HMS K6

HMS K6 was a British K class submarine built by HM Dockyard, Devonport. She was laid down on 8 November 1915 and commissioned in May 1917. K6 was the first of the K class to have its bows raised by converting it into a bulbous swan shape.

History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS K6
Builder:	HM Dockyard Devonport
Laid down:	8 November 1915
Launched:	31 May 1916
Commissioned:	May 1917
Fate:	Sold, 13 July 1926
General characteristics
Class and type:	K-class submarine
Displacement:	1,980 long tons (2,010 t) surfaced 2,566 long tons (2,607 t) submerged
Length:	339 ft (103 m)
Beam:	26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
Draught:	20 ft 11 in (6.38 m)
Propulsion:	2 × 10,500 shp (7.8 MW) Brown-Curtis or Parsons geared steam turbines 2 × Yarrow boilers 4 × 1,440 hp (1,070 kW) electric motors 1 × 800 hp (600 kW) Vickers diesel generator for charging batteries on the surface 2 × 3-blade 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) diameter screws
Speed:	24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph) surfaced 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range:	Surfaced : 800 nmi (1,500 km; 920 mi) at 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph) 12,500 nmi (23,200 km; 14,400 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) Submerged : 8 nmi (15 km; 9.2 mi) at 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) 40 nmi (46 mi; 74 km) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph)
Complement:	59 (6 officers and 53 ratings)
Armament:	8 × 18 in (460 mm) torpedo tubes, (4 beam, 4 bow) 8 × spare torpedoes 2 × 18 in torpedo tubes fitted on deck (later removed) 2 × BL 4 in (100 mm) Mk.XI guns 1 × 3 in (76 mm) gun

In 1917, K6 did not surface during a trial in North Dockyard, Devonport. K6 was involved in a serious exercise accident nicknamed the "Battle of May Island". She was responsible for ramming K4 and slicing her in half. She was sold on 13 July 1926 to John Cashmore Ltd for scrapping at Newport.

Design

K6 displaced 1,800 long tons (1,800 t) when at the surface and 2,600 long tons (2,600 t) while submerged.[1] It had a total length of 338 feet (103 m), a beam of 26 feet 6 inches (8.08 m), and a draught of 20 ft 11 in (6.38 m).[2] The submarine was powered by two oil-fired Yarrow Shipbuilders boilers supplying one geared Brown-Curtis or Parsons steam turbine; this developed 10,500 ship horsepower (7,800 kW) to drive two 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) screws. Submerged power came from four electric motors each producing 350 to 360 horsepower (260 to 270 kW).[2] It was also had an 800 hp (600 kW) diesel engine to be used when steam was being raised, or instead of raising steam.[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 24 kn (44 km/h) and a submerged speed of 9 to 9.5 kn (16.7 to 17.6 km/h).[2][4] It could operate at depths of 150 ft (46 m) at 2 kn (3.7 km/h) for 80 nmi (150 km).[1] K6 was armed with ten 18-inch (460 mm) torpedo tubes, two 4-inch (100 mm) deck guns, and a 3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun.[2] Its torpedo tubes were fitted to the bows, the midship section, and two were mounted on the deck.[1] Its complement was fifty-nine crew members.[4]

References

1. Edward C. Whitman Ph.D., "K for Katastrophe", Undersea Warfare Magazine, archived from the original on 24 September 2015, retrieved 20 August 2015
2. Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
3. Anthony Bruce; William Cogar (27 January 2014). Encyclopedia of Naval History. Routledge. p. 356. ISBN 978-1-135-93534-4.
4. Julian Holland (1 May 2012). Amazing & Extraordinary Facts Steam Age. David & Charles. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-4463-5619-7.

Bibliography

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Hutchinson, Robert. Submarines, War Beneath The Waves, from 1776 to the Present Day.

External links

• Hart, Albert Bushnell, ed. (1920). "IV Sea and Subsea Stories". Harper's Pictorial Library of the World War. 10. New York and London: Harper Brothers Publishers. pp. 295–296.