E-class: Difference between revisions
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=== <big>Design, Construction, and Naming Notes</big> === | === <big>Design, Construction, and Naming Notes</big> === | ||
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">The E-class harbor defense submarines were built to an Electric Boat Company design at the Fore River Shipbuilding Company in Quincy, MA. | <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">The E-class harbor defense submarines were built to an Electric Boat Company design at the Fore River Shipbuilding Company in Quincy, MA. The gasoline engines that had powered all previous submarines carried some tremendous liabilities; the gasoline fumes sickened the crew and the vapors were very flammable. Diesel fuel was much more stable and diesel engines had a much higher power-to-weight ratio. Electric Boat in particular heavily favored the use of the new engines. Thus, the Navy Department ordered two submarines in Fiscal Year 1909 to be powered by diesels; the first USN boats to be powered by this engine type. The E-class boats were really just diesel powered D-boats, with a very similar size and the same armament. | ||
The rapidly increasing size of USN submarines was showing that the typical single set of stern diving planes was becoming inadequate for underwater control. A second set of planes near the bow would provide precise depth control while the stern planes would continue to provide angle control. Grayling of the D-class had experimented with the concept and it proved to be entirely successful. The E-class boats would be the first submarines in the USN to be equipped with bow diving planes as standard equipment. | |||
These two boats were originally named Skipjack and Sturgeon. On November 17, 1911, after launching but prior to being commissioned, the Navy changed its naming convention for submarines and these boats received their E-class names. Both boats were redesignated from their original general submarine designations to the new SS series on July 17, 1920. | |||
E-2 suffered a serious battery explosion and fire on January 15, 1916 while undergoing tests on a new battery type at the Brooklyn Navy Yard near New York City. Unfortunately, four men were killed and seven were seriously injured. For a better explanation of this incident, please see the [[Notable Submarine Accidents|'''Notable Submarine Accidents''']] page for more information.</span> | E-2 suffered a serious battery explosion and fire on January 15, 1916 while undergoing tests on a new battery type at the Brooklyn Navy Yard near New York City. Unfortunately, four men were killed and seven were seriously injured. For a better explanation of this incident, please see the [[Notable Submarine Accidents|'''Notable Submarine Accidents''']] page for more information.</span> |
Latest revision as of 15:05, 17 December 2023
![](/images/e/e9/E-Boat_Header_1.jpg)
Design, Construction, and Naming Notes
The rapidly increasing size of USN submarines was showing that the typical single set of stern diving planes was becoming inadequate for underwater control. A second set of planes near the bow would provide precise depth control while the stern planes would continue to provide angle control. Grayling of the D-class had experimented with the concept and it proved to be entirely successful. The E-class boats would be the first submarines in the USN to be equipped with bow diving planes as standard equipment.
These two boats were originally named Skipjack and Sturgeon. On November 17, 1911, after launching but prior to being commissioned, the Navy changed its naming convention for submarines and these boats received their E-class names. Both boats were redesignated from their original general submarine designations to the new SS series on July 17, 1920.
E-2 suffered a serious battery explosion and fire on January 15, 1916 while undergoing tests on a new battery type at the Brooklyn Navy Yard near New York City. Unfortunately, four men were killed and seven were seriously injured. For a better explanation of this incident, please see the Notable Submarine Accidents page for more information.
Skipjack/E-1 (Submarine No. 24, later SS-24)
![Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman](/images/thumb/6/67/E-1_underway-2.jpg/500px-E-1_underway-2.jpg)
Sturgeon/E-2 (Submarine No. 25, later SS-25)
![Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman](/images/thumb/6/65/E2a.jpg/500px-E2a.jpg)
General E-class Photos
![USN photo courtesy of Michael Mohl at Navsource.org.](/images/thumb/e/ee/E-1_n_e-2-a.jpg/500px-E-1_n_e-2-a.jpg)
See more General E-class Photos
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