fuel: 78 tons ( from L18 onwards carried 17.9 tons of fuel in Number 6 Main Ballast Tanks – Port and Starboard).
- Armaments: 6 x 18 inch torpedo tubes ( 4 bow, 2 beam), 10 torpedoes carried. 1 x 3 inch gun. L.14 and L.17 Carried 16 – 18 mines in mine tubes.
- Complement: 35

L9 to L33 (Group II)

- Armaments: 2 x 18 inch Torpedo Tubes (stern). 2 x 21 inch Torpedo Tubes (bow). 1 x 4 inch gun.
- Complement: 38 ( 3 additional ratings for the gun).

L50 to L74 (Group III)

- Armaments: 6 x 21 inch Torpedo Tubes (bow) 2 x 4 inch gun.
- Complement: 44.

Historical Facts:

L Class Submarines

An enlarged development on the previously successful E Class, the L Class were built in three groups with variations of the armament. They were the first Royal Navy submarines to carry a proportion of their diesel fuel in their external ballast tanks. Although initially only 20 tons, thus starting a practice that was to develop until the demise of the conventional submarine in the Royal Navy during the 1980's.

Losses

L10: North Sea 24.01.1918.

L9, L12 and L24 to accidents during the 1920's.

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