SM UB-38

Last updated
SM UB 45.jpg
SM UB-45 a U-boat similar to UB-38
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUB-38
Ordered22 July 1915 [1]
Builder Blohm & Voss, Hamburg [1]
Cost1,152,000 German Papiermark [2]
Yard number262 [3]
Launched1 April 1916 [3]
Completed18 July 1916 [3]
Commissioned19 July 1916 [2]
FateSunk by mine 8 February 1918 [2]
General characteristics
Class & 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
  • 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) surfaced
  • 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph) submerged
Range
  • 6,450  nmi (11,950 km; 7,420 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
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 11 September 1916 – 8 February 1918
Commanders
  • Kptlt. Erwin Waßner [4]
  • 10 September – 18 November 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Wilhelm Amberger [5]
  • 19 November 1916 – 5 December 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Waldemar von Fischer [6]
  • 6 – 24 December 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Günther Bachmann [7]
  • 25 December 1917 – 8 February 1918
Operations21 patrols
Victories
  • 47 merchant ships sunk
    (47,476  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (4,577  GRT)

SM UB-38 [Note 1] was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German : Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I.

Contents

Design

A Type UB II submarine, UB-38 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 Körting six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 284 metric horsepower (280 shp; 209 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 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 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 6,450 nautical miles (11,950 km; 7,420 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-38 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]

Construction and career

The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 1 April 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 19 July 1916 as SM UB-38.

The submarine sank 47 ships in 21 patrols. UB-38 struck a mine and sank in the English Channel on 8 February 1918. [2]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [8]
30 September 1916 Irma Flag of France.svg France 844Sunk
30 September 1916 Pearl Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 144Sunk
1 October 1916 Le Pelerin Flag of France.svg France 31Sunk
1 October 1916 Cap Mazagan Flag of France.svg France 789Sunk
1 October 1916 Le Blavet Flag of France.svg France 1,010Sunk
1 October 1916 Mallin Flag of Norway.svg Norway 468Sunk
1 October 1916 Musette Flag of France.svg France 245Sunk
3 October 1916 La Fraternite Flag of France.svg France 477Sunk
4 October 1916 Cantatrice Flag of France.svg France 109Sunk
5 October 1916 Cederic Flag of Norway.svg Norway 1,129Sunk
5 October 1916 Rosenvold Flag of Norway.svg Norway 758Sunk
13 November 1916 Bernicia Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 957Sunk
13 November 1916 Caterham Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 1,912Sunk
13 November 1916 Riquette Flag of France.svg France 164Sunk
13 November 1916 Saint Nicolas Flag of France.svg France 261Sunk
14 November 1916 Polpedn Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 1,510Sunk
14 November 1916 Professeur Jalaguier Flag of France.svg France 223Sunk
14 November 1916 Ullvang Flag of Norway.svg Norway 639Sunk
12 December 1916 Coath Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 975Sunk
12 December 1916 Conrad Government Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 164Sunk
15 December 1916 Naiad Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 1,907Sunk
17 December 1916 Ason Flag of Spain.svg Spain 2,083Sunk
19 December 1916 Ocean Flag of France.svg France 339Sunk
15 January 1917 Independent Flag of France.svg France 153Sunk
16 January 1917 Manuel Flag of Spain.svg Spain 2,419Sunk
18 January 1917 Asp Flag of Norway.svg Norway 1,759Sunk
19 January 1917 Lillian H. Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 467Sunk
11 February 1917 Dalmata Flag of Norway.svg Norway 1,773Sunk
11 April 1917 Precedent Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 36Sunk
12 April 1917 Lismore Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 1,305Sunk
13 April 1917 Maria Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 175Sunk
26 April 1917 Kong Oscar II Flag of Norway.svg Norway 842Sunk
27 April 1917 Jessie Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 108Sunk
1 May 1917 Ladywood Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 2,314Sunk
4 May 1917 Aghios Nikolaos Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Greece 2,231Sunk
4 May 1917 Assos Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Greece 2,840Sunk
4 May 1917 Joseph Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 205Sunk
24 May 1917 Gudrun Flag of Norway.svg Norway 1,472Sunk
24 May 1917 Thyra Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark 285Sunk
20 August 1917 Claverley Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 3,829Sunk
26 August 1917 W. H. Dwyer Canadian Red Ensign (1868-1921).svg Canada 1,770Sunk
15 September 1917 Dependence Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 120Sunk
21 September 1917 Aline Montreuil Flag of France.svg France 1,624Sunk
19 October 1917 Teespool Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 4,577Damaged
20 October 1917 Algarve Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 1,274Sunk
13 December 1917 Ottokar Government Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 957Sunk
5 January 1918 Birtley Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 1,438Sunk
3 February 1918 Lofoten Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 942Sunk

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 Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. 1 2 3 Rössler 1979, p. 65.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erwin Waßner (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Amberger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Waldemar von Fischer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Günther Bachmann". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 38". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.

Bibliography

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