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History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS L52
Builder	Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Laid down	16 May 1917
Launched	18 December 1918
Fate	Sold for scrap, September 1935
General characteristics
Class and type	L-class submarine
Displacement	960 long tons (980 t) surfaced; 1,150 long tons (1,170 t) submerged;
Length	235 ft (71.6 m)
Beam	23 ft 6 in (7.2 m)
Draught	13 ft 2 in (4.0 m)
Installed power	2,400 bhp (1,800 kW) (diesel); 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) (electric);
Propulsion	2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph) surfaced; 10.5 kn (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) submerged;
Range	4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) on the surface
Test depth	150 feet (45.7 m)
Complement	44
Armament	6 × bow 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes; 2 × 4-inch deck guns;

This page was last edited on 20 January 2023, at 16:59 (UTC).

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HMS L52 was a late-model L-class submarine built for the Royal N Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1935.

Design and description[edit]

L52 and its successors were modified to maximise the number of 21-inch (53.3 cm) torpedoes carried in the bow. The submarine had a length of 235 feet (71.6 m) overall, a beam of 23 feet 6 inches (7.2 m) and a mean draft of 13 feet 2 inches (4.0 m).^[1] They displaced 960 long tons (980 t) on the surface and 1,150 long tons (1,170 t) submerged. The L-class submarines had a crew of 44 officers and ratings.^[2] They had a diving depth of 150 feet (45.7 m).^[3]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 12-cylinder Vickers^[4] 1,200-brake-horsepower (895 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor. They could reach 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) on the surface and 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater. On the surface, the L class had a range of 4,200 nautical miles (7,800 km; 4,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).^[1]

The boats were armed with six 21-inch torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried eight reload torpedoes for a grand total of a dozen torpedoes.^[5] They were also armed with two 4-inch (102 mm) deck guns.^[2]

Construction and career[edit]

HMS L52 was laid down on 16 May 1917 by Armstrong Whitworth at their Newcastle-Upon-Tyne shipyard, launched on 18 December 1918, and completed on 18 January 1921. The boat was sold for scrap in September 1935, but was wrecked off Barry, South Wales.

Notes[edit]

^ Jump up to:^a ^b Gardiner & Gray, p. 94
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Akermann, p. 165
^ Harrison, Chapter 11
^ Harrison, Chapter 25
^ Harrison, Chapter 27

References[edit]

Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 1-904381-05-7.
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.
Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISB

[gg9-1] Jump up to:^a ^b Gardiner & Gray, p. 94

[a5-2] Jump up to:^a ^b Akermann, p. 165

[3] Harrison, Chapter 11

[4] Harrison, Chapter 25

[5] Harrison, Chapter 27

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