SM UB-72
![]() UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-72. | |
History | |
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Name | UB-72 |
Ordered | 23 September 1916[2] |
Builder | AG Vulcan, Hamburg |
Cost | 3,337,000 German Papiermark |
Yard number | 96 |
Launched | 30 July 1917[1] |
Commissioned | 9 September 1917[1] |
Fate | Sunk 12 May 1918 at 50°8′N 2°41′W / 50.133°N 2.683°W by British submarine.[1] |
General characteristics [1] | |
Class and type | Type UB III submarine |
Displacement | |
Length | 55.52 m (182 ft 2 in) (o/a) |
Beam | 5.76 m (18 ft 11 in) |
Draught | 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in) |
Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
Complement | 3 officers, 31 men[1] |
Armament |
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Service record | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: | |
Operations: | 5 patrols |
Victories: |
SM UB-72 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 9 September 1917 as SM UB-72.[Note 1]
UB-72 was serving in the English Channel when she was sunk by a torpedo from HMS D4 at 50°8′N 2°41′W / 50.133°N 2.683°W on 12 May 1918.[1]
Construction
[edit]She was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 30 July 1917. UB-72 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-72 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-72 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 8,420 nautical miles (15,590 km; 9,690 mi). UB-72 had a displacement of 508 t (500 long tons) while surfaced and 639 t (629 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) when submerged.
Summary of raiding history
[edit]Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[5] |
---|---|---|---|---|
3 February 1918 | Svanfos | ![]() | 896 | Sunk |
28 March 1918 | HMS Tithonus | ![]() | 3,463 | Sunk |
30 March 1918 | Vafos | ![]() | 1,322 | Sunk |
6 May 1918 | Sandhurst | ![]() | 3,034 | Sunk |
8 May 1918 | Quito | ![]() | 3,358 | Damaged |
9 May 1918 | Baron Ailsa | ![]() | 1,836 | Sunk |
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
- ^ Rössler 1979, p. 61.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Creutzfeld". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Friedrich Traeger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 72". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
Bibliography
[edit]- 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.