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HMS A8

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

similar HMS A3
History
Royal Navy EnsignUnited Kingdom
BuilderVickers, Sons & Maxim Ltd. Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down1 September 1903
Launched23 January 1905
Commissioned8 May 1905
FateScrapped 1920
NotesPennant # I-18
General characteristics
Class and typeA class submarine
Displacement190 tons surfaced, 207 tons submerged
Length105.25 ft (32.08 m)
Beam12.75 ft (3.89 m)
Draught10.5 ft (3.2 m)
Propulsion550 hp petrol engine 150 hp electric engine
Speed11 kn (20 km/h) maximum surfaced 8 kn (15 km/h) maximum submerged
Range325 nmi (602 km) at 11 kn (20 km/h) surfaced 20 nmi (37 km) at 6 kn (11 km/h) submerged
Complement11 (2 officers and 9 ratings)
ArmamentTwo 18 inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes, plus two reloads

HMS A8 was an early Royal Navy submarine.

She was a member of Group Two of the 1903 British A-class of submarines. Like the other members of her class, she was built at Vickers Barrow-in-Furness.

She sank with the loss of 15 crew as a result of an accident whilst running on the surface in Plymouth Sound on 8 June 1905.[1] A sudden dip in the bow caused the submarine to be swamped through the hatch in the conning tower.[1]Only 4 survived. She was salvaged four days after the accident at which point a loose rivet was found in the bow plating.[1] The submarine was then repaired and recommissioned and used for training during the First World War along with A9 as part of the First Submarine Flotilla, operating near Devonport through early 1916. She was scrapped in October 1920 at Dartmouth.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Gray, Edwyn (2003). Disasters of the Deep A Comprehensive Survey of Submarine Accidents & Disasters. Leo Cooper. pp. 51–52. ISBN 0-85052-987-5.
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