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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY - UNITED KINGDOM

SUBMARINES

L50 submarines (1918-1925)

L55 1918

Name No Yard No Builder Yard No Laid down Launched Comp Fate
L50     Cammell Laird, Birkenhead   1917 --- --- cancelled 1919
L51     Cammell Laird, Birkenhead   1917 --- --- cancelled 1919
L52     Armstrong, Elswick   5.1917 18.12.1918 1.1921 sold 9.1935
L53     Armstrong, Elswick / Chatham DYd   6/1917 12.8.1919 1/1925 sold 1.1939
L54     Denny, Dumbarton / Devonport DYd   5.1917 20.8.1919 8/1924 sold 2.1939
L55     Fairfield, Govan   5.1917 21.9.1918 12.1918 sunk 9.6.1919, later Soviet Ë-55 (L-55)
L56     Fairfield, Govan   10.1917 29.5.1919 9/1919 sold 3.1938
L57     Fairfield, Govan   1917 --- --- cancelled 1919
L58     Fairfield, Govan   1917 --- --- cancelled 1918
L59     Beardmore, Dalmuir   1918 --- --- cancelled 1918
L60     Cammell Laird, Birkenhead   1918 --- --- cancelled 1918
L61     Cammell Laird, Birkenhead   1918 --- --- cancelled 1918
L62     Fairfield, Govan   1918 --- --- cancelled 1918
L63     Scotts, Greenock   1918 --- --- cancelled 1918
L64     Scotts, Greenock   1918 --- --- cancelled 1918
L65     Swan Hunter, Wallsend   1918 --- --- cancelled 1918
L66     Swan Hunter, Wallsend   1918 --- --- cancelled 1918
L67     Armstrong, Elswick   11.1917 16.6.1919 --- // 2.1928 cancelled 1919, completed for Yugoslavia (Õðàáðè [Hrabri])
L68     Armstrong, Elswick   12.1917 2.7.1919 --- // 2.1928 cancelled 1919, completed for Yugoslavia (Íåáî¼øà [Nebojša])
L69     Beardmore, Dalmuir / Devonport DYd   7.1917 6.12.1918 4/1923 sold 2.1939
L70     Beardmore, Dalmuir   1917 --- --- cancelled 1919
L71     Scotts, Greenock   9.1917 17.5.1919 1/1920 sold 3.1938
L72     Scotts, Greenock   1917 --- --- cancelled 1919
L73     Denny, Dumbarton   1917 --- --- cancelled 1919
L74     Denny, Dumbarton   1918 --- --- cancelled 1918

 

Displacement standard, t

  

Displacement normal, t

960 / 1150

Length, m

71.6

Breadth, m

7.15

Draught, m

4.00

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 Vickers diesels / 2 electric motors

Power, h. p.

2400 / 1600

Max speed, kts

17 / 10.5

Fuel, t

diesel oil 78

Endurance, nm(kts)

4500(8) / 75(4)

Armament

2 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV, 6 - 533 TT (bow, 12)
Electronic equipment presumably L53, 54: type 113C sonar

Complement

44
Diving depth operational, m 50

Project history: An expansion of the 'L' design was authorised early in 1917, before any experience had been gained with L1-8, but as that class was successful the L50 design simply provided heavier armament. L 50-55 were ordered in January-February 1917, followed by L56-58 in April 1917 and L59-66 and L74 in April 1918, but most were in an early stage of building by the Armistice. L 59-66 and L74 were cancelled by Admiralty Order of 26 November 1918, followed by L50, 51, 57, 58, 67, 68, 70, 72 and 73 in April 1919. The frames for L67 and L68 were used to build the Yugoslav Hrabri and Nebojsa in 1927. L53 was towed to Chatham DYd for completion in January 1925, L54 to Devonport DYd for completion in August 1924, and L69 to Devonport for completion in April 1923. They were easily distinguished from the earlier 'L' class by having a second 102mm gun platform at the after end of the conning tower. The bow salvo was increased to 6 533mm TT and the beam tubes were omitted.

Modernizations: 1925 - 1926, L54, L56, L69, L71; 1935, L53: - 1 x 1 - 102/40

late 1920s, survived: + type 113C sonar

Naval service: L55 was lost 4.6.1919 on a mine off Kronstadt (Gulf of Finland), salvaged in 1928 and since 1931 served under Soviet flag under original name L-55.

L53 1930

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-13