HMS C26

HMS C26 was one of 38 C-class submarines built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS C26
Builder	Vickers, Barrow
Laid down	14 February 1908
Launched	20 March 1909
Commissioned	28 May 1909
Fate	Scuttled, 4 April 1918, raised and scrapped August 1953
General characteristics
Class and type	C-class submarine
Displacement	290 long tons (290 t) surfaced 320 long tons (330 t) submerged
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	600 bhp (450 kW) petrol 300 hp (220 kW) electric
Propulsion	1 × 16-cylinder Vickers petrol engine 1 × electric motor
Speed	13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
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

Design and description

The C-class boats of the 1907–08 and subsequent Naval Programmes were modified to improve their speed, both above and below the surface. The submarine had a length of 142 feet 3 inches (43.4 m) overall, a beam of 13 feet 7 inches (4.1 m) and a mean draft of 11 feet 6 inches (3.5 m). They displaced 290 long tons (290 t) on the surface and 320 long tons (330 t) submerged. The C-class submarines had a crew of two officers and fourteen ratings.^[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by a single 12-cylinder^[2] 600-brake-horsepower (447 kW) Vickers petrol engine that drove one propeller shaft. When submerged the propeller was driven by a 300-horsepower (224 kW) electric motor.^[1] They could reach 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) on the surface and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. On the surface, the C class had a range of 910 nautical miles (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).^[3]

The boats were armed with two 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They could carry a pair of reload torpedoes, but generally did not as they would have to remove an equal weight of fuel in compensation.^[4]

Construction and career

C26 was built by Vickers, Barrow. She was laid down on 14 February 1908 and was commissioned on 28 May 1909. C26 was part of the Baltic operations from 1915 to 1918. The boat was scuttled at Helsinki 1.5 miles (2.4 km) off Grohara Light on 4 April 1918 to avoid seizure by advancing German forces. HMS C26 was salvaged in August 1953 for breaking up in Finland.