*British, WW1, HMS E42, E-Class Submarine, Original Photograph*
Approximate Measurements: 24.3cm x 18.8cm
The photograph is marked E42, Drydock Harwich 1914-18. This photograph originally formed part of the Lou Britton British Submarine Collection, which was acquired by the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport in 2007.
HMS E42 was a British E-class submarine built by Cammell Laird, launched on 22 October 1915, and commissioned in July 1916. During World War I, she torpedoed the battlecruiser SMS Moltke on 25 April 1918 and unsuccessfully attacked U-92 on 1 July 1918. She was sold for scrap in Poole on 6 September 1922.
Design
E42 displaced 662 long tons (surface) and 807 long tons (submerged). Measuring 180 ft in length and 22 ft 8.5 in in beam, she was powered by twin 800 hp diesel engines and 420 hp electric motors, achieving speeds of 16 knots (surface) and 10 knots (submerged). With a fuel capacity of 50 long tons, she had a range of 3,255 miles at 10 knots and could operate submerged for five hours at 5 knots.
Armed with a 12-pounder QF gun and five 18-inch torpedo tubes (two bow, one stern, and two amidships), she carried 10 torpedoes. E-class submarines had wireless systems (1-3 kW), a maximum design depth of 100 ft, and some reached depths of over 200 ft.
The British E-class submarines started out as improved versions of the British D-class submarine. The E class served with the Royal Navy throughout World War I as the backbone of the submarine fleet. The last surviving E class submarines were withdrawn from service by 1922.
*Condition*
The photograph is in very good condition. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
