HMS E3
British E-class submarine HMS E3
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 United Kingdom
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| Class and type: | E-class submarine |
| Name: | HMS E3 |
| Builder: | Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness |
| Laid down: | 27 April 1911 |
| Launched: | 29 October 1912 |
| Commissioned: | 29 May 1914 |
| Fate: | Sunk by SM U-27, 18 October 1914 |
| General characteristics | |
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| Length: | 178 ft (54 m) |
| Beam: | 15.05 ft (4.59 m) |
| Draught: | 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) |
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| Range: | 325 nmi (602 km; 374 mi) (surfaced) |
| Endurance: | 24 days |
| Complement: | 3 officers, 28 ratings |
| Armament: | 4 × 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes (1 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern; 10 torpedoes) |
HMS E3 was the third E-class submarines to be constructed, built at Barrow by Vickers in 1911-1912. Built with compartmentalisation and endurance not previously achievable, these were the best submarines in the Royal Navy at the start of the First World War. She was sunk in the first ever successful attack on one submarine by another, when she was torpedoed on 18 October 1914 by U-27.
The early British E-class submarines, from E1 to E8, had a displacement of 652 tonnes (719 short tons) at the surface and 795 tonnes (876 short tons) while submerged. They had a length overall of 180 feet (55 m) and a beam of 22 feet 8.5 inches (6.922 m), and were powered by two 800 horsepower (600 kW) Vickers eight-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines and two 420 horsepower (310 kW) electric motors. The class had a maximum surface speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) and a submerged speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), with a fuel capacity of 50 tonnes (55 short tons) of diesel affording a range of 3,225 miles (5,190 km; 2,802 nmi) when travelling at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), while submerged they had a range of 85 miles (137 km; 74 nmi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph).
The early 'Group 1' E class boats were armed with four 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes, one in the bow, one either side amidships, and one in the stern; a total of eight torpedoes were carried. Group 1 boats were not fitted with a deck gun during construction, but those involved in the Dardanelles campaign had guns mounted forward of the conning tower while at Malta Dockyard.
E-Class submarines had wireless systems with 1 kilowatt (1.3 hp) power ratings; in some submarines, these were later upgraded to 3 kilowatts (4.0 hp) systems by removing a midship torpedo tube. Their maximum design depth was 100 feet (30 m) although in service some reached depths of below 200 feet (61 m). Some submarines contained Fessenden oscillator systems.
Her complement was three officers and 28 men.
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