French submarine Calypso (1907)
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History | |
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Name | Calypso |
Namesake | Calypso |
Builder | Arsenal de Toulon |
Laid down | 1905 |
Launched | 24 October 1907 |
Completed | 5 August 1909 |
Identification | Pennant number: Q48 |
Fate | Sunk in a collision, 7 July 1914 |
General characteristics (as built) | |
Class and type | Circé-class submarine |
Displacement | |
Length | 47.13 m (154 ft 8 in) (o/a) |
Beam | 4.9 m (16 ft 1 in) |
Draft | 3.24 m (10 ft 8 in) |
Installed power | |
Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Complement | 2 officers and 20 crewmen |
Armament | 6 × external 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo launchers (4 × fixed, 2 × Drzewiecki drop collars) |
Calypso was one of two Circé-class submarines built for the French Navy (Marine Nationale) in the first decade of the 20th century.
Design and description
[edit]The Circé class were built as part of the French Navy's 1904 building program to a double-hull design by Maxime Laubeuf.[1] The submarines displaced 361 metric tons (355 long tons) surfaced and 498 metric tons (490 long tons) submerged. They had an overall length of 47.13 meters (154 ft 8 in), a beam of 4.9 meters (16 ft 1 in), and a draft of 3.24 meters (10 ft 8 in). Their crew numbered 2 officers and 20 enlisted men.[2]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two German MAN 315-metric-horsepower (311 bhp; 232 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 180-metric-horsepower (178 bhp; 132 kW) electric motor. During her surfaced sea trials on 19 February 1909, Calypso reached a maximum speed of 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) from 968 metric horsepower (955 bhp; 712 kW); during her submerged trials on 27 July she reached 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) from 390 metric horsepower (380 shp; 290 kW).[3] The Circé class had a surface endurance of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph)[1] and a submerged endurance of 76 nmi (141 km; 87 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph).[4]
Construction and career
[edit]The Circé-class submarines were ordered on 8 October 1904.[5] Calypso was laid down in 1905[6] at the Arsenal de Toulon, launched on 24 October 1907 and commissioned on 5 August 1909.[7]
Citations
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]- Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0445-5.
- Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Garier, Gérard (2002). A l'épreuve de la Grande Guerre. L'odyssée technique et humaine du sous-marin en France (in French). Vol. 3–2. Bourg-en-Bresse, France: Marines édition. ISBN 2-909675-81-5.
- Garier, Gérard (1998). Des Émeraude (1905-1906) au Charles Brun (1908–1933). L'odyssée technique et humaine du sous-marin en France (in French). Vol. 2. Bourg-en-Bresse, France: Marines édition. ISBN 2-909675-34-3.
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