Lagrange-class submarine
Lagrange between 1922 and 1923
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Class overview | |
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Name | Lagrange class |
Operators | French Navy |
Preceded by | Armide class |
Succeeded by | O'Byrne class |
Built | 1913–1924 |
Planned | 4 |
Completed | 4 |
Retired | 4 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Submarine |
Displacement | |
Length | 75.2 m (246 ft 9 in) |
Beam | 6.3 m (20 ft 8 in) |
Draught | 3.6 m (11 ft 10 in) |
Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
Complement | 47 |
Armament |
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The Lagrange-class submarines were a class of four
Design
The Lagrange-class submarines were constructed as part of the French fleet's expansion programmes from 1913 to 1914.[1] The ships were designed by Julien Hutter, who slightly modified his previous project, the Dupuy de Lôme-class submarines, using two Parsons steam turbines with a power of 2,000 hp (1,491 kW).[2] During construction, though, the idea was abandoned and the ships were instead equipped with diesel engines.[1][2]
75.2 m (246 ft 9 in) long, with a beam of 6.3 m (20 ft 8 in) and a draught of 3.6 m (11 ft 10 in),[1] Lagrange-class submarines could dive up to 50 m (164 ft). The submarines had a surfaced displacement of 920 long tons (935 t) and a submerged displacement of 1,318 long tons (1,339 t).[1] Propulsion while surfaced was provided by two 2,600 hp (1,939 kW) diesel motors built by Swiss manufacturer, Sulzer, and two 1,640 hp (1,223 kW) electric motors.[2][3] The submarines' electrical propulsion allowed them to attain speeds of 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) while submerged and 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) on the surface.[1][2] They had surfaced range of 4,300 nautical miles (8,000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) and a submerged range of 125 nautical miles (232 km) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h).[1][2]
The ships were equipped with eight 450 millimetres (18 in) torpedo tubes (four in the bow; two stern and two external), with a total of ten torpedoes and two 75 millimetres (3.0 in) guns.[2][3] The crew of a ship comprised forty-seven men.[2][3][4]
Ships
Of the four Lagrange-class submarines, three were built in the
Name | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate[3] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Laplace | 1913 | 8 December 1919 | 1921 | Stricken in 1937 |
Lagrange | 1913 | 31 May 1917 | February 1918 | Stricken in 1935 |
Regnault | 1913 | 25 June 1924 | 1924 | Stricken in 1937 |
Romazotti | 1914 | 31 March 1918 | September 1918 | Stricken in 1937 |
Service
Of the four submarines, only two were commissioned before the end of World War I: Lagrange and Romazzotti,[4] which operated in the Mediterranean Sea.[2]
From 1922 to 1923, the ships underwent a major refit in which they received new major conning towers, bridges and periscopes.[2] All ships served in the Mediterranean Sea until 1935 for Lagrange and 1937 for the other three ships.[1][3]
References
Citations
- Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0445-5.
- Fontenoy, Paul E. (2007). Submarines: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. ABC-CLIO Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85109-563-6.
- Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-85177-245-5.
- Moore, John (1990). Jane's Fighting Ships of World War I. London.
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