French submarine Brumaire


French submarine Brumaire (Q60) was a Laubeuf type submarine[1] built for the French Navy prior to World War I. She was the name ship of her class.[2]

A postcard of Brumaire
History
France
NameBrumaire
NamesakeThe month of Brumaire
BuilderArsenal de Cherbourg
Launched29 April 1911
Commissioned20 March 1912
FateScrapped 1930
General characteristics (as built)
Class and typeBrumaire-class submarine
Displacement
  • 397 t (391 long tons) (surfaced)
  • 551 t (542 long tons) (submerged)
Length52.15 m (171 ft 1 in) (o/a)
Beam5.42 m (17 ft 9 in)
Draft3.19 m (10 ft 6 in)
Installed power
  • 840 PS (620 kW; 830 bhp) (diesels)
  • 660 PS (490 kW; 650 bhp) (electric motors)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) (surfaced)
  • 8.8 knots (16.3 km/h; 10.1 mph) (submerged)
Range
  • 1,700 nmi (3,100 km; 2,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) (surfaced)
  • 84 nmi (156 km; 97 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) (submerged)
Test depth40 m (130 ft)
Complement2 officers and 27 crewmen
Armament
  • 1 × 450 mm (17.7 in) bow torpedo tube
  • 1 × twin 450 mm Drzewiecki drop collar
  • 2 × single 450 mm Drzewiecki drop collars
  • 2 × single external 450 mm torpedo launchers

Design and construction

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Brumaire was ordered by the French Navy as part of its 1906 programme and was laid down at the Cherbourg Naval Yard in October of that year. Work progressed slowly, and she was not launched until 29 April 1911. She was commissioned on 20 March 1912. Brumaire was equipped with licence-built M.A.N. diesel engines for surface propulsion, and electric motors for power while submerged. She carried eight torpedoes, two internally and six externally.[2] Brumaire was named for a month of the French Revolutionary calendar.

Service history

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Brumaire was in service during the First World War and saw action throughout on patrol and close blockade duty. She remained on active duty at the end of hostilities, when many of her class were de-commissioned. Brumaire was stricken and disarmed in 1928, and scrapped in 1930.[2]

Notes

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  1. ^ Jane p199
  2. ^ a b c Conway p209-10

Bibliography

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  • Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0445-5.
  • Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
  • Garier, Gérard (2002). A l'épreuve de la Grande Guerre. L'odyssée technique et humaine du sous-marin en France (in French). Vol. 3–2. Bourg-en-Bresse, France: Marines édition. ISBN 2-909675-81-5.
  • Garier, Gérard (1998). Des Émeraude (1905-1906) au Charles Brun (1908–1933). L'odyssée technique et humaine du sous-marin en France (in French). Vol. 2. Bourg-en-Bresse, France: Marines édition. ISBN 2-909675-34-3.
  • Moore, J: Jane’s Fighting Ships of World War I (1919, reprinted 2003) ISBN 1 85170 378 0
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