R-21

R-21 in drydock in 1920 at Balboa, Panama Canal Zone. R-21's overall reliability was not good, and she spent a lot of time in drydock and in overhaul. Her engines in particular seemed to give her a lot of trouble.

Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman

R-21 alongside the pier with a Lapwing-class minesweeper configured as a submarine rescue vessel. The location is not known for sure, but we are speculating that it is Submarine Base Coco Solo on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal. The date is likely 1920-1921.

Her 3"/50 caliber Mk 7 Mod 19 gun is elevated skyward, probably to facilitate maintenance. Note the expanded deck sponson needed to properly operate this gun. The sponson extends quite a ways outboard to port and starboard, emphasizing the rather narrow deck of the R-boats.

The Lake design for the R-boats had bow planes that retracted horizontally into a slit in the forward superstructure. That slit can just be seen on the far left of the photo. The EB design had bow planes that folded up alongside the exterior of the superstructure.

Photo NH 82342 courtesy of the NHHC.

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