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E-class (series)

1912 WORLD WAR 1

History

When Britain entered World War I in 1914, E-class submarines formed the main underwater force. The group (built in three main production batches) eventually numbered 58 ships, the first of which were launched before the war in 1912 (the E1 was launched in November of that year). The E-class proved to be a key component of British naval operations throughout the war - the war ended with the armistice of November 1918 - although they had been replaced by the L-class at this point in the conflict. The L-class became the 27th of the original 73, which served from 1917 to 1942.

The E-class ships were scrapped in 1922.

The E class was in service with the British and Royal Australian Navy, and during the war there was little difference between them. They succeeded the earlier D-class ships, which were the first Royal Navy submarines to provide deep-sea service - in general, earlier ships were limited to coastal patrol duties due to their simpler design.

The exterior styling of the E-Class was typical of U-boats of the era - large, bulbous hull sides, a flat-topped running deck and an overall "whale-like" appearance greeted onlookers. The conning tower is short and crouched near the midship.

The aircraft is mounted on the sides of the forward fuselage and tail. The running deck extends over 3/4 of the overall length of the boat from the end of the bow to the stern. The submarine had 30 submarine officers and was 178 feet long and 15 feet wide.

The equipment of the 1st and 2nd/3rd crews is different. Group 1 received 4 x 18 in (450 mm) torpedo tubes, one mounted in the bow, one in the stern, and the remaining pair in the beam position. Groups 2 and 3 added a second launcher in the bow and carried a 12-pounder deck gun for surface operations.

Australian ships follow Group 1 armor adjustments.

Group 1 vessels are powered by 2 Vickers diesel engines of 800 hp (each) for surface cruising and 2 electric motors of 600 hp (each) for underwater operations. Group 2 (and Group 3) rely on the same diesel power, but install upgraded electric motors that produce 840 horsepower each.

In both arrangements, pairs of motors drive two screws. Performance includes a maximum surface speed of 15 knots, with underwater travel capable of 10 knots. At 10 knots, the range is up to 3,000 nautical miles. Underwater range is drastically reduced to 65 nautical miles at 5 knots.

Due to the relatively young technology used by attack submarines at the time, surface navigation was always a faster method than underwater navigation (which is the opposite in today's advanced submarine types). As a result, these boats spend most of their hands-on time on the water, powered by diesel engines, just like traditional surface boats.

During these periods of service, these ships were most vulnerable to enemy attack. Underwater voyages are often slow and short, limited by the storage of available electricity in onboard batteries and by the dangerous buildup of carbon dioxide gas generated by the crew.

While surfacing, the boats can charge batteries and vent gas.

Fortunately, the E-class continued to improve throughout its life cycle, as technological advances during the war, in turn, put advances in submarine technology to the test. This has led to an increase in the time they spend serving on the front lines.

Some of these batches also acted as dedicated miners beyond their intended attack role.

Group 1 includes ships from E1 to AE2, while Group 2 adds E9 to E20. Group 3 is the largest batch, introducing E21 to E56. Ships of all classes were lost at sea - either stranded, sunk, sunk by mines, or sunk by enemy torpedoes during the war.

During the infamous Battle of Gallipoli (1915-1916), both the E7 and the AE2 were lost. The E22 was converted into an aircraft carrier and supported two Sopwith "Baby" seaplanes, but was eventually sunk by a German U-boat off Great Yarmouth on 25 April 1916.

The E49 was mined and sank on 12 March 1917 near Huney (Shetland).

Due to the size of the class, many British builders were involved in its construction. Participants included Vickers, William Beardmore, Yarrow, John Brown and Armstrong Whitworth - some names more associated with aircraft construction during the conflict.