SM U-87

Coordinates: 52°51′N 4°59′W / 52.85°N 4.98°W / 52.85; -4.98
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For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-87.

History
German Empire
NameU-87
Ordered23 June 1915
BuilderKaiserliche Werft Danzig
Yard number31
Laid down28 October 1915
Launched22 May 1916
Commissioned26 February 1917
FateSunk 25 December 1917
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeGerman Type U 87 submarine
Displacement
  • 757 t (745 long tons) surfaced
  • 998 t (982 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (oa)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height9.35 m (30 ft 8 in)
Draught3.88 m (12 ft 9 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers
Speed
  • 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) surfaced
  • 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 11,380 nmi (21,080 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 24 April – 25 December 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Rudolf Schneider[2]
  • 26 February – 13 October 1917
  • Kptlt. Freiherr Rudolf von Speth-Schülzburg[3]
  • 13 October – 25 December 1917
Operations: 5 patrols
Victories:
  • 22 merchant ships sunk
    (59,828 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (7,638 GRT)[4]

SM U-87[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) in World War I. U-87 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.[4] She sank some 22 merchant vessels before 25 December 1917, when HMS Buttercup rammed U-87 in the Irish Sea and depth-charged her. Then the P-class sloop P.56 sank her. U-87's entire crew of 44 were lost.[4]

Design[edit]

German Type U 87 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 81 submarines. The first of its type, U-87 had a displacement of 757 tonnes (745 long tons) when at the surface and 998 tonnes (982 long tons) while submerged.[1] She had a total length of 65.80 m (215 ft 11 in), a pressure hull length of 50.07 m (164 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in), and a draught of 3.88 m (12 ft 9 in). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph).[1] When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,380 nautical miles (21,080 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-87 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (two at the bow and two at the stern), ten to twelve torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-six (thirty-two crew members and four officers).[1]

Summary of raiding history[edit]

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[5]
23 May 1917 Bernisse  Netherlands 951 Damaged
23 May 1917 Elve  Netherlands 962 Sunk
26 May 1917 Lucipara  Russia 1,943 Sunk
26 May 1917 Saint Mirren  United Kingdom 1,956 Sunk
30 May 1917 Bathurst  United Kingdom 2,821 Sunk
30 May 1917 Hanley  United Kingdom 3,331 Sunk
2 June 1917 Eliofilo  Italy 3,583 Sunk
2 June 1917 Mississippi  France 6,687 Damaged
4 July 1917 Loch Katrine  United Kingdom 151 Sunk
8 July 1917 Valetta  United Kingdom 5,871 Sunk
10 July 1917 Seang Choon  United Kingdom 5,807 Sunk
11 July 1917 Kioto  United Kingdom 6,182 Sunk
12 July 1917 Castleton  United Kingdom 2,395 Sunk
16 July 1917 Tamele  United Kingdom 3,932 Sunk
19 July 1917 Artensis  Norway 1,788 Sunk
21 July 1917 Coniston Water  United Kingdom 3,738 Sunk
19 August 1917 Eika II  Norway 1,268 Sunk
21 August 1917 Oslo  United Kingdom 2,296 Sunk
22 August 1917 Alexander Shukoff  Denmark 1,652 Sunk
27 August 1917 Anna  Denmark 1,211 Sunk
27 August 1917 Aurora  Denmark 768 Sunk
13 December 1917 Little Gem  United Kingdom 114 Sunk
24 December 1917 Daybreak  United Kingdom 3,238 Sunk
25 December 1917 Agberi  United Kingdom 4,821 Sunk

Fate and discovery[edit]

In August 2017, researchers from Bangor University in Wales announced they had discovered the sunken wreck of U-87 while conducting multibeam surveys 10 miles northwest of Bardsey Island as part of the marine renewable energy SEACAMS 2 project.[6][7] Detailed sonar images reveal the wreck to be lying in one piece with what appears to be a large area of damage near the conning tower, presumably caused by in the ramming collision by escort P.56.

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

  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. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Rudolf Schneider (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Rudolf von Speth-Schülzburg". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U U87". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 87". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  6. ^ "RCAHMW | New Imaging Techniques Capture Forgotten U-boat".
  7. ^ "WW1 shipwrecks pictured by sonar off Welsh coast". BBC News. 7 October 2018.

Bibliography[edit]

  • 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.

52°51′N 4°59′W / 52.85°N 4.98°W / 52.85; -4.98

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