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HMS C29

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History
United Kingdom
NameHMS C29
BuilderVickers, Barrow
Laid down4 June 1908
Launched19 June 1909
Commissioned17 September 1909
FateSunk by mine, 29 August 1915
General characteristics
Class and typeC-class submarine
Displacement
  • 290 long tons (290 t) surfaced
  • 320 long tons (330 t) submerged
Length142 ft 3 in (43.4 m)
Beam13 ft 7 in (4.1 m)
Draught11 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
Range910 nmi (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) on the surface
Test depth100 feet (30.5 m)
Complement2 officers and 14 ratings
Armament2 × 18 in (450 mm) bow torpedo tubes

HMS C29 was one of 38 C-class submarines built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. C29 served in the First World War until she was sunk by mine on 29 August 1915.

Design and description

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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

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HMS C29 was built by Vickers, Barrow. She was laid down on 4 June 1908 and was commissioned on 17 September 1909. The boat sank a merchant ship while patrolling the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic.

C29 was involved in the use of the U-boat trap tactic. 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. The tactic was partly successful, but was abandoned after the loss of two C-class submarines. In both cases, all the crew were lost. C29 was one of the two C-class submarines sunk while attempting to employ the tactic; she was mined when her trawler Ariadne strayed into a minefield in the Humber Estuary on 29 August 1915.[5]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Gardiner & Gray, p. 87
  2. ^ Harrison, Chapter 25
  3. ^ Harrison, Chapters 3
  4. ^ Harrison, Chapter 27
  5. ^ Kemp, Paul J. (1990). British Submarines of World War One. London: Arms and Armour Press. p. 8. ISBN 9781854090102.

References

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