Type UB II submarine

	SM UB-45
Class overview
Builders	AG Weser, Bremen ; Blohm & Voss, Hamburg ;
Operators	Imperial German Navy ; French Navy ;
Preceded by	UB I
Succeeded by	UB III
Built	1915–1916
In commission	1915–1931
Completed	30
Active	0
Lost	20
Preserved	1 (UB-46 was salvaged)
General characteristics
Displacement	263–279 t (259–275 long tons) surfaced; 292–305 t (287–300 long tons) submerged;
Length	36.13–36.90 m (118 ft 6 in – 121 ft 1 in) (o/a)
Beam	4.36 m (14 ft 4 in)
Draught	3.66–3.75 m (12 ft 0 in – 12 ft 4 in)
Installed power	Körting, Daimler or Benz diesel engines, 270–284 PS (199–209 kW; 266–280 bhp); Siemens-Schuckert electric motor, 280 PS (206 kW; 276 shp);
Propulsion	1 shaft, 1 1.15 m (3 ft 9 in) propeller
Speed	8.82–9.15 knots (16.33–16.95 km/h; 10.15–10.53 mph) surfaced; 5.71–6.22 knots (10.57–11.52 km/h; 6.57–7.16 mph) submerged;
Range	6,450–7,200 nmi (11,950–13,330 km; 7,420–8,290 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 depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	2 officers, 21 men
Armament	2 × 50 cm (19.69 in) bow torpedo tubes ; 2 external stern tubes fitted in some boats; 1 × 5 cm (1.97 in) or 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun ;

Last updated June 26, 2024

The UB II type submarine was a class of U-boat built during World War I by the German Imperial Navy. They were enlarged from the preceding type UB I and were more effective vessels. The boats were a single hull design with a 50-metre maximum diving depth and a 30-45 second diving time. In 1915 and 1916, 30 were built at two different shipyards.^[2]

Design

The design of type UB II addressed many of the problems apparent in the preceding type UB I class. The UB II boats featured a two-shaft drive with a much larger battery capacity and larger engines. Storage batteries were placed forward of the central diving tanks to compensate for the much heavier engine installation.^[3]

The armament of the type UB II consisted of 50 cm G torpedoes launched from two bow tubes. The torpedo tubes were installed one above the other to allow for a bow design that would create optimal surface efficiency. A 5 cm gun was provided on the deck for surface use.^[3]

The weight of the boat was increased to 270 tons of surface displacement to accommodate these improvements. Saddle tanks were fitted to the sides of the pressure hull to allow greater fuel storage area.^[3]

List of Type UB II submarines

There were 30 Type UB II submarines commissioned into the German Imperial Navy.

SM UB-18 - Mined December 1917
SM UB-19 - Sunk by Q-ship Penshurst November 1916
SM UB-20 - Sunk by aircraft July 1917
SM UB-21 - Foundered on way to breakers 1920
SM UB-22 - Mined January 1918
SM UB-23 - Broken up 1921
SM UB-24 - Broken up 1921
SM UB-25 - Broken up 1922
SM UB-26 - Sunk and raised by French Navy repaired as Roland Morillot BU 1931
SM UB-27 - Sunk by HMS Halcyon July 1917
SM UB-28 - Broken up 1919
SM UB-29 - Previously thought being sunk by HMS Landrail, but possibly mined December 1916 (wreck discovered in 2017, which contradicts the credit to HMS Landrail.
SM UB-30 - Sunk by HM trawler John Gillman August 1918
SM UB-31 - Sunk by ASW drifter May 1918
SM UB-32 - Sunk by aircraft September 1917
SM UB-33 - Mined April 1918
SM UB-34 - Broken up 1922
SM UB-35 - Sunk by HMS Leven January 1918
SM UB-36 - Rammed and sunk by SS Molière May 1917
SM UB-37 - Sunk by Q-ship Penshurst January 1917
SM UB-38 - Mined February 1918
SM UB-39 - Mined May 1917
SM UB-40 - Scuttled October 1918
SM UB-41 - Broken up 1920
SM UB-42 - Broken up 1919
SM UB-43 - Broken up 1919
SM UB-44 - Sunk by British surface ships August 1916
SM UB-45 - Mined 1916
SM UB-46 - Mined 1916. Wreck raised in 1993 and put on display in Çanakkale Turkey.
SM UB-47 - Broken up 1919

Notes

Related Research Articles

SM UB-81 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 18 September 1917 as SM UB-81.

SM UB-18 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 21 August 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 11 December 1915 as SM UB-18. The submarine sank 128 ships in 31 patrols for a total of 130,841 GRT and 725 tons, making her the 17th most successful U-boat in both world wars. UB-18 was rammed by the trawler Ben Lawer and sunk in the English Channel at 49°17′N5°47′W on 9 December 1917.

SM UB-19 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 2 September 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 16 December 1915 as SM UB-19. The submarine sank 13 ships in 15 patrols for a total of 10,040 gross register tons (GRT). UB-19 was sunk in the English Channel at 49°56′N2°45′W on 30 November 1916 by British Q ship HMS Penshurst.

SM UB-20 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 26 September 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 10 February 1916 as SM UB-20. The submarine sank 13 ships in 15 patrols for a total of 10,230 gross register tons (GRT). UB-20 was mined and sunk on 28 July 1917 at 51°21′N2°38′E. Fifteen crew members died in the event.

SM UB-23 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 9 October 1915. She was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 13 March 1916 as SM UB-23. The submarine sank 51 ships in 21 patrols for a total of 33,880 gross register tons (GRT). On 26 July 1917, UB-23 was badly damaged by a depth charge attack by HMS PC-60 off the Lizard; she put in at Corunna, Spain, on 29 July 1917 and was interned. On 22 January 1919 she was surrendered to France in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany, and she was broken up in Cherbourg in July 1921.

