The B-class submarines were three
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
submarines built by the
Fore River Shipbuilding Company in
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy ( ) is a coastal U.S. city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the largest city in the county and a part of Greater Boston, Metropolitan Boston as one of Boston's immediate southern suburbs. Its population in 2020 was 1 ...
, under a subcontract from the
Electric Boat Company
Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described ...
. They were eventually stationed in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, an American possession, beginning in 1912–15. They were shipped there on
colliers (coal-carrying ships). All three were stricken and expended as targets 1919–22.
Design
These vessels introduced some features intended to increase underwater speed, including a small
sail
A sail is a tensile structure—which is made from fabric or other membrane materials—that uses wind power to propel sailing craft, including sailing ships, sailboats, windsurfers, ice boats, and even sail-powered land vehicles. Sails may ...
and a rotating cap over the
torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a cylindrical device for launching torpedoes.
There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units (also referred to as torpedo launchers) installed aboa ...
muzzles. The streamlined, rotating torpedo tube muzzle cap eliminated the drag that muzzle holes would otherwise cause. In the stowed position, the submarine appears to have no torpedo tubes, as the holes in the cap are covered by the bow stem. This feature remained standard through the
K class, after which it was replaced with shutters that were standard through the 1950s.
For extended surface runs, the small sail was augmented with a temporary piping-and-canvas structure (see photo). Apparently the "crash dive" concept had not yet been thought of, as this would take considerable time to deploy and dismantle. This remained standard through the
N class, commissioned 1917–1918. Experience in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
showed that this was inadequate in the North Atlantic weather, and earlier submarines serving overseas in that war (
E class through
L class) had their bridge structures augmented with a "chariot" shield on the front of the bridge. Starting with the N class, built with lessons learned from overseas experience, US submarines had bridges more suited to surfaced operations in rough weather.
Ships
* , laid down on 5 September 1905, launched on 30 March 1907 as ''Viper'', and commissioned on 18 October 1907, renamed ''B-1'' on 17 November 1911. Decommissioned on 1 December 1921, and used as a target.
* , laid down on 30 August 1905, launched on 1 September 1906 as ''Cuttlefish'', and commissioned on 18 October 1907, renamed ''B-2'' on 17 November 1911. Decommissioned on 12 December 1919, and used as a target.
* , laid down on 5 September 1905, launched on 30 March 1907 as ''Tarantula'', and commissioned on 3 December 1907, renamed ''B-3'' on 17 November 1911. Decommissioned on 25 July 1921, and used as a target.
Citations
Sources
* Friedman, Norman "US Submarines through 1945: An Illustrated Design History", Naval Institute Press, Annapolis:1995, .
* Gardiner, Robert, ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921'' Conway Maritime Press, 1985. .
* Silverstone, Paul H., ''U.S. Warships of World War I'' (Ian Allan, 1970), .
*
External links
Navsource.org early submarines page
{{DEFAULTSORT:B Class Submarine
Submarine classes
B class
1906 ships