Circé-class submarine (1907)

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Class overview
NameCircé class
Builders
Arsenal de Toulon
Operators French Navy
Preceded byÉmeraude class
Succeeded byGuêpe class
Built1905–1909
In commission1909–1918
Completed2
Lost2
General characteristics (as built)
TypeSubmarine
Displacement
  • 361 t (355 long tons) (surfaced)
  • 498 t (490 long tons) (submerged)
Length47.13 m (154 ft 8 in) (
o/a
)
Beam4.9 m (16 ft 1 in)
Draft3.24 m (10 ft 8 in)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) (surfaced, trials)
  • 7.3–7.7 knots (13.5–14.3 km/h; 8.4–8.9 mph) (submerged, trials)
Range
  • 2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) (surfaced)
  • 76 nmi (141 km; 87 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) (submerged)
Complement2 officers and 20 crewmen
Armament6 × external 450 mm (17.7 in)
torpedo launchers (4 × fixed, 2 × Drzewiecki drop collars
)

The Circé-class submarines consisted of a pair of

First World War
and the other was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine in the last year of the war.

Design and description

The Circé class were built as part of the French Navy's 1904 building program to a double-hull design by Maxime Laubeuf.[1] The submarines displaced 361 metric tons (355 long tons) surfaced and 498 metric tons (490 long tons) submerged. They had an overall length of 47.13 meters (154 ft 8 in), a beam of 4.9 meters (16 ft 1 in), and a draft of 3.24 meters (10 ft 8 in). Their crew numbered 2 officers and 20 enlisted men.[2]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two German

propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 180-metric-horsepower (178 bhp; 132 kW) electric motor. During their sea trials in 1908, they reached maximum speeds of 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) on the surface and 7.3–7.7 knots (13.5–14.3 km/h; 8.4–8.9 mph) underwater.[3] The Circé class had a surface endurance of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph)[1] and a submerged endurance of 76 nmi (141 km; 87 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph).[4]

The boats were armed with six external 450-millimeter (17.7 in)

traverse 150 degrees to each side of the boat. A support for a 37-millimeter (1.5 in) deck gun was ordered to be installed on 29 March 1911, but the gun itself was never fitted.[5]

Ships

Circé-class submarines
Ship Builder[1]
Laid down[6]
Launched[1] Commissioned[7] Fate[1]
Calypso (Q48)
Arsenal de Toulon
1905 22 October 1907 5 August 1909 Sunk in a collision with Circé, 7 July 1914
Circé (Q47) 13 September 1907 1 August 1909 Sunk by SM U-47, 20 September 1918

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Gardiner & Gray, p. 208
  2. ^ Garier 1998, pp. 35, 40
  3. ^ Garier 1998, pp. 37–38, 42
  4. ^ Garier 1998, p. 41
  5. ^ Garier 1998, p. 38
  6. ^ Couhat, p. 133
  7. ^ Garnier 1998, p. 34

Bibliography

External links