History | |
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German Empire | |
Name | U-81 |
Ordered | 23 June 1915 |
Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
Yard number | 251 |
Laid down | 31 August 1915 |
Launched | 24 June 1916 |
Commissioned | 22 August 1916 |
Fate | 1 May 1917 - Torpedoed W of Ireland at 51°33′N13°38′W / 51.550°N 13.633°W by HM Sub E54. 31 dead, seven survivors. [1] |
General characteristics [2] | |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in) |
Draught | 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in) |
Installed power | |
Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers |
Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
Complement | 4 officers, 31 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: |
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Operations: | 5 patrols |
Victories: |
SM U-81 [Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) in World War I. U-81 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. [1]
U-81 had one 10.5 cm gun with 140–240 rounds. [1] On 8 February 1917 she torpedoed Mantola 143 nautical miles (265 km; 165 mi) off Fastnet, forcing her crew and passengers to abandon her. She then shelled the drifting hulk until being chased away by the Acacia-class sloop HMS Laburnum. Mantola sank the next day. [4] [5] HMS E54 sank U-81 by torpedo west of Ireland on 1 May 1917. 31 of U-81's crew were killed; seven survived. [1]
Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-81 had a displacement of 808 tonnes (795 long tons ) when at the surface and 946 tonnes (931 long tons) while submerged. [2] She had a total length of 70.06 m (229 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 55.55 m (182 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in), a height of 8 m (26 ft 3 in), and a draught of 4.02 m (13 ft 2 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). [2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph). [2] 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 11,220 nautical miles (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-81 was fitted with four 50-centimetre (20 in) torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers). [2]
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage [Note 2] | Fate [6] |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 December 1916 | Douglas | Sweden | 1,177 | Sunk |
19 December 1916 | Nystrand | Norway | 1,397 | Sunk |
2 February 1917 | Songdal | Norway | 2,090 | Sunk |
3 February 1917 | Port Adelaide | United Kingdom | 8,181 | Sunk |
4 February 1917 | Maria | Kingdom of Italy | 992 | Sunk |
5 February 1917 | Wartenfels | United Kingdom | 4,511 | Sunk |
7 February 1917 | Gravina | United Kingdom | 1,242 | Sunk |
8 February 1917 | Mantola | United Kingdom | 8,253 | Sunk |
10 February 1917 | Netherlee | United Kingdom | 4,227 | Sunk |
12 February 1917 | Hugo Hamilton | Sweden | 2,577 | Sunk |
10 March 1917 | Algol | Norway | 988 | Sunk |
10 March 1917 | Skreien | Norway | 415 | Sunk |
13 March 1917 | Coronda | United Kingdom | 2,733 | Sunk |
14 March 1917 | Paignton | United Kingdom | 2,017 | Sunk |
18 March 1917 | Pola | United Kingdom | 3,061 | Sunk |
18 March 1917 | Trevose | United Kingdom | 3,112 | Sunk |
19 March 1917 | Alnwick Castle | United Kingdom | 5,900 | Sunk |
19 March 1917 | Frinton | United Kingdom | 4,194 | Sunk |
22 March 1917 | Attika | Norway | 2,306 | Sunk |
25 March 1917 | C. Sundt | Norway | 1,105 | Sunk |
25 March 1917 | Garant | Norway | 735 | Sunk |
25 March 1917 | Laly | Norway | 1,880 | Sunk |
24 April 1917 | Amulree | United Kingdom | 1,145 | Sunk |
25 April 1917 | Glenesk | Norway | 1,369 | Sunk |
25 April 1917 | Heathfield | United Kingdom | 1,643 | Sunk |
25 April 1917 | Invermay | United Kingdom | 1,471 | Sunk |
27 April 1917 | Uranus | Kingdom of Italy | 3,978 | Sunk |
28 April 1917 | Jose De Larrinaga | United Kingdom | 5,017 | Sunk |
28 April 1917 | Terence | United Kingdom | 4,309 | Sunk |
30 April 1917 | Elisabeth | Denmark | 217 | Damaged |
1 May 1917 | Dorie | United Kingdom | 3,264 | Damaged |
1 May 1917 | San Urbano | United Kingdom | 6,458 | Sunk |
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