SM U-85

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History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameU-85
Ordered23 June 1915
Builder Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number255
Laid down29 November 1915
Launched22 August 1916
Commissioned23 October 1916
FateFoundered in North Sea after 7 March 1917, 38 dead (all hands lost). [1]
General characteristics [2]
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
  • 15 January – 12 March 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Willy Petz [3]
  • 23 October 1916 – 12 March 1917
Operations: 3 patrols
Victories:
  • 4 merchant ships sunk
    (20,225  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (7,608  GRT) [1]

SM U-85 [Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-85 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. [1]

Contents

Initially, U-81 to U-83 had one 10.5 cm gun with 140-240 rounds. U-84 - U-86 on the other hand had two 8.8 cm guns. In 1917, U-84 - U-86 were refitted with a single 10.5 cm gun (240 rounds) [1]

Design

Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-85 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-85 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (two at the bow and two at the stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun (from 1917). She had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers). [2]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [4]
26 January 1917 Dicax Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 923Sunk
6 February 1917 Cliftonian Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,303Sunk
6 February 1917 Explorer Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,608Damaged
7 February 1917 California Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,669Sunk
7 February 1917 Vedamore Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,330Sunk

Related Research Articles

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References

Notes

  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.
  2. ↑ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 85". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Willy Petz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 85". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

Bibliography

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