French submarine Thon
 A postcard of Thon
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name | Thon |
| Ordered | 3 April 1901 |
| Builder | Arsenal de Toulon |
| Laid down | 9 June 1902 |
| Launched | 19 March 1904 |
| Commissioned | 26 October 1905 |
| Stricken | 21 May 1914 |
| Fate | Sank under tow, 10 December 1916 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Naïade-class submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 23.7 m (77 ft 9 in) |
| Beam | 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) |
| Draft | 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) |
| Installed power | |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Complement | 9 |
| Armament | 2 × single 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo launchers |
Thon was one of 20 Naïade-class submarines built for the French Navy at the beginning of the 20th century. She was of the Romazotti type, and remained in service until just prior to the outbreak of World War I in 1914.
Design and description
[edit]The Naïade class was designed by Gaston Romazotti, an early French submarine engineer and director of the Arsenal de Cherbourg to a specification for a small coastal-defense submarine. They were of a single-hull design, derived from the first French submarine, Gymnote, but with a Diesel–electric powertrain.[1] The hull was constructed of Roma-bronze, a copper alloy devised by Romazotti to resist corrosion better than steel.[2] The submarines had a surfaced displacement of 70 long tons (71 t) and 74 long tons (75 t) submerged. They measured 23.7 metres (77 ft 9 in) long overall with a beam of 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in) and draught of 2.6 metres (8 ft 6 in). The crew numbered nine men.[3]
The Naïade's were equipped with a variable-pitch propeller and two auxiliary side-thrusting propellers (French: hélices auxiliaires évolueurs). On the surface, the propeller shaft was driven by two dynamos powered either by the Panhard et Levassor four-cycle benzol engine designed to produce 65 brake horsepower (48 kW) or the batteries used underwater. Speeds attained during the boats' sea trials reached up to 8.2 knots (15.2 km/h; 9.4 mph) from 104 bhp (78 kW). Underwater power for the Naïades was provided by a Société Éclairage Électrique electric motor rated at 70 shaft horsepower (52 kW) and intended to give them a maximum speed of 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph). Speeds during their sea trials were disappointing at only 5.3 knots (9.8 km/h; 6.1 mph) from 92 shp (69 kW). They were designed to have a range of 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) at 4.1 knots (7.6 km/h; 4.7 mph) submerged and 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) at 5.5 knots (10.2 km/h; 6.3 mph) on the surface. The Naïade class were armed with two external single 450-millimetre (17.7 in) torpedo launchers, one aimed forward and the other aft.[4]
Construction and career
[edit]Thon was ordered on 3 April 1901 and laid down on 9 June 1902 at the Arsenal de Toulon. The boat was launched on 19 March 1903 and commissioned on 26 October 1905. She was condemned on 27 March 1914 and stricken from the navy list on 21 May.[5]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- Garier, Gérard (n.d.). Du Plongeur (1863) aux Guêpe (1904) [From Plongeur (1863) to Guêpe (1904)]. L'odyssée technique et humaine du sous-marin en France (in French). Vol. 1. Marines édition. ISBN 2-909675-19-X.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link) - Roberts, Stephen S. (2021). French Warships in the Age of Steam 1859–1914: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-4533-0.
- Smigielski, Adam (1985). "France". In Gray, Randal (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Naval Institute Press. pp. 190–220. ISBN 0-87021-907-3.
- Stanglini, Ruggero & Cosentino, Michelle (2022). The French Fleet: Ships, Strategy and Operations, 1870-1918. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-0131-2.