A13 (I 03)
Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
Build Group: | A2 |
Fate: | Broken up in 1920. |
The First Diesel
What appears to have escaped the eyes of researchers so far is that the first diesel-engined submarine in the Royal Navy was HMS A.13X. Launched at Barrow in 1905. The boat was fitted with what is described now as "a heavy oil engine." It was in fact a diesel engine designed and built by Vickers.
Ruston-Hornsby, then Hornsby, had designed an oil engine but it was rejected on account of being "too heavy". The Vickers design was used instead. Yet diesel propulsion was not generally used until the advent of the D class boats.
Events
18-04-1905 | Launched |
22-06-1908 | Completed |