HMS K9

HMS K9 was a K class submarine built by Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness. K9 was laid down on 28 June 1915. She was commissioned on 9 May 1917. In 1921, K9 was placed in reserve. K9 was sold in Charlestown on 23 July 1926. It had a complement of fifty-nine crew members and a length of 338 feet (103 m).

History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS K9
Builder:	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down:	28 June 1915
Launched:	8 November 1916
Commissioned:	9 May 1917
Decommissioned:	1921
Fate:	Sold, 23 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 kn (44 km/h; 28 mph) 12,500 nmi (23,200 km; 14,400 mi) at 10 kn (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 kn (4.6 mph; 7.4 km/h)
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

Design

Like all British K-class submarines, K9 had a displacement of 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 and 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. It also contained four electric motors each producing 350 to 360 horsepower (260 to 270 kW).[2] It was also fitted with a diesel engine providing 800 hp (600 kW) 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; 28 mph) 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] K9 was fitted with a 3 inches (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun, ten 18-inch (460 mm) torpedo tubes, and two 4-inch (100 mm) deck guns.[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. "K for Katastophe". 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 1-4463-5619-1.

Bibliography

• Hutchinson, Robert. Submarines, War Beneath The Waves, from 1776 to the Present Day.