HMS C29 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS C29 |
| Builder | Vickers, Barrow |
| Laid down | 4 June 1908 |
| Launched | 19 June 1909 |
| Commissioned | 17 September 1909 |
| Fate | Sunk by mine, 29 August 1915 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | C-class submarine |
| Displacement |
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| Length | 142 ft 3 in (43.4 m) |
| Beam | 13 ft 7 in (4.1 m) |
| Draught | 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m) |
| Installed power | |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | 910 nmi (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) on the surface |
| Test depth | 100 feet (30.5 m) |
| Complement | 2 officers and 14 ratings |
| Armament | 2 × 18 in (450 mm) bow torpedo tubes |
HMS C29 was a special type of underwater boat called a C-class submarine. It was one of 38 submarines built for the Royal Navy (the British navy) around 1900. These submarines were designed to travel hidden beneath the waves.
Contents
Meet HMS C29: A Submarine Story
The C-class submarines, like HMS C29, were built to be faster. They could move quickly both on top of the water and when submerged. These submarines were about 142 feet 3 inches (43.4 m) long. That's longer than three school buses! They were also about 13 feet 7 inches (4.1 m) wide.
When on the surface, the submarine weighed about 290 long tons (290 t). Underwater, it weighed a bit more, around 320 long tons (330 t). Each C-class submarine had a small crew. This included two officers and fourteen other sailors.
How Submarines Like C29 Moved
To travel on the surface, these submarines used a powerful 600-brake-horsepower (447 kW) Vickers petrol engine. This engine turned a single propeller shaft at the back. When they went underwater, a 300-horsepower (224 kW) electric motor took over.
HMS C29 could reach speeds of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) (about 15 miles per hour) on the surface. Underwater, it was slower, moving at about 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (about 9 miles per hour). On the surface, it could travel a long distance. It had a range of 910 nautical miles (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) (over 1,000 miles) when moving at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).
What Weapons Did C29 Have?
These submarines were armed with two torpedo tubes. These tubes were located at the front, or bow, of the submarine. Each tube could fire an 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo.
Submarines could carry extra torpedoes. However, they usually didn't. To carry more torpedoes, they would have to remove an equal amount of fuel. This would limit how far they could travel.
Building and Service of HMS C29
HMS C29 was built by a company called Vickers. Their shipyard was in Barrow, a town in England. The submarine's construction began on June 4, 1908. It was officially ready for service on September 17, 1909.
During its time in service, HMS C29 patrolled the Gulf of Riga. This gulf is part of the Baltic Sea. While on patrol, it successfully sank a merchant ship.
A Risky Tactic: The U-boat Trap
C29 was involved in a special tactic called the "U-boat trap." This was a clever but risky way to fight enemy submarines, known as U-boats. The idea was to use a fishing boat, called a trawler, as a disguise. The trawler would secretly tow a submarine like C29 underwater.
When an enemy U-boat was spotted, the crew would quickly release the tow line. Then, the hidden submarine would try to attack the U-boat. This tactic had some success, but it was also very dangerous. Two C-class submarines were lost while trying to use this method. Sadly, all the crew members on both submarines were lost.
HMS C29 was one of these two submarines. On August 29, 1915, it was sunk by a mine. This happened when its towing trawler, named Ariadne, accidentally sailed into a minefield. The minefield was located in the Humber Estuary.
