HMS A10

HMS A10, conning tower awash
History
United Kingdom
NameA10
BuilderVickers, Sons & Maxim Ltd. Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down1903
Launched8 February 1905
Commissioned3 June 1905
FateSold for scrap, 1 April 1919 to Ardrossan Drydock Co., Ardrossan, Scotland
General characteristics
Class and typeA-class submarine
Displacement
  • 190 long tons (193 t) surfaced
  • 206 long tons (209 t) submerged
Length105 ft (32.0 m)
Beam12 ft 9 in (3.9 m)
Draught10 ft 8 in (3.3 m)
Installed power
Propulsion
  • 1 × 16-cylinder Wolseley petrol engine
  • 1 × electric motor
Speed
  • 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) surfaced
  • 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) submerged
Range500 nautical miles (930 km; 580 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
Complement2 officers and 9 ratings
Armament2 × 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes

HMS A10 was an A-class submarine built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. After surviving World War I, she was sold for scrap in 1919.

Design and description

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A10 was a member of the first British class of submarines, although slightly larger, faster and more heavily armed than the lead ship, HMS A1. The submarine had a length of 105 feet 1 inch (32.0 m) overall, a beam of 12 feet 9 inches (3.9 m) and a mean draft of 10 feet 8 inches (3.3 m). They displaced 190 long tons (190 t) on the surface and 206 long tons (209 t) submerged. The A-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 9 ratings.[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by a single 16-cylinder 600-brake-horsepower (447 kW) Wolseley petrol engine that drove one propeller shaft. When submerged the propeller was driven by a 150-horsepower (112 kW) electric motor. They could reach 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) on the surface and 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) underwater.[1] On the surface, A10 had a range of 500 nautical miles (930 km; 580 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph); submerged the boat had a range of 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph).[2]

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 their weight had to be compensated for by an equivalent weight of fuel.[3]

Construction and career

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A10 was ordered as part of the 1903–04 Naval Programme from Vickers.[4] She was laid down at their shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness in 1903, launched on 8 February 1905 and completed on 3 June 1905.[2] She collided with the battleship HMS Empress of India in Plymouth Sound on 30 April 1906.[5]

A10 was sold for scrap to the Ardrossan Drydock Company of Ardrossan, Scotland, on 1 April 1919 .

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Gardiner & Gray, p. 86
  2. ^ a b Akermann, p. 120
  3. ^ Harrison, Chapter 27
  4. ^ Harrison, Chapter 3
  5. ^ Burt, p. 100.

References

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  • Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 1-904381-05-7.
  • Burt, R. A. (2013). British Battleships 1889–1904. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-065-8.
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  • Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
  • Harrison, A. N. (January 1979). "The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)". RN Subs. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
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