Submarine of the Royal Navy
|
|
| History |
|---|
 United Kingdom |
|---|
| Name | HMS C24 |
| Builder | Vickers, Barrow |
| Laid down | 12 February 1908 |
| Launched | 26 November 1908 |
| Commissioned | 5 May 1909 |
| Fate | Sold, 29 May 1921 |
| General characteristics |
|---|
| Class and type | C-class submarine |
| Displacement |
- 290 long tons (290 t) surfaced
- 320 long tons (330 t) submerged
|
| Length | 142 ft 3 in (43.4 m) |
| Beam | 13 ft 7 in (4.1 m) |
| Draught | 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m) |
| Installed power |
- 600 bhp (450 kW) petrol
- 300 hp (220 kW) electric
|
| Propulsion | |
| Speed |
- 13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
- 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
|
| Range | 910 nmi (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) on the surface |
| Test depth | 100 feet (30.5 m) |
| Complement | 2 officers and 14 ratings |
| Armament | 2 × 18 in (450 mm) bow torpedo tubes |
HMS C24 was one of 38 C-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 1921.
Design and description
The C-class boats of the 1907–08 and subsequent Naval Programmes were modified to improve their speed, both above and below the surface. The submarine had a length of 142 feet 3 inches (43.4 m) overall, a beam of 13 feet 7 inches (4.1 m) and a mean draft of 11 feet 6 inches (3.5 m). They displaced 290 long tons (290 t) on the surface and 320 long tons (330 t) submerged. The C-class submarines had a crew of two officers and fourteen ratings.[1]
For surface running, the boats were powered by a single 12-cylinder[2] 600-brake-horsepower (447 kW) Vickers petrol engine that drove one propeller shaft. When submerged the propeller was driven by a 300-horsepower (224 kW) electric motor.[1] They could reach 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) on the surface and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. On the surface, the C class had a range of 910 nautical miles (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).[3]
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.[4]
Construction and career
HMS C24 was built by Vickers, Barrow. She was laid down on 12 February 1908 and was commissioned on 5 May 1909. The boat was used in the first successful U-boat trap. The tactic was to use a decoy trawler to tow a submarine. When a U-boat was sighted, the tow line and communication line was slipped and the submarine would attack the U-boat. Operating with the trawler Taranaki, C24 sank U-40 25 miles (40 km)in the North Sea off Eyemouth on 23 June 1915. The tactic was partly successful, but later was abandoned after the loss of two C-class submarines, in both cases with the loss of their entire crews.
HMS C24 was sold on 29 May 1921 in Sunderland.