SM UB-66

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-66.

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-66.
History
German Empire
Name	UB-66
Ordered	20 May 1916 [1]
Builder	Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel
Cost	3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number	284
Launched	31 May 1917 [2]
Commissioned	1 August 1917 [2]
Fate	Missing in the eastern Mediterranean after 17 January 1918
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Type UB III submarine
Displacement	513  t (505 long tons) surfaced 647 t (637 long tons) submerged
Length	55.83 m (183 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Beam	5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught	3.67 m (12 ft)
Propulsion	2 × propeller shaft 2 × MAN four-stroke 6-cylinder diesel engines, 1,085  bhp (809 kW) 2 × Siemens-Schuckert electric motors, 780  shp (580 kW)
Speed	13.2 knots (24.4 km/h; 15.2 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	9,090  nmi (16,830 km; 10,460 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 depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	3 officers, 31 men [2]
Armament	5 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) 10 torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun
Service record
Part of:	Constantinople Flotilla 28 October 1917 – 18 January 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Fritz Wernicke [3] 1 August 1917 – 18 January 1918
Operations:	2 patrols
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk (4,105  GRT)

SM UB-66 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 German Imperial Navy on 1 August 1917 as SM UB-66. ^{[Note 1]}

UB-66 went missing in the Eastern Mediterranean after 17 January 1918.

Construction

Main article: Type UB III submarine

She was built by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft of Kiel and following just under a year of construction, launched at Kiel on 31 May 1917. UB-66 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Kptlt. Fritz Wernicke. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-66 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-66 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,090 nautical miles (16,830 km; 10,460 mi). UB-66 had a displacement of 513  t (505 long tons) while surfaced and 647 t (637 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.2 knots (24.4 km/h; 15.2 mph) when surfaced and 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) when submerged.

Previously recorded fate

UB-66 was previously thought to have been depth-charged by HMS Campanula off Cap Bon, Italy on 18 January 1918. ^[2] However, UB-66 was ordered to patrol in the eastern Mediterranean before sailing to Constantinople. She refueled in Beirut on 10 January, and was sighted off Famagusta on the 12th. UB-66 received credit for sinking Windsor Hall on 17 January, therefore, UB-66 could not have been off Cap Bon the following day.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage [Note 2]	Fate [4]
19 October 1917	Martha	Denmark	412	Sunk
17 January 1918	Windsor Hall	United Kingdom	3,693	Sunk

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 1979, p. 27.
2. Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Fritz Wernicke". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 66". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 March 2015.

Bibliography

• Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN   3-8132-0713-7.
• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   0-85177-593-4.
• Rössler, Eberhard (1979). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN   3-7637-5213-7.