SM UB-96

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-86.

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-96.
History
German Empire
Name	UB-96
Ordered	6 / 8 February 1917 [1]
Builder	AG Vulcan, Hamburg
Cost	3,654,000 German Papiermark
Yard number	112
Launched	31 May 1918 [2]
Commissioned	3 July 1918 [2]
Fate	Surrendered 21 November 1918, broken up in 1919-20 [2]
General characteristics [2]
Class & type	Type UB III submarine
Displacement	510  t (500 long tons) surfaced 640 t (630 long tons) submerged
Length	55.52 m (182 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Beam	5.76 m (18 ft 11 in)
Draught	3.73 m (12 ft 3 in)
Propulsion	2 × propeller shaft 2 × MAN-Vulcan four-stroke 6-cylinder diesel engines, 1,085  bhp (809 kW) 2 × Siemens-Schuckert electric motors, 780  shp (580 kW)
Speed	13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) submerged
Range	7,120  nmi (13,190 km; 8,190 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 × 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun
Service record
Part of:	II Flotilla 6 October – 11 November 1918
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Walter Krastel [3] 2 July – 11 November 1918
Operations:	1 patrol
Victories:	None

SM UB-96 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 3 July 1918 as SM UB-96. ^{[Note 1]}

UB-96 was surrendered to Britain on 21 November 1918 and broken up in Bo'ness in 1919/20. ^[2]

Construction

Main article: Type UB III submarine

She was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 31 May 1918. UB-96 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Walter Krastel. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-96 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun. UB-96 would carry a crew of up to 3 officers and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,120 nautical miles (13,190 km; 8,190 mi). UB-96 had a displacement of 510  t (500 long tons) while surfaced and 640 t (630 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) when surfaced and 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) when submerged.

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.

Citations

1. Rössler 1979, p. 61.
2. Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Krastel". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 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.