History | |
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United Kingdom | |
Name | A2 |
Builder | Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness |
Laid down | 1902 |
Launched | 15 April 1903 |
Completed | 26 March 1904 |
Fate |
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General characteristics | |
Class and type | A-class submarine |
Displacement | |
Length | 105 ft (32.0 m) |
Beam | 12 ft 9 in (3.9 m) |
Draught | 10 ft 8 in (3.3 m) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | 320 nmi (590 km; 370 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) (surfaced) |
Complement | 2 officers and 9 ratings |
Armament | 2 × 18 in (45 cm) torpedo tubes |
HMS A2 was an A-class submarine built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
A2 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 450- brake-horsepower (336 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 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) on the surface and 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) underwater. On the surface, A2 had a range of 320 nautical miles (590 km; 370 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph); [1] 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 doing so that they had to compensate for their weight by an equivalent weight of fuel. [3]
Like all boats in her class, she was built at Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness. [1] Construction started in 1902 and the submarine was launched on 15 April 1903 and completed on 26 March 1904. [4] During World War I, A2 served on harbour service at Portsmouth. [5] She flooded after running aground in Bomb Ketch Lake in Portsmouth Harbour in January 1920 and was sold for scrap to H. G. Pound of Portsmouth on 22 October 1925.