Émeraude-class submarine
 Émeraude in Cherbourg harbour, 31 July 1909 | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Émeraude-class |
| Operators: |
 French Navy |
| Built: | 1906–1908 |
| In commission: | 1908–1919 |
| Completed: | 6 |
| Lost: | 2 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Type: | Submarine |
| Displacement: | 392 surfaced 425 submerged |
| Speed: | 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) surfaced 9.2 knots (17.0 km/h; 10.6 mph) submerged |
| Range: | 200 mi (320 km) at 7.3 kn (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) |
| Complement: | 21, later increased to 23 |
| Armament: | 6 × 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes 1 × 37 mm (1 in) deck gun (Topaze and Turquoise only) |
The Émeraude class submarines were built for the French Navy before World War I. There were six vessels in the class, built to a Maugas design.
The six boats of the Émeraude class saw action during the First World War.
General characteristics
The Émeraude class were built as part of the French Navy's 1903 building programme to a Maugas design. They had a single hull, and a displacement of 392 tons surfaced (425 tons submerged). For surface propulsion the Émeraude class had petrol engines, and electric motors for when submerged, giving an surface endurance of 200 miles at 7.3 knots and a submerged endurance of 100 miles at 5 knots, with a maximum surface speed of 11.5 knots, and a submerged speed of 9.2 knots. Their armament was six torpedo tubes (4 forward and 2 aft). Topaze and Turquoise had a single 37mm gun, and were manned by crews of 21 men (later increased to 23 men).
Ships
| Name | Pennant number | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Émeraude | (Q41) | 6 August 1906 | scrapped in November 1919. |
| Opale | (Q42) | 20 November 1906 | scrapped in November 1919. |
| Rubis | (Q43) | 26 June 1907 | scrapped in November 1919. |
| Saphir | (Q44) | 6 February 1908 | sunk 15 January 1915 during the Gallipoli Campaign. |
| Topaze | (Q45) | 2 July 1908 | scrapped in November 1919. |
| Turquoise | (Q46) | 3 August 1908 | damaged by Turkish gunfire and beached on 30 October 1915. Re-floated and repaired by Turkish forces; renamed Mustadieh Ombashi but never commissioned. Returned to France in 1919 and was scrapped in November 1919. |
Notes
References
- Gardiner R, Gray R: Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1906-1921 (1985) ISBN 085177 245 5
- Moore, J: Jane’s Fighting Ships of World War I (1919, reprinted 2003) ISBN 1 85170 378 0
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Émeraude class submarines. |
External links
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