
Specifications
Year: 1918
Ships-in-Class: 11
Named Ships: USS L-1 (SS-40); USS L-2 (SS-41); USS L-3 (SS-42); USS L-4 (SS-43); USS L-5 (SS-44); USS L-6 (SS-45); USS L-7 (SS-46); USS L-8 (SS-48); USS L-9 (SS-49); USS L-10 (SS-50); USS L-11 (SS-51)
Roles: Hunter; Direct-Attack;
Ships-in-Class: 11
Named Ships: USS L-1 (SS-40); USS L-2 (SS-41); USS L-3 (SS-42); USS L-4 (SS-43); USS L-5 (SS-44); USS L-6 (SS-45); USS L-7 (SS-46); USS L-8 (SS-48); USS L-9 (SS-49); USS L-10 (SS-50); USS L-11 (SS-51)
Roles: Hunter; Direct-Attack;
Complement: 28
Length: 165 ft (50.29 m)
Width: 14.8 ft (4.51 m)
Height: 13.2 ft (4.02 m)
Displacement (Surface): 465 tons
Displacement (Submerged): 535 tons
Length: 165 ft (50.29 m)
Width: 14.8 ft (4.51 m)
Height: 13.2 ft (4.02 m)
Displacement (Surface): 465 tons
Displacement (Submerged): 535 tons
Propulsion: 2 x Diesel engines with 2 x electric motors developing 1,200 to 1,300 horsepower to 2 x shafts.
Speed (Surface): 14 kts (16 mph)
Speed (Submerged): 10.5 kts (12 mph)
Range: 3,302 nm (3,800 miles; 6,116 km)
Speed (Submerged): 10.5 kts (12 mph)
Range: 3,302 nm (3,800 miles; 6,116 km)
Operators: United States
L-5 was based on the preceding L-class of boats but, unlike those designed by Electric Boat, she was bred from a design offered by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company. The group encompassed L-5, L-6, L-7 and L-8 and differed in minor ways from their Electric Boat cousins. As completed, L-5 displaced 458 tons (short) when surfaced and 535 tons when submerged. Her length was 165 feet with a beam reaching 14.8 feet and a draught of 13.2 feet. Power was served through 2 x diesel engines for surface travel and 2 x electric motors for undersea travel. Speeds topped 14 knots surfaced and 10.5 knots submerged with ranges out to 3,300 nautical miles (when surfaced, though 150 nautical miles submerged). Operating depths were down to 200 feet. Her crew complement numbered 28 officers and submariners and her armament constituted 4 x 18" (457mm) torpedo tubes (bow-mounted, eight total torpedoes) and a 3" /23 caliber deck gun.
L-5's career in the ocean was a short one and she never fired a shot in anger. From the post-war period spanning 1919 to 1922 she was used to evaluate various torpedo designs and new sonar equipment along the American west coast. She was decommissioned at Hampton Roads, Virginia (arriving there by way of the Panama Canal) on December 5th, 1922, sold off in 1925 and ultimately scrapped.
Armament
4 x 457mm (18") torpedo tubes; 8 x torpedo reloads
1 x 3" /23 caliber deck gun
Air Wing
None.