SM UB-52

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UB 148 at sea 2.jpeg
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-52.
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUB-52
Ordered20 May 1916 [1]
Builder Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Cost3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number297
Launched8 March 1917 [2]
Commissioned9 August 1917 [2]
FateSunk 23 May 1918 at 41°36′N18°52′E / 41.600°N 18.867°E / 41.600; 18.867 by HMS H4, all hands lost [2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type German Type UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 516  t (508 long tons) surfaced
  • 651 t (641 long tons) submerged
Length55.30 m (181 ft 5 in) (o/a)
Beam5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught3.68 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.6 knots (25.2 km/h; 15.7 mph) surfaced
  • 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,040  nmi (16,740 km; 10,400 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men [2]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer I Flotilla
  • 13 October 1917 – 23 May 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Otto Launburg
  • 9 August 1917 – 23 May 1918
Operations: 4 patrols
Victories:
  • 12 merchant ships sunk
    (41,411  GRT)
  • 5 merchant ships damaged
    (27,076  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (227  GRT)

SM UB-52 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German : Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the Pola Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 9 August 1917 as SM UB-52. [Note 1]

Contents

She operated as part of the Pola Flotilla based in Cattaro. UB-52 was sunk by torpedo on 23 May 1918 at 41°36′N18°52′E / 41.600°N 18.867°E / 41.600; 18.867 by the British submarine HMS H4 enforcing the Otranto Barrage at the southern end of the Adriatic, with all hands lost. [2]

Construction

UB-52 was ordered by the GIN on 20 May 1916. She was built by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 8 March 1917. UB-52 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Otto Launburg.

Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-52 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-52 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,040 nautical miles (16,740 km; 10,400 mi). UB-52 had a displacement of 516  t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 651 t (641 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.6 knots (25.2 km/h; 15.7 mph) when surfaced and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [3]
30 January 1918 Empress Ekaterina II Flag of Russia.svg  Russian Empire 5,545Sunk
1 February 1918 La Dives Flag of France.svg  France 2,108Sunk
4 February 1918 Maid of Harlech Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 315Sunk
4 February 1918 Sardinia Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,580Damaged
5 February 1918 HMS Rosina Ferrara Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 227Damaged
9 February 1918 Antenor Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,319Damaged
18 February 1918 Basque Flag of France.svg  France 3,261Damaged
20 February 1918 Balgray Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,603Sunk
20 February 1918 Zeno Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,890Sunk
17 March 1918 Ivydene Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,541Sunk
18 March 1918 John H. Barry Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,083Sunk
18 March 1918 Saldanha Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,594Sunk
4 April 1918 Sincerita Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 1,722Sunk
2 May 1918 Flawyl Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,592Sunk
9 May 1918 Atlantique Flag of France.svg  France 6,479Damaged
11 May 1918 Suzette Fraissinet Flag of France.svg  France 2,288Sunk
12 May 1918 Omrah Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,130Sunk
18 May 1918 Media Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,437Damaged

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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. Rössler, p.65
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB-52". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 December 2014.

Bibliography