SM UB-29 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 31 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 January 1916 as SM UB-29.

SM UB-27 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 10 February 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 23 February 1916 as SM UB-27. UB-27 sank 11 ships in 17 patrols for a total of 18,091 gross register tons (GRT).

SM UB-30 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 16 November 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 March 1916 as SM UB-30.

SM UB-31 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 16 November 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 25 March 1916 as SM UB-31.

SM UB-34 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy 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 10 June 1916 as SM UB-34.

SM UB-35 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 28 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 June 1916 as SM UB-35.

SM UB-36 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 15 January 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 May 1916 as SM UB-36.

SM UB-37 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 28 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 June 1916 as SM UB-37.

SM UB-68 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 May 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 5 October 1917 as SM UB-68. The submarine conducted five patrols and sank five ships during the war. Under the command of Karl Dönitz, on 4 October 1918 UB-68 encountered technical problems and had to surface where she was sunk by gunfire at 33°56′N16°20′E. There was one dead and thirty-three survivors. Other sources name the British warships involved in the sinking of UB-68 as HMS Snapdragon and HMS Cradosin, and claim four crew members died in the event.

SM UB-107 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 16 February 1918 as SM UB-107.

SM UB-49 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 28 June 1917 as SM UB-49.

SM UB-52 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was commissioned into the Pola Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 9 August 1917 as SM UB-52.

SM UB-54 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 12 June 1917 as SM UB-54.

SM UB-63 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 23 July 1917 as SM UB-63.

SM UB-74 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 24 October 1917 as SM UB-74.

References

↑ Bendert 2000, p. 9.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat Types: Type UB II". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
1 2 3 Rossler 1975, p. 50.

Bibliography

Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal. Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.
Rossler, Eberhard (1975). The U-boat: The evolution and technical history of German Submarines. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. p. 50. ISBN 0-87021-966-9.

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[FOOTNOTEBendert20009-1] Bendert 2000, p. 9.

[2] Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat Types: Type UB II". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.

[FOOTNOTERossler197550-3] 1 2 3 Rossler 1975, p. 50.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e German Type UB II submarines
UB-18 UB-19 UB-20 UB-21 UB-22 UB-23 UB-24 UB-25 UB-26 UB-27 UB-28 UB-29 UB-30 UB-31 UB-32 UB-33 UB-34 UB-35 UB-36 UB-37 UB-38 UB-39 UB-40 UB-41 UB-42 UB-43 UB-44 UB-45 UB-46 UB-47
Preceded by: Type UB I Followed by: Type UB III
List of U-boats of Germany

v t e German naval ship classes of World War I
Dreadnought battleships	Nassau Helgoland Kaiser König Bayern L 20e α ^X
Pre-dreadnought battleships	Brandenburg Kaiser Friedrich III Wittelsbach Braunschweig Deutschland
Battlecruisers	SMS Von der Tann ^S Moltke SMS Seydlitz ^S Derfflinger Mackensen ^X Ersatz Yorck ^X
Armored cruisers	SMS Fürst Bismarck ^S SMS Prinz Heinrich ^S Prinz Adalbert Roon Scharnhorst SMS Blücher ^S
Light cruisers	SMS Hela ^S Gazelle Bremen Königsberg Dresden Nautilus Kolberg Magdeburg Karlsruhe Graudenz Pillau Wiesbaden Königsberg Brummer Cöln FK proposals ^X
Protected cruisers	SMS Kaiserin Augusta ^S Victoria Louise
Large torpedo boats	1898 1906 1911 1913 1914 G101 ^A V105 ^N 1916 1916M 1917 1918 ^X
Small / Coastal torpedo boats	S7 A
Aircraft carriers	"I" ^X
Coastal defense ships	Siegfried Odin
U-boats	U 1 U 2 U 3 U 5 U 9 U 13 U 16 U 17 U 19 U 23 U 27 U 31 U 43 U 51 U 57 U 63 U 66 U 81 U 87 U 93 U 115 ^X U 127 U 131 ^X U 135 U 139 U 142 U 151 UA UB I UB II UB III UC I UC II UC III UD 1 ^X UE I UE II UF ^X UG ^X
S Single ship of class X Cancelled V Conversions A Building for Argentina when seized N Building for the Netherlands when seized See also: List of ships of the Imperial German Navy

Class overview
SM UB-45
Builders	AG Weser, Bremen Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Operators	Imperial German Navy French Navy
Preceded by	UB I
Succeeded by	UB III
Built	1915–1916
In commission	1915–1931
Completed	30
Active	0
Lost	20^[1]
Preserved	1 (UB-46 was salvaged)
General characteristics
Displacement	263–279 t (259–275 long tons) surfaced 292–305 t (287–300 long tons) submerged
Length	36.13–36.90 m (118 ft 6 in – 121 ft 1 in) (o/a)
Beam	4.36 m (14 ft 4 in)
Draught	3.66–3.75 m (12 ft 0 in – 12 ft 4 in)
Installed power	Körting, Daimler or Benz diesel engines, 270–284 PS (199–209 kW; 266–280 bhp) Siemens-Schuckert electric motor, 280 PS (206 kW; 276 shp)
Propulsion	1 shaft, 1 1.15 m (3 ft 9 in) propeller
Speed	8.82–9.15 knots (16.33–16.95 km/h; 10.15–10.53 mph) surfaced 5.71–6.22 knots (10.57–11.52 km/h; 6.57–7.16 mph) submerged
Range	6,450–7,200 nmi (11,950–13,330 km; 7,420–8,290 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 depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	2 officers, 21 men
Armament	2 × 50 cm (19.69 in) bow torpedo tubes 2 external stern tubes fitted in some boats 1 × 5 cm (1.97 in) or 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun