Building History and Technical Details for Canadian CC-Boats and the Original H-CLASS
©J. D. Perkins, 1999
| SUBMARINES
DESIGN/CONTRACT NO. & ORDER DATE |
CUSTOMER,
OWNER & PRICE |
BUILDER | HISTORY | DIMENSIONS | DISPLACEMENT
IN TONS |
DIESEL ENGINES &
SURFACE SPEED |
NORMAL/MAX
FUEL AND
ENDURANCE |
ELECTRIC
MOTORS SPEED
&
ENDURANCE |
| HMCS CC1
EX-IQUIQUE DESIGN 19-E, ORDERED 1911 |
CHILE $414,000
CANADA $575,000 |
SEATTLE CONSTRUCTION
AND DRYDOCK CO.
(PATERSON)
EX-MORAN BROS. SHIPYARD |
TOOK 22 MONTHS TO BUILD. FAILED
TO MEET CHILEAN CONTRACT
SPECIFICATION.
SOLD TO CANADA 3 AUG 14 COMMISSIONED 7 AUG 1914 PAID-OFF 13 DEC 1918 |
LOA 144'6"
BEAM 15' DRAUGHT 11' |
SURFACED 313
DIVED 421 |
2, 6 CYL M.A.N.
300 HP EACH REVERSIBLE 12 KTS |
5356 US GAL
8448 US GAL |
2 ELECTRO-DYNAMIC 130 HP
TYPE 19C
10 KTS |
| HMCS CC2
EX-ANTOFAGASTA DESIGN 19-B, ORDERED 1911 |
CHILE $414,000
CANADA $575,000 |
SEATTLE CONSTRUCTION
AND DRYDOCK CO.
(PATERSON)
EX-MORAN BROS SHIPYARD |
TOOK 22 MONTHS TO BUILD. FAILED
TO MEET CHILEAN CONTRACT
SPECIFICATION.
SOLD TO CANADA 3 AUG 14 COMMISSIONED 7 AUG 1914 PAID-OFF 13 DEC 1918 |
LOA 151'6"
BEAM 15' DRAUGHT 11' |
SURFACED 313
DIVED 421 |
2, 6 CYL M.A.N.
300 HP EACH REVERSIBLE 13.5 KTS |
5356 US GAL/
8448 US GAL |
2 ELECTRO-DYNAMIC 130 HP
TYPE 19C
11 KTS |
| USS H1 (SS28)
EX-SEAWOLF CONSTRUCTOR NO.401-C DESIGN 30(?), 1912 |
USA $419,000 | UNION IRON WORKS
SAN FRANCISCO |
BUILT FOR THE USN
LAUNCHED 6 MAY 1913 COMMISSIONED 1 DEC 1913 WRECKED 12 MAR 1920 |
LOA 150'3?"
BEAM 15' DRAUGHT 12'5" |
SURFACED 358
DIVED 434 |
TWIN 6 CYL M.A.N.
300 HP EACH REVERSIBLE, 13 KTS |
5220 US GAL/
9663 US GAL |
2 X 160 HP
10.5 KTS |
| USS H2 (SS29)
EX-NAUTILUS CONSTRUCTOR NO.401-C DESIGN 30(?) 1912 |
USA $419,000 | UNION IRON WORKS
SAN FRANCISCO |
BUILT FOR THE USN
LAUNCHED 4 JUN 1913 COMMISSIONED 1 DEC 1913 PAID-OFF 23 OCT 1922 |
LOA 150' 3?"
BEAM 15' DRAUGHT 12'5" |
SURFACED 358
DIVED 434 |
TWIN 6 CYL M.A.N.
300 HP EACH REVERSIBLE, 13 KTS |
5220 US GAL/
9663 US GAL |
2 X 160 HP
10.5 KTS |
| USS H3 (SS30)
EX-GARFISH CONSTRUCTOR NO.401-C DESIGN 30(?) 1912 |
USA $419,000 | MORAN BROS
SEATTLE |
BUILT FOR THE USN
LAUNCHED 3 JUL 191 COMMISSIONED 3 JULY 1913 PAID-OFF 23 OC 1922 |
LOA 150'3?"
BEAM 15' DRAUGHT 12'5" |
SURFACED 358
DIVED 434 |
TWIN 6 CYL M.A.N.
