HMS E56

HMS E56 was a British E-class submarine built by William Denny, Dumbarton as Yard No.1033. She was laid down on 1 December 1914, launched 19 June 1916 and was delivered on 8 August 1916.[1] E56 was sold for scrap at Granton, Edinburgh, on 9 June 1923.

History
United Kingdom
NameHMS E56
BuilderWilliam Denny, Dumbarton
Yard number1033
Laid down1 December 1914
Launched19 June 1916
Commissioned8 August 1916
FateSold, 9 June 1923
General characteristics
Class and typeE-class submarine
Displacement
  • 662 long tons (673 t) surfaced
  • 807 long tons (820 t) submerged
Length181 ft (55 m)
Beam15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × 800 hp (597 kW) diesel
  • 2 × 420 hp (313 kW) electric
  • 2 screws
Speed
  • 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) surfaced
  • 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Range
  • 3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 65 nmi (120 km) at 5 kn (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
Complement31
Armament

Design

Like all post-E8 British E-class submarines, E56 had a displacement of 662 long tons (673 t) at the surface and 807 long tons (820 t) while submerged. She had a total length of 180 feet (55 m)[2] and a beam of 22 feet 8.5 inches (6.922 m). She was powered by two 800 horsepower (600 kW) eight-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines and two 420 horsepower (310 kW) electric motors made by Crossley.[1][3][4] The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) and a submerged speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). British E-class submarines had fuel capacities of 50 long tons (51 t) of diesel and ranges of 3,255 miles (5,238 km; 2,829 nmi) when travelling at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[2] E56 was capable of operating submerged for five hours when travelling at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph).

E56 was armed with a 12-pounder 76 mm (3.0 in) QF gun mounted forward of the conning tower. She had five 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes, two in the bow, one either side amidships, and one in the stern; a total of 10 torpedoes were carried.[3]

E-Class submarines had wireless systems with 1 kilowatt (1.3 hp) power ratings; in some submarines, these were later upgraded to 3 kilowatts (4.0 hp) systems by removing a midship torpedo tube. Their maximum design depth was 100 feet (30 m) although in service some reached depths of below 200 feet (61 m). Some submarines contained Fessenden oscillator systems.[2]

References
  1. Lyon, David John (1975). The Denny List - Part III. Greenwich: National Maritime Museum.
  2. Innes McCartney; Tony Bryan (20 February 2013). British Submarines of World War I. Osprey Publishing. pp. 11–12. ISBN 978-1-4728-0035-0.
  3. Akerman, P. (1989). Encyclopaedia of British submarines 1901–1955. 149–150. Maritime Books. ISBN 1-904381-05-7
  4. "E Class". Chatham Submarines. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2015.

Bibliography
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