SM UB-97

UB-86 and another Type III UB-boat dumped at Falmouth after explosive trials, 1921.
History
German Empire
NameUB-97
Ordered6 / 8 February 1917[2]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg
Cost3,654,000 German Papiermark
Yard number113
Launched13 June 1918[1]
Commissioned25 July 1918[1]
FateSurrendered 21 November 1918; used for explosive trials and dumped on beach 1920; sold for scrap 1921
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeType UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 510 t (500 long tons) surfaced
  • 640 t (630 long tons) submerged
Length55.52 m (182 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Beam5.76 m (18 ft 11 in)
Draught3.73 m (12 ft 3 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × propeller shaft
  • 2 × MAN-Vulcan four-stroke 6-cylinder diesel engines, 1,085 bhp (809 kW)
  • 2 × Siemens-Schuckert electric motors, 780 shp (580 kW)
Speed
  • 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
  • 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,120 nmi (13,190 km; 8,190 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[1]
Armament
Service record
Commanders:
  • Lt.z.S.d.R. Oskar Brinkmann[3]
  • 26 July – 14 August 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Georg Stollenz[4]
  • 15 August – 11 November 1918
Operations: No patrols
Victories: None

SM UB-97 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 25 July 1918 as SM UB-97.[Note 1]

UB-97 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 21 November 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. After passing into British hands, UB-97 was towed to Falmouth along with five other U-boats [Note 2] for use in a series of explosive test trials by the Royal Navy in Falmouth Bay, in order to find weaknesses in their design. Following her use on 7 March 1921, UB-97 was dumped on Castle Beach and sold to R. Roskelly & Rodgers on 19 April 1921 for scrap (for £50), and partially salvaged over the following decades, although parts remain in situ.[5]

Construction

he was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 13 June 1918. UB-97 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Oskar Brinkmann. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-97 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun. UB-97 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,120 nautical miles (13,190 km; 8,190 mi). UB-97 had a displacement of 510 t (500 long tons) while surfaced and 640 t (630 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) when surfaced and 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) when submerged.

References

Notes

  1. ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. ^ The other five being UB-86, UC-92, UB-106, UB-112, and UB-128.

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  2. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 61.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Oskar Brinkmann". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Georg Stollenz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  5. ^ Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. pp. 50–52, 99, 128. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.

Bibliography

  • Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Rössler, Eberhard (1979). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.
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  • SM UB-49
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  • SM UB-52
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  • SM UB-54
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  • SM UB-56
  • SM UB-57
  • SM UB-58
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  • SM UB-82
  • SM UB-83
  • SM UB-84
  • SM UB-85
  • SM UB-86
  • SM UB-87
  • SM UB-88
  • SM UB-89
  • SM UB-90
  • SM UB-91
  • SM UB-92
  • SM UB-93
  • SM UB-94
  • SM UB-95
  • SM UB-96
  • SM UB-97
  • SM UB-98
  • SM UB-99
  • SM UB-100
  • SM UB-101
  • SM UB-102
  • SM UB-103
  • SM UB-104
  • SM UB-105
  • SM UB-106
  • SM UB-107
  • SM UB-108
  • SM UB-109
  • SM UB-110
  • SM UB-111
  • SM UB-112
  • SM UB-113
  • SM UB-114
  • SM UB-115
  • SM UB-116
  • SM UB-117
  • SM UB-118
  • SM UB-119
  • SM UB-120
  • SM UB-121
  • SM UB-122
  • SM UB-123
  • SM UB-124
  • SM UB-125
  • SM UB-126
  • SM UB-127
  • SM UB-128
  • SM UB-129
  • SM UB-130
  • SM UB-131
  • SM UB-132
  • SM UB-133
  • SM UB-136
  • SM UB-142
  • SM UB-143
  • SM UB-144
  • SM UB-145
  • SM UB-148
  • SM UB-149
  • SM UB-150
  • SM UB-154
  • SM UB-155

50°8′51.51″N 5°3′13.11″W / 50.1476417°N 5.0536417°W / 50.1476417; -5.0536417