300 HP EACH REVERSIBLE, 13 KTS |
5220 US GAL/
9663 US GAL |
2 X 160 HP
10.5 KTS |
| PROPOSED FOR THE RCN
SEP 1914 DESIGN 20-E |
CANADA $572,000 | CANADIAN VICKERS
MONTREAL, QUEBEC |
VICKERS PROPOSED THAT 2-3
SUBS BE BUILT FOR LAUNCH
SPRING 1916.
NONE BUILT |
LOA 144'1?"
BEAM 15' DRAUGHT 12'6" |
SURFACED 336
DIVED 400 |
TWIN 8 CYL NLSECO
480 HP EACH 12.75 KTS |
5900 US GAL
2,800 NM/10 KTS |
2 X 160 HP
10 KTS 100 NM/5 KTS |
| HMS H1-H10
DESIGN 602-E, OCT 1914 |
BRIT ADMIRALTY
$650,000 |
CANADIAN VICKERS
MONTREAL, QUEBEC |
BUILT IN 6 MONTHS ON 24 HR
SCHEDULE
FIRST KEELS LAID 11 JAN 15 |
LOA 150'3?"
BEAM 15' DRAUGHT 12'4" |
SURFACED 355
DIVED 467 |
TWIN 8 CYL NLSECO
480 HP EACH 13 KTS |
16.4/18 TONS
2800 NM/10 KTS |
2 160 HP
11 KTS 130/2 KTS |
| ITALIAN H1-H8
DESIGN 602-?, SUMMER 1915 |
ITALY | CANADIAN VICKERS
MONTREAL, QUEBEC |
10 MONTHS TO BUILD.
H1 & H2 COMMISSIONED AT HALIFAX, NS, DEC 1917. H3-H8 COMMISSIONED AT MONTREAL, SUMMER 1918 |
LOA 150'3?"
BEAM 15' DRAUGHT 12'4" |
SURFACED 355
DIVED 467 |
TWIN 8 CYL NLSECO
480 HP EACH 13 KTS |
16.4/18 TONS
2800 NM/10 KTS |
2 X 160 HP
11 KTS 130/2 KTS |
| HMS H11, H12
DESIGN 602-E, DEC 1914 |
BRIT. ADMIRALTY
$500,000 |
FORE RIVER SHIPYARD
QUINCY, MASSECHUSETTS COMPLETED DEC 1915 |
COMMISSIONED IN RN JAN 1918.
TO UK. |
LOA 150'3"
BEAM 15'3" DRAUGHT 12'4" |
SURFACED 355
DIVED 467 |
TWIN 8 CYL NLSECO
480 HP EACH 13 KTS |
16.4/18 TONS
2800 NM/10 KTS |
2 X 160 HP
11 KTS 130/2 KTS |
| CHILE H1-H6
EX-HMS H13,16-20 DESIGN 602-E, DEC 1914 |
BRIT. ADMIRALTY
$500,000 CEDED TO CHILE |
FORE RIVER SHIPYARD
QUINCY, MASSECHUSETTS COMPLETED DEC 1915 |
CEDED TO CHILE
TAKEN OVER APRIL 1917 |
LOA 150'3"
BEAM 15'3" DRAUGHT 12'4" |
SURFACED 355
DIVED 467 |
TWIN 8 CYL NLSECO
480 HP EACH 13 KTS |
16.4/18 TONS
2800 NM/10 KTS |
2 X 160 HP
11 KTS 130/2 KTS |
| HMCS CH14, CH15
EX-HMS H14, H15 DESIGN 602-E, DEC 1914 |
BRIT. ADMIRALTY
$500,000 CEDED TO CANADA, |
FORE RIVER SHIPYARD
QUINCY, MASSECHUSETTS COMPLETED DEC 1915 |
COMMISSIONED RN AUG 1918
PAID-OFF AT BERMUDA DEC 1918 CEDED TO CANADA JUNE 1919 COMMISSIONED 3 MAR 1921 PAID-OFF 30 JUN 1922 |
LOA 150'3"
BEAM 15'3" DRAUGHT 12'4" |
SURFACED 355
DIVED 467 |
TWIN 8 CYL NLSECO
480 HP EACH 13 KTS |
16.4/18 TONS
2800 NM/10 KTS |
2 X 160 HP
11 KTS 130/2 KTS |
| RUSSIAN AG11-15
CONTRACT NO. 602-F SEP 1915 |
IMPERIAL RUSSIA AND USSR | HULLS - BRITISH PACIFIC
CONSTRUCTION &
ENGINEERING (PATERSON),
BARNET, BC.
