SMS Vulkan

Last updated
Bundesarchiv DVM 10 Bild-23-61-54, U-Boothebeschiff "SMS Vulkan".jpg
SMS Vulkan
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameSMS Vulkan
Builder Howaldtswerke, Kiel
Laid down1907
Launched28 September 1907
Commissioned4 March 1908
Homeport Kiel
FateSank 6 April 1919
General characteristics
Displacement1595 tons
Length85.3 m (280 ft)
Beam16.5 m (54 ft)
Draught3.85 m (12.6 ft)
Speed12 knots
Range3,000 nm
Complement108 men
Vulkan during WWI, by R. Schmidt SMS Vulkan, U-Boat salvage tug during WWI, artwork by R. Schmidt (27443636454).jpg
Vulkan during WWI, by R. Schmidt

SMS Vulkan was a U-boat salvage tug in the Kaiserliche Marine laid down in 1907 and commissioned in 1908. The ship displaced 1595 tons and had a top speed of 12 knots.

The famous U-boat commander Max Valentiner served as salvage officer on Vulkan in early 1911. On 17 January 1911, he and the crew saved all 30 men from U-3 by rescuing them via a torpedo tube after it sank near Kiel harbour in Heikendorfer Bay because of an unclosed ventilation shaft valve. Amongst the saved crew was Otto Weddigen, the later commander of U-9 and Paul Clarrendorf, the commander of U-boot-Abnahme-Kommando in Kiel which enlisted U-boat crews.

Vulkan during construction Howaldtswerke nr473-1.jpg
Vulkan during construction

Vulkan is also famous for salvaging two U-boats, U-30 on 27 August 1915 and UC-45 on 17 September 1917.

At the end of World War One on 11 November 1918 the vessel surrendered to the British forces together with the larger salvage tug SMS Cyclop. It sank en route to Harwich on 6 April 1919 in position 54°54′N06°18′E / 54.900°N 6.300°E / 54.900; 6.300 .

See also

Commons-logo.svg Media related to SMS Vulkan (ship, 1907) at Wikimedia Commons


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AG Weser</span> Shipbuilding company

Aktien-Gesellschaft „Weser" was one of the major German shipbuilding companies, located at the Weser River in Bremen. Founded in 1872 it was finally closed in 1983. All together, A.G. „Weser" built about 1,400 ships of different types, including many warships. A.G. „Weser" was the leading company in the Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG, a cooperation of eight German shipbuilding companies between 1926 and 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scapa Flow</span> Body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland

Scapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. Its sheltered waters have played an important role in travel, trade and conflict throughout the centuries. Vikings anchored their longships in Scapa Flow more than a thousand years ago. It was the United Kingdom's chief naval base during the First and Second World wars, but the facility was closed in 1956.

German submarine U-859 was a Type IXD2 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was one of a select number of U-boats to join Monsun Gruppe or Monsoon Group, which operated in the Far East alongside the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft was a German shipbuilding company, located in the harbour at Kiel, and one of the largest and most important builders of U-boats for the Kaiserliche Marine in World War I and the Kriegsmarine in World War II. The original company was founded in 1867 but went bankrupt and was bought out by Friedrich Krupp. Krupp was very interested in building warships and in the time before the First World War built a number of battleships for the Kaiserliche Marine, including SMS Posen, SMS Prinzregent Luitpold, SMS Kronprinz, and SMS Sachsen. A total of 84 U-boats were built in the shipyard during the war. After the war it returned to the normal production of yachts and transports.

German submarine <i>U-48</i> (1939) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-48 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II, and the most successful that was commissioned. During her two years of active service, U-48 sank 51 ships for a total of 299,477 GRT and 1,060 tons; she also damaged four more for a total of 27,877 GRT over twelve war patrols conducted during the opening stages of the Battle of the Atlantic.

German submarine U-140 was a Type IID U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She carried out three combat patrol. Built at the Kiel shipyards during 1939 and 1940, as a Type IID U-boat, she was too small for major operational work in the Atlantic Ocean, which was now required by the Kriegsmarine as the Battle of the Atlantic expanded.

German submarine <i>U-103</i> (1940) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-103 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. She was one of the most successful boats in the entire war, sinking 238,944 gross register tons (GRT) of Allied shipping in 11 patrols, in a career lasting more than four years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Valentiner</span>

Captain Christian August Max Ahlmann Valentiner was a German U-boat commander during World War I. He was the third highest-scoring U-boat commander of the war, and was awarded the Pour le Mérite for his achievements.

German submarine <i>U-46</i> (1938) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-46 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She had a highly successful career during the war.

German submarine <i>U-81</i> (1941) Type VIIC U-boat of the navy of Nazi Germany (Kriegsmarine)

German submarine U-81 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the navy (Kriegsmarine) of Nazi Germany during World War II, famous for sinking the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.

German submarine U-564 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during the Second World War. The RAF sank her in the Bay of Biscay on 14 June 1943.

SM UC-71 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 12 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 28 November 1916 as SM UC-71. In 19 patrols UC-71 was credited with sinking 63 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-71 sank on 20 February 1919 in the North Sea while on her way to be surrendered. Discovery a century later of her wreck with all hatches open suggested she had been deliberately scuttled by her own crew.

German submarine <i>U-77</i> (1940) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-77 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built by the Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack. Her keel was laid down on 28 March 1940, by Bremer Vulkan of Bremen-Vegesack, Germany as yard number 5. She was launched on 23 November 1940 and commissioned on 18 January 1941, with Oberleutnant zur See Heinrich Schonder in command until 2 September 1942, when he was succeeded by Oblt.z.S. Otto Hartmann, who remained in charge until the U-boat's loss.

SM <i>U-3</i> (Germany)

SM U-3 was the third German U-boat created by the German Empire in their history, and the first of two submarines in its class. The boat was built by Kaiserliche Werft Danzig and was launched on 27 March 1909.

German submarine U-82 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-229 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-52</i> (1938) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-52 was a type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was initially ordered on 15 May 1937, in violation of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, and laid down on 9 March 1938, at the yards of Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft AG in Kiel as yard number 587. Launched on 21 December 1938, she was commissioned on 4 February 1939, under the command of Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Wolfgang Barten.

German submarine U-136 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-247 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 16 December 1942 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft yard at Kiel as yard number 681, launched on 23 September 1943 and commissioned on 23 October under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Gerhard Matschulat.

German submarine U-344 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.