British E-class submarine

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HMS E1
Class overview
Builders	Vickers, Barrow HM Dockyard, Chatham William Beardmore, Dalmuir Yarrow, Scotstoun Scotts, Greenock Fairfield, Govan, Clyde Swan Hunter, Wallsend Cammell Laird, Birkenhead William Denny, Dumbarton John Brown, Clydebank John Thornycroft, Woolston, Hampshire Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle upon Tyne
Operators	Royal Navy  Royal Australian Navy
Preceded by	D class
Succeeded by	L class
Completed	58
Preserved	0 (The conning towers of HMS E17, E50 and E24 are preserved at three separate locations.)
General characteristics
Type	Submarine
Displacement	Group 1: Surfaced: 665 tons Submerged: 796 tons Group 2: Surfaced: 667 tons Submerged: 807 tons Group 3: Surfaced: 662 tons Submerged: 807 tons Australian boats: Surfaced: 664 tons Submerged: 780 tons
Length	Group 1: 178 ft (54 m) Group 2+3: 181 ft (55 m) Australian boats: 176 ft (54 m)
Beam	All groups: 15.05 ft (4.59 m)
Propulsion	Group 1 + Australian boats: 2 × 800 hp (600 kW) Vickers diesel 2 × 600 hp (450 kW) electric 2 screws Group 2+3: 2 × 800 hp Vickers diesel 2 × 840 hp (630 kW) electric 2 screws
Speed	Group 1: Surfaced: 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) Submerged: 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph) Group 2: Surfaced: 15.25 knots (28.24 km/h; 17.55 mph) Submerged: 10.25 knots (18.98 km/h; 11.80 mph) Group 3 and Australian boats: Surfaced: 15 knots Submerged: 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Range	All groups: Surfaced: 3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 10 knots Submerged: 65 nmi (120 km; 75 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph)
Complement	All groups: 30
Armament	Group 1: 4 × 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes (1 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern) Group 2 + 3: 5 × 18 in tubes (2 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern) 1 × 12-pounder gun Australian boats: 4 × 18 in tubes (1 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern)

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 The last surviving E class submarines were withdrawn from service by 1922.

All of the first group and some of the second group of the class were completed before the outbreak of World War I. The group 1 boats cost £101,900 per hull. As submarine technology improved, the E class went through several design modifications. The group 2 boats cost £105,700 per hull. The group 3 boats, the last group, incorporated all improvements.

The class primarily served in the North Sea and the Baltic, while some served with Russian ships in Russian coastal waters before their crews scuttled the submarines to avoid them falling into the hands of the Germans after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ended fighting between Germany and Russia. Additionally, some of the submarines operated against the Turks.

The British L-class submarine eventually replaced the E class.