SM UB-116

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UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-116.
History
German Empire
NameUB-116
Ordered6 / 8 February 1917[2]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg
Cost3,714,000 German Papiermark
Yard number322
Launched4 November 1917[1]
Commissioned24 May 1918[1]
FateSunk by remote-controlled mine 28 October 1918 at 58°50′N 3°4′W / 58.833°N 3.067°W / 58.833; -3.067[1]
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeGerman Type UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 519 t (511 long tons) surfaced
  • 649 t (639 long tons) submerged
Length55.30 m (181 ft 5 in) (o/a)
Beam5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) surfaced
  • 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,420 nmi (13,740 km; 8,540 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
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Stephan[3]
  • 24 May – 4 October 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Joachim Emsmann[4]
  • 5 – 28 October 1918
Operations: 4 patrols
Victories: None

SM UB-116 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 24 May 1918 as SM UB-116.[Note 1]

UB-116 was sunk by a remote-controlled mine at 58°50′N 3°4′W / 58.833°N 3.067°W / 58.833; -3.067 off Orkney while making an attempt to enter Scapa Flow in order to attack units of the British Grand Fleet as part of the final German Naval offensive of the war.[1]

According to Uboat.net, UB-116 hit a mine and was next finished off by depth charges while trying to reach the empty Scapa anchorage. All hands were lost (36 sailors).[5]

Construction[edit]

She was built by Blohm & Voss of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 4 November 1917. UB-116 was commissioned in the spring the next year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Erich Stephan. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-116 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-116 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,420 nautical miles (13,740 km; 8,540 mi). UB-116 had a displacement of 519 t (511 long tons) while surfaced and 649 t (639 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) when surfaced and 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) when submerged.

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.

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  2. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 66.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Stephan". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Joachim Emsmann". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 116". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.

Bibliography[edit]