HMS L56

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS L56
Builder	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan
Laid down	16 October 1917
Launched	29 May 1919
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 25 March 1938
General characteristics
Class and type	L-class submarine
Displacement	960 long tons (980 t) surfaced; 1,150 long tons (1,170 t) submerged;
Length	235 ft (71.6 m)
Beam	23 ft 6 in (7.2 m)
Draught	13 ft 2 in (4.0 m)
Installed power	2,400 bhp (1,800 kW) (diesel); 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) (electric);
Propulsion	2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph) surfaced; 10.5 kn (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) submerged;
Range	4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) on the surface
Test depth	150 feet (45.7 m)
Complement	44
Armament	6 × bow 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes; 2 × 4-inch deck guns;

HMS L56 was a late-model

L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap

in 1938.

Design and description

L52 and its successors were modified to maximise the number of

draft of 13 feet 2 inches (4.0 m).^[1] They displaced 960 long tons (980 t) on the surface and 1,150 long tons (1,170 t) submerged. The L-class submarines had a crew of 44 officers and ratings.^[2] They had a diving depth of 150 feet (45.7 m).^[3]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 12-cylinder

propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor. They could reach 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) on the surface and 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater. On the surface, the L class had a range of 4,200 nautical miles (7,800 km; 4,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).^[1]

The boats were armed with six 21-inch torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried eight reload torpedoes for a grand total of a dozen torpedoes.^[5] They were also armed with two 4-inch (102 mm) deck guns.^[2]