SM U-82

Last updated
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameU-82
Ordered23 June 1915
Builder Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number252
Laid down31 August 1915
Launched1 July 1916
Commissioned16 September 1916
Fate16 January 1919 – Surrendered. Broken up at Blyth in 1919–20.
General characteristics [1]
Displacement
  • 808 t (795 long tons) surfaced
  • 946 t (931 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (oa)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.00 m (26 ft 3 in)
Draught4.02 m (13 ft 2 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 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers
Speed
  • 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) surfaced
  • 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 11,220  nmi (20,780 km; 12,910 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, 31 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 21 November 1916 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hans Adam [2]
  • 16 September 1916 – 29 April 1918
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Middendorf [3]
  • 30 April – 11 November 1918
Operations: 11 patrols
Victories:
  • 34 merchant ships sunk
    (98,091  GRT)
  • 2 auxiliary warships sunk
    (10,219  GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (14,542  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (18,372  GRT)

SM U-82 was a Type U 81 U-boat of the Imperial German Navy during World War I.

Contents

She was launched on 1 July 1916 and commissioned on 16 September 1916 under Hans Adam. She was assigned to IV Flotilla on 21 November 1916, serving with them throughout the war. She carried out 11 patrols during the war, commanded from 30 April 1918 by Heinrich Middendorff. SM U-82 sank 36 ships for a total of 110,160  gross register tons  (GRT), and damaging a further three ships for 32,914 tons. Among the ships she damaged was the USS Mount Vernon, the former SS Kronprinzessin Cecilie. At 18,372 tons she was one of the largest ships to be hit by a U-boat during the war. [4]

She was surrendered to the British on 16 January 1919 under the terms of the armistice, and was broken up at Blyth between 1919 and 1920.

Design

German Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-82 had a displacement of 808 tonnes (795 long tons) when at the surface and 946 tonnes (931 long tons) while submerged. [1] 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). [1]

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). [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 11,220 nautical miles (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-82 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (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). [1]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [5]
5 December 1916 Dorit Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 242Sunk
5 December 1916 Ella Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 879Sunk
6 December 1916 Christine Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 196Sunk
6 December 1916 Robert Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 353Sunk
10 December 1916 Gerda Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 287Sunk
2 January 1917 Omnium Flag of France.svg  France 8,719Sunk
3 January 1917 Viking Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 761Sunk
4 January 1917 Calabro Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 1,925Sunk
5 January 1917 Ebro Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1,028Sunk
6 January 1917 Beaufront Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,720Sunk
23 April 1917 Marita Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,759Sunk
24 April 1917 Thistleard Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,136Sunk
25 April 1917 Hackensack Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,060Sunk
4 May 1917 Ellin Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece 4,577Damaged
11 June 1917 HMS Zylpha Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 2,917Sunk
13 June 1917 Storegut Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2,557Sunk
14 June 1917 Ortolan Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,727Sunk
14 June 1917 Taplow Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,981Sunk
15 June 1917 Albertine Beatrice Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1,379Sunk
15 June 1917 Westonby Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,795Sunk
16 June 1917 Jessie Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,256Sunk
18 June 1917 Thistledhu Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,026Sunk
25 July 1917 Monkstone Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,097Sunk
31 July 1917 Orubian Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,876Sunk
31 July 1917 HMS Quernmore Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 7,302Sunk
19 September 1917 Saint Ronald Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,387Sunk
15 November 1917 De Dollart Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 243Sunk
19 February 1918 Glencarron Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,117Sunk
19 February 1918 Philadelphian Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,165Sunk
8 April 1918 Tainui Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,965Damaged
10 April 1918 Westfield Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,453Sunk
5 June 1918 Argonaut Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 4,826Sunk
7 June 1918 Brisk Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,662Sunk
8 June 1918 Hunsgrove Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,063Sunk
8 June 1918 Saima Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,147Sunk
4 September 1918 Dora Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,037Sunk
5 September 1918 USS Mount Vernon Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 18,372Damaged
12 September 1918 Galway Castle Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,988Sunk
16 September 1918 Madryn Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,244Sunk

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References

Notes

  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Adam (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Middendorf". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 82". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 82". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.

Bibliography