HMS E39
| Company type | Submarine |
|---|---|
| Industry | Naval military vessel |
| Founded | 18 May 1916 |
| Headquarters | Jarrow / Newcastle upon Tyne , United Kingdom |
| Products | E-class submarine |
HMS E39 was a British E-class submarine initially launched by Palmers in Jarrow during 1916, with final construction completed by Armstrong Whitworth in Newcastle upon Tyne. The vessel was launched on 18 May 1916 and entered service in October of the same year.
On 13 October 1921, HMS E39 was sold. However, while being towed to the breakers in December 1922, she sank in Watwick Bay near the entrance to Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire.
Design
Following the pattern of all post-E8 British E-class submarine designs, E39 displaced 662 long tons (673 t) when surfaced and 807 long tons (820 t) submerged. She measured 180 feet (55 m) in length with a beam spanning 22 feet 8.5 inches (6.922 m). Propulsion was provided by two 800 horsepower (600 kW) Vickers eight-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines alongside a pair of 420 horsepower (310 kW) electric motors. This configuration allowed the submarine to reach speeds up to 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) on the surface and 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) underwater.
Fuel capacity for British E-class submarines like E39 was approximately 50 long tons (51 t) of diesel, enabling a range of around 3,255 miles (5,238 km) at a cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). When submerged, E39 could operate for about five hours at a speed of 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph).
Armament included a forward-mounted 12-pounder (76 mm) QF gun positioned ahead of the conning tower. The submarine was also equipped with five 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes: two located at the bow, one on each side amidships, and one at the stern, carrying a total complement of ten torpedoes.
Communication systems comprised wireless sets rated at 1 kilowatt (1.3 hp), with some vessels later upgraded to 3 kilowatts (4.0 hp) by removing a midship torpedo tube. Although designed for operational depths up to approximately 100 feet (30 m), some submarines in this class successfully dived beyond 200 feet (61 m) during service. Certain units were also fitted with Fessenden oscillator devices for underwater detection and communication.
Crew
The vessel's crew consisted of 28 enlisted personnel along with three officers.