SM UB-33

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SM UB 45.jpg
SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-33
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUB-33
Ordered22 July 1915 [1]
Builder Blohm & Voss, Hamburg [1]
Cost1,152,000 German Papiermark [2]
Yard number257 [1]
Launched5 December 1915 [1]
Completed20 April 1916 [1]
Commissioned22 April 1916 [2]
FateSunk 11 April 1918 [2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type Type UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 274  t (270 long tons) surfaced
  • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) surfaced
  • 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,030  nmi (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes42-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Baltic Flotilla
  • 22 June 1916 - 24 October 1917
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 24 October 1917 - 11 April 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt. Herbert Lefholz
  • 22 April 1916 – 30 January 1917
  • Oblt. Waldemar von Fischer
  • 1 February – 21 March 1917
  • Oblt. Karl Ruprecht
  • 22 March – 16 September 1917
  • Oblt. Fritz Gregor
  • 17 September 1917 – 11 April 1918
Operations: 17 patrols
Victories:
  • 13 merchant ships sunk
    (5,390  GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (6,575  GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships taken as prize
    (1,527  GRT)

SM UB-33 [Note 1] was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German : Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 5 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 April 1916 as SM UB-33.

Contents

The submarine sank thirteen ships, damaged two others, and took a further three as prizes in seventeen patrols. [3]

Design

A Type UB II submarine, UB-33 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 270 metric horsepower (270 shp; 200 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft). [2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,030 nautical miles (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-33 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time. [2]

Fate

UB-33 was mined and sunk around the Varne Bank on 11 April 1918. [4] The wreck of UB-33 lies 77 feet (23 m) below the surface of the water. The amount of clearance between the submarine and ships' keels passing directly overhead is very small, making it a risk for the heavy cross-channel ship traffic in the area. The wreck is officially classified as a war grave and therefore it cannot be deliberately destroyed.

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [3]
8 June 1917 Kragrö Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 550Captured as prize
9 June 1917 Götha Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 720Captured as prize
13 June 1917 Gertie Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 257Captured as prize
1 January 1918 Genesse Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,892Damaged
8 February 1918 Kia Ora Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 99Sunk
16 February 1918 Pikepool Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,683Damaged
16 February 1918 Commander Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 58Sunk
17 February 1918 Northville Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,472Sunk
19 February 1918 Commandant Baratier Flag of France.svg  France 324Sunk
20 February 1918 Snow Drop Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 40Sunk
21 February 1918 Idalia Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 23Sunk
21 February 1918 Irex Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 16Sunk
21 February 1918 Leonora Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 26Sunk
21 February 1918 Oryx Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 38Sunk
21 February 1918 Rosebud Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 44Sunk
14 March 1918 Carla Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,668Sunk
15 March 1918 Sparkling Foam Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 199Sunk
8 April 1918 Nyassaland Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 383Sunk

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SM <i>UB-56</i> German submarine

SM UB-56 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was commissioned into the Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 19 July 1917 as SM UB-56.

SM <i>UB-58</i>

SM UB-58 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was commissioned into the Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 10 August 1917 as SM UB-58.

SM <i>UB-72</i>

SM UB-72 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 9 September 1917 as SM UB-72.

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 5 Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 33". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 33". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.

Bibliography

50°56′N1°17′E / 50.933°N 1.283°E / 50.933; 1.283

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