*British, WW1, HMS A2 – Original Photograph and A or B Class WW1 Submarine Service Plaque*
Approximate Measurements:
Wooden Triangular Frame: 28.5cm wide x 15cm tall x 2cm deep
Relief Model: 19.5cm x 9.5cm
Original Photograph: 19.3cm x 14.5cm
The model features a wonderful unnamed WW1 British submarine – likely A or B Class, mounted on a wooden board with a wooden frame. The photograph is marked on the reverse A2 and M.O.D (Navy) Copyright Reserved 12 July 1976, Neg. No 8910, H.M.S. Dolphin. This photograph originally formed part of the Lou Britton British Submarine Collection, which was acquired by the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport in 2007.
The A-class submarines were the Royal Navy’s first domestically designed class, with 13 vessels built between 1902 and 1905 as advancements over the American Plunger class. HMS A2 was launched in 1903. Slightly larger, faster, and more heavily armed than HMS A1, she measured 105 ft 1 in long with a beam of 12 ft 9 in and a draft of 10 ft 8 in, displacing 190 tons (surface) and 206 tons (submerged). The vessel carried a crew of 2 officers and 9 ratings.
Specifications
Propulsion: 450-horsepower Wolseley petrol engine (surface) and 150-horsepower electric motor (submerged). Speeds: 10 knots (surface), 7 knots (submerged).
Range: 320 nautical miles (surface) at 10 knots, 30 nautical miles (submerged) at 5 knots.
Armament: Two 18-inch torpedo tubes; reloads were generally not carried due to weight limitations.
Career
Built by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness, A2 was launched on 15 April 1903 and completed on 26 March 1904. During World War I, she served as a harbour vessel at Portsmouth. After grounding and flooding in Bomb Ketch Lake in January 1920, she was sold for scrap on 22 October 1925.
*Condition*
Excellent used condition. The model is in good condition with some marks. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
RQMFEOXABOO_9966192577
