M Class
Minelaying Submarine (Conversion)
- M Class Minelayer
- M3
The M3 arrived at H.M. Dockyard, Chatham in June 1927 and the conversion from Monitor to Minelayer was completed in one year. The 12 inch gun and 3 inch HA were removed to obtain the space required for the mines and equipment.
The mine compartment consisted of a huge free-flooding casing arranged on top of the pressure hull. This extended from the bulkhead between the torpedo stowage and the crew's mess to the stern. Enclosed within the casing were two sets of mine rails and the space to carry 100 mines and their trolleys. The mines were moved along the rails and dropped over the stern.
The conversion also gave the boat an additional stowage of fuel and decreased the displacement by 150 ton.
1 Converted
| Submarine | Builder | Built |
| M3 | Reconstructed by H.M. Dockyard, Chatham. | 1927/1928 |
Technical Information
| Displacement (tons): | 1,450
sf 1,950 sm |
| Length (ft): | 303oa |
| Breadth (ft) | 24.5 |
| Draught/Height (ft): | 15.75 |
| Machinery: | 2 x 12
cylinder Vickers Diesel engines 2,400 bhp. 4 double armature motors 1600 bhp. Twin Screws |
| Speed (kts): | 15.5 kts
sf 9.5 kts sm |
| Oil Supply (tons): | 112 |
| Armament: | 4 x 21
inch bow tubes. (8 torpedoes carried). 4 x 0.303 inch Lewis MG. 100 'S' Mines. |
| Range: | 2,500
miles at 16 kts or 4,500 miles at an economical cruising speed
sf. 10 miles at 10 kts sm. |
| Complement: | 67 officers and ratings. |
| sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, oa = overall, hp = horsepower, na = not available. | |
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'Minelayer'
H.M. Submarine
M3
| Type: | M Class | Minelayer |
| Pennant No.: | M.3 | |
| Laid Down: | 4th December 1916. | Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle-on-Tyne. |
| Commissioned: | 1920. | Not known at present. |
| Reconstructed: | June 1927 -June 1928 | H.M. Dockyard, Chatham |
| Commander: | 1923-1925. | Lt. Cdr. C. Mayers. |
| Complement: | 68 - 67 as Minelayer | 6 Officers and 62 Ratings. |
| Service Career: | 15th October
1926 1927-1928. June-October 1928. 8th October 1928. 1928-1930. 1930-1932. |
Reserve. H.M. Dockyard, Chatham. Trials. Reserve. Reserve-Portsmouth - Trials. Reserve-Portsmouth. |
| To conform
with the Washington Disarmament Treaty of 1920 the 12 inch gun was
removed. She was refitted as a submarine minelayer capable of carrying more than 100 mines. The method of laying the mines over the stern by the use of a conveyor belt proved more than successful and she suffered no disasters in her career. |
||
| Fate: | Scrapped in 1932. | |
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