SHIPPED MAR 1916 COMPLETED AT BALTIC WORKS |
KITS DELIVERED BEFORE
REVOLUTION
ALL COMPLETED DURING 1916 FOR THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN NAVY |
LOA 150'3"
BEAM 15'3" DRAUGHT 12'4" |
SURFACED 355
DIVED 467 |
TWIN 8 CYL NLSECO
480 HP EACH 13 KTS |
16.4/18 TONS
2800 NM/10 KTS |
2 X 160 HP
11 KTS 130/2 KTS |
| RUSSIAN AG21-23
CONTRACT 602-GF EX-BPC&E CO. EARLY 1916 RUSSIAN AG24-26 602-L, SUMMER 1916 |
IMPERIAL RUSSIA AND USSR | HULLS - CANADIAN VICKERS
SHIPPED MAR 1917 ALL ASSEMBLED AT NIKOLAEV AG21 & 22 FOR IMPERIAL NAVY AG23-26 FOR SOVIET NAVY |
KITS DELIVERED BEFORE
REVOLUTION
COMPLETED BETWEEN 1917 & 1921 FOR IMPERIAL AND USSR BLACK SEA FLEET |
LOA 150'3"
BEAM 15'3" DRAUGHT 12'4" |
SURFACED 355
DIVED 467 |
TWIN 8 CYL NLSECO
480 HP EACH 13 KTS |
16.4/18 TONS
2800 NM/10 KTS |
2 X 160 HP
11 KTS 130/2 KTS |
| USS H4-H9 (SS 147 TO 152)
EX-RUSS. AG17-20, 27 & 28 CONTRACT 602-R, MAR 1917 |
IMPERIAL RUSSIA
TAKEN OVER BY USA |
HULLS - BRITISH PACIFIC
CONSTRUCTION &
ENGINEERING (PATERSON),
VANCOUVER, BC
SUBMARINES ASSEMBLED AT PUGET SOUND NAVY YARD |
ORDER CANCELLED DUE TO
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION.
HULLS DELIVERED SEP 1917 TAKEN OVER AND COMPLETED FOR THE USN DURING 1918 |
LOA 150'3"
BEAM 15'3" DRAUGHT 12'4" |
SURFACED 355
DIVED 467 |
TWIN 8 CYL NLSECO
480 HP EACH 13 KTS |
16.4/18 TONS
2800 NM/10 KTS |
2 X 160 HP
11 KTS 130/2 KTS |
Design Terminology
All submarines built to the Holland Patents were loosely described as being of the "H" (for Holland) type. The term "Constructor No." has been noted in the legend block on original Electric Boat Co. general arrangement drawings prepared for the USN.
An E.B. Co. drawing for these boats, dated March 1911, describes them as being "Design 30". For the British H10-20 Group, CC2 Drawings and in written specifications, the term "Design" is used. The relationship between these different references has not been positively identified.
Crew
Crew for the CC-boats was 2-3 Officers, and 18 Men. USN H1-H3 carried 2 Officers, 23 Men. The British provided 3 Officers and 25 Men for the Atlantic-based H-boats and those with guns in the Mediterranean carried a gunlayer in addition.
Major Differences
Canadian Vickers Submarines
All submarines produced by Canadian Vickers were identical
(602-E) except in small details. A description of these differences
prepared by the Naval Intelligence Office is available in
correspondence held by the National Archives of Canada.
USS H1-H3
Torpedo Tubes & Torpedoes
All Design 602 H-boats had four bow tubes with guides to accept 18" torpedoes (17.7" in the Italian Group) with a Rotary Bowcap. The bowcap allowed firing two, diagonally opposite, torpedoes in rapid succession. USN H1-h3 originally carried 4 reloads on the deck. All other H-class carried 2 per side one above the other in racks with overhead rails and travelling chain-block handling gear.
Batteries
All of the above submarines were outfitted with 120 Gould or Exide cells in two battery tanks giving approximately 3,800 Amp Hrs. The RN found the batteries to be of inferior quality and replaced them at the earliest opportunity.