Original blueprint
Her
building was ordered in October 1915 and month later was the contract signed.
At that moment was the First World War already going on in which the Netherlands
were neutral. The submarines of which the pennant started with the letter ‘K’
were to serve in the Dutch East Indies and
therefore larger as the version with the pennant O+number. She was built for
account of the Department of Colonies. For her design were plans of the
American Electric Boat Company used. During her building was H.H. Johnstone
supervisor for this firm. The keel was laid down in the storehouse on the North
bank on 30 December of the same year with yard number 164. The newspaper
Vlissingse Courant dated 30 June 1920 announced her intended launching on Friday
2 July at 15:45 o’clock. The edition dated the 2nd confirmed the successful launching.
She
was several times docked during her building namely 7/19 August and 3
September-November 1920 and 27 January-2 March and 13/19 August 1921. The
technical trials were between 13 December 19120 and 20 January 1921 followed by
the official trial on 20 January 1921.
In
the edition of the Vlissingse Courant dated 5 April 1921 was her completion reported. The minister of
navy was to decide when she was commissioned. Lieutenant 1st class W.K. Maurits
was appointed as commanding officer. She was handed over on 27 April and on 3
September departed she with as destination the Dutch East
Indies. The First World War was the main cause of the serious
delay during her building. She was not earlier completed as after 5 years and 7
months. Total building costs included fitting out were when she was
commissioned for the first time ƒ 2.533.000 while on 11 June 1915 was estimated
that the building costs were to be ƒ 1.750.000. Finally stricken in March 1937.
Details
according to the order administration. Her crew numbered 20 men. She carried
with one yawl. With a displacement of 582,6 (surfaced)-720,0 (submerged) tons
were her dimensions 64,084 x 5,426 x 3,56 x 4,856 (hold) metres. The armament
consisted of 6-45cm torpedo tubes (2 stern, 2 bow, 2 superstructure) and she
could carry with her 12 torpedoes and further more 1-7,5cm gun and 1 machine
gun. Five main ballast tanks. Diving depth 40 metres. Two
periscopes, 1 antenna mast. Fitted out with two stroke reversible Sulzer main engines
delivering 2x200 hp and 2x66 batteries cells, totally horsepower 2x600 ahp
allowing a speed of 14,54 knots. With a speed of 11 knots a surfaced range of
3.500 nautical miles and 25
miles submerged with
speed of 8,5 knots.
Details according to the design specifications. Dimensions 64,41 (over all) x 5,60 (maximum over rubbing) x 3,51 (standard draught surfaced measured from bottom keel) x 5,21 (hold bottom keel to top superstructure) metres with a displacement of 556,5 (surfaced)-713,5 (submerged excluded the not watertight parts)-836 (included the water tight parts) tons. Freeboard with standard draught 1.70 metres. Capacity watertight part of the superstructure 40 tons. Standard capacity ballast tanks 157 tons. Weight ballast water + fuel which could be pumped out while on a depth of 40 metres 201,5 tons. Horsepower 2x900/1.00 hp MAN two stroke 8 cylinder diesel engines and 2x210 (standard)-315 (maximum) hp electric engines Batteries had to consist of 132 similar cells. Speed 11 (cruising surfaced)-12 (surfaced with 7/10 power supplied by one engine)-17,5 (full speed submerged) and 8,5 (during 3 hours submerged)-10 (during 1,5 hours submerged with 50% overburden)-10 miles. Crew accommodation aft part 15 and bow part 4 ship cages. Minimum metacentre above water minimum 9,400 metres and under water 0,240 metres. Stability curve 140 (surfaced)-180 (submerged) degrees. To be armed with 2 bronze torpedo tubes side by side in the bow, 2 in the stern and a double tube in the superstructure. The bow- and stern tubes had to be able to empty within 1,5 minutes and were suited for Whitehead torpedoes with 45cm diameter and a length varying between 5,040-5,044 and 5436 meters and a weight of 700 kilo, the superstructure tubes for Whitehead 45cm torpedoes with a length of 436 metres. Further more was she armed with a gun to be delivered by the navy.
The
shipyard was bound to deliver her for surfaced-submerged trials including
launching torpedo tests before 1 January 1918.
Source
Archive
Kon.Mij. De Schelde 1875-1970 (Municipality Archive Flushing) order administration and
T506-3233.
