British F-class submarine

The F-class submarine was built for the Royal Navy as a coastal submarine based on the doubled hulled V-class submarine (World War I) with very few minor improvements. The only important improvement was the addition of a stern torpedo tube. The F class were ordered as a successor to the E-class submarine, but only three were built out of the ten ordered, the first F1 at Chatham.

Class overview
Operators	Royal Navy
Built	1913-1916
In service	1915–1922
Completed	3
Retired	3
General characteristics
Type	Submarine
Displacement	353 long tons (359 t) surfaced 525 long tons (533 t) submerged
Length	151 ft (46.0 m)
Beam	16 ft 1.25 in (4.91 m)
Draught	10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)
Propulsion	2 shaft diesels, 2 electric motors, 900bhp/400shp
Speed	14.5 knots (26.9 km/h; 16.7 mph) surfaced 8.75 knots (16.21 km/h; 10.07 mph) submerged
Range	3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph)
Complement	19
Armament	3 × 18 in (45 cm) torpedo tubes (2 bow/1 stern), 6 torpedoes 1 × 2-pounder deck gun

During World War I, the F-class submarines were primarily used for coastal defence. All three survived the war and ended their service as training boats at Campbeltown. F1 and F3 were scrapped in 1920, F2 was sold in 1922.

Boats

• HMS F1, launched 1915
• HMS F2, launched 1917
• HMS F3, launched 1916

References

• 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.
• Preston, Antony (2001). The Royal Navy submarine service : a centennial history. London: Conway Maritime. ISBN 978-0851778914.

External links

• Chatham submariners Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine