HMS C4

HMS C4 was one of 38 C-class submarines built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. The boat survived the First World War and was sold for scrap in 1922.

HMS C4
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS C4
Builder	Vickers, Barrow
Laid down	13 November 1905
Launched	18 October 1906
Commissioned	13 March 1907
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 28 February 1922
General characteristics
Class & type	C-class submarine
Displacement	287 long tons (292 t) surfaced 316 long tons (321 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	12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 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 was essentially a repeat of the preceding B class, albeit with better performance underwater. 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 287 long tons (292 t) on the surface and 316 long tons (321 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 16-cylinder 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 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) on the surface and 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 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).^[2]

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.^[3]

Construction and career

C4 was built by Vickers at their Barrow-in-Furness shipyard, laid down on 13 November 1905 and was commissioned on 13 March 1907. In 1917 C4 was converted by the secret D.C.B. Section of the Royal Navy's Signals School, Portsmouth into an unmanned remotely operated D.C.B. controlled by an operator in a ‘mother’ aircraft. The boat was the only C class submarine not to be scrapped at the end of World War I, instead she was used for trials and sold on 28 February 1922.