Editing Plunger-class submarine (section)

{{Short description|United States Navy submarine class}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS Plunger - NH 42620 - cropped.jpg
|Ship caption=USS ''Plunger'' (SS-2)
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Builders=* [[Electric Boat]] (design)
* [[Crescent Shipyard]] (SS-2, -3, -5, -7, -8)
* [[Union Iron Works]] (SS-4, SS-6)
|Operators={{naval|United States}}
|Class before={{USS|Holland|SS-1|6}}
|Class after=[[United States B-class submarine|B class]]
|Subclasses=
|Built range=1900–1903
|In commission range=1903–1921
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=7
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=7
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type= [[Midget submarine]]
|Ship displacement=107 tons
|Ship length={{convert|63|ft|10|in|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|11|ft|11|in|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft={{convert|10|ft|7|in|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*1 × [[Otto engine|Otto]] [[gasoline engine]], {{convert|160|bhp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on}}
*1 × [[Electro-Dynamic Company|Electro Dynamic]] [[electric motor]], {{convert|150|bhp|kW|abbr=on}}
*60-[[Electrochemical cell|cell]] [[Battery (electricity)|battery]]
*1 shaft
|Ship speed=*{{convert|8|kn}} (surfaced)
*{{convert|7|kn}} (submerged)
|Ship range=
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth={{convert|150|ft|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship complement=7
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=One [[American 18-inch torpedo|18-inch (450 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]] (3 long or 5 short [[torpedo]]es)
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

[[File:USS Plunger - NH 45937.jpg|thumb|right|''Plunger'', ''Adder'', ''Moccasin'', ''Porpoise'', and ''Shark'' at New Suffolk, New York circa 1903.]]
[[File:USS A-4 - NH 57729-A.jpeg|thumb|right|A 1912 view of the breech of the sole [[torpedo tube]] of USS ''Moccasin'' / ''A-4''. Two [[torpedo]]es are on wooden skids in the foreground. The skids slid across the deck for loading.]]
The '''''Plunger'' class''' was an early class of [[United States Navy]] [[submarine]]s. In the first years of their service, they were used primarily as training and experimental vessels for the newly formed "silent service" to familiarize naval personnel with the performance and operations of such craft. They were known as the "A class" after being renamed to A-type designations (''A-1'' through ''A-7'') on 17 November 1911. All except ''Plunger'' ended up being stationed in the [[Philippines]], an American possession, prior to the outbreak of [[World War I]]. They were shipped there on [[collier (ship)|colliers]] (coal-carrying ships) and formed an integral part of the harbor defense system for Manila. In some instances, this class of submarines is referred to as the '''''Adder'' class''', as USS ''Adder'' was the first boat of the class to be completed.<ref name=Conways1>Gardiner, p. 127</ref><ref name=Friedman1>Friedman, pp. 27-31</ref>