{{short description|Submarine of the Royal Navy}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}} {{Use British English|date=December 2017}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image=HMS B4.jpg |image_caption=HMS B4 }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header= |country=United Kingdom |flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}} |name=HMS ''B4'' |ordered= |awarded= |builder=Vickers |original_cost= |laid_down= |launched= 14 November 1905 |christened= |completed= 28 January 1906 |acquired= |commissioned= |recommissioned= |decommissioned= |in_service= |out_of_service= |struck= |reinstated= |homeport= |identification= |motto= |nickname= |honours= |captured= |fate=Sold for scrap, 1 April 1919 |notes= |badge= }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header= |header_caption= |class=B-class submarine |displacement=*{{convert|287|LT|t|abbr=on}} surfaced *{{convert|316|LT|t|abbr=on}} submerged |length={{convert|142|ft|3|in|m|1|abbr=on}} |beam={{convert|12|ft|7|in|m|1|abbr=on}} |draught={{convert|11|ft|2|in|1|abbr=on}} |power=*{{convert|600|bhp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on}} petrol *{{convert|180|hp|kW|abbr=on}} electric |propulsion=*1 × 16-cylinder Vickers petrol engine *1 × electric motor |speed=*{{convert|12|kn|abbr=on|lk=in}} surfaced *{{convert|6.5|kn|abbr=on}} submerged |range={{convert|1000|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|8.7|kn|abbr=on}} on the surface |test_depth={{convert|100|ft|1}} |complement=2 officers and 13 ratings |armament=2 × 18 in (450 mm) bow torpedo tubes |notes= }} }}

'''HMS ''B4''''' was one of 11 B-class submarines built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. The boat survived the First World War and was sold for scrap in 1919.

==Design and description== The B class was an enlarged and improved version of the preceding A class. The submarines had a length of {{convert|142|ft|3|in|m|1}} overall, a beam of {{convert|12|ft|7|in|m|1}} and a mean draft of {{convert|11|ft|2|in|m|1}}. They displaced {{convert|287|LT|t}} on the surface and {{convert|316|LT|t}} submerged. The B-class submarines had a crew of two officers and thirteen ratings.<ref name=gg9>Gardiner & Gray, p. 87</ref>

For surface running, the boats were powered by a single 16-cylinder {{convert|600|bhp|lk=in|0|adj=on}} Vickers petrol engine that drove one propeller shaft. When submerged the propeller was driven by a {{convert|180|hp|0|adj=on}} electric motor. They could reach {{convert|12|kn|lk=in}} on the surface and {{convert|6.5|kn}} underwater.<ref name=gg9/> On the surface, the B class had a range of {{convert|1000|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|8.7|kn}}.<ref name=a0>Akermann, p. 123</ref>

The boats were armed with two 18-inch (450&nbsp;mm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They could carry a pair of reload torpedoes, but generally did not as they would have to remove an equal weight of fuel in compensation.<ref>Harrison, Chapter 27</ref>

==Construction and career== ''B4'' was built by Vickers at their Barrow-in-Furness shipyard, launched on 14 November 1905 and completed on 28 January 1906.<ref name="BR3043app1">{{cite web|last=Harrison|first=A. N.|work=BR3043: The Development of British Submarines: From Holland No. 1 (1901) to HMS Porpoise (1930)|orig-date=1979, London: Ministry of Defence|date=2018|title=Appendix I: List of RN Submarines in the 1901 to 1936 Programmes|url=http://rnsubs.co.uk/public/images/br3043/App1.pdf|publisher=RN Subs: Website of the Barrow Submariners Association|accessdate=25 March 2018}}</ref>

''B4'' collided with a dredger when entering Portsmouth harbour on 21 July 1906 and was badly damaged as a result, having to be beached before being taken into dry dock for repair.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Naval Matters—Past and Prospective: Portsmouth Dockyard |magazine=The Marine Engineer and Naval Architect |volume=29|date=1 September 1906 |page=41}}</ref> When the war began in 1914, the boat was assigned to defend the Straits of Dover. ''B4'' was sold for breaking up on 1 April 1919 to the Ardrossan Dry Dock Co.

==Notes== {{reflist|colwidth=35em}}

==References== * {{cite book|last=Akermann|first=Paul|title=Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955|edition=reprint of the 1989|year=2002|publisher=Periscope Publishing|location=Penzance, Cornwall|isbn=1-904381-05-7}} * {{cite book |editor1-last=Gardiner|editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Gray|editor2-first=Randal|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921|year=1985|location=Annapolis, Maryland|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=0-85177-245-5|name-list-style=amp}} * {{cite web|url=http://rnsubs.co.uk/dits-bits/br-3043.html|title=The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)|last=Harrison|first=A. N.|date=January 1979|publisher=United Kingdom Ministry of Defence|via=RN Subs|accessdate=16 September 2019}} * {{cite journal |last1=Kemp |first1=Paul |last2=Jung |first2=Peter |title=Five Broken Down B Boats: British Submarine Operations in the Northern Adriatic 1915–1917 |journal=Warship International |date=1989 |volume=XXVI |issue=1 |pages=10–29 |issn=0043-0374|name-list-style=amp}} * {{cite book|last=Wilson|first=Michael|editor=Roberts, John|title=Warship Volume V|year=1981|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-244-7|pages=38–44, 74–79|chapter=The British 'B' Class Submarine}}

{{British B class submarine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:B04}} Category:British B-class submarines Category:World War I submarines of the United Kingdom Category:Ships built in Barrow-in-Furness Category:Royal Navy ship names Category:1905 ships