SM U-85

Last updated

History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameU-85
Ordered23 June 1915
Builder Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number255
Laid down29 November 1915
Launched22 August 1916
Commissioned23 October 1916
FateFoundered in North Sea after 7 March 1917, 38 dead (all hands lost). [1]
General characteristics [2]
Displacement
  • 808  t (795 long tons) surfaced
  • 946 t (931 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (oa)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.00 m (26 ft 3 in)
Draught4.02 m (13 ft 2 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,400  PS (1,765  kW; 2,367  shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers
Speed
  • 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) surfaced
  • 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 11,220  nmi (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement4 officers, 31 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 15 January – 12 March 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Willy Petz [3]
  • 23 October 1916 – 12 March 1917
Operations: 3 patrols
Victories:
  • 4 merchant ships sunk
    (20,225  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (7,608  GRT) [1]

SM U-85 [Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-85 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. [1]

Contents

Initially, U-81 to U-83 had one 10.5 cm gun with 140-240 rounds. U-84 - U-86 on the other hand had two 8.8 cm guns. In 1917, U-84 - U-86 were refitted with a single 10.5 cm gun (240 rounds) [1]

Design

Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-85 had a displacement of 808 tonnes (795 long tons) when at the surface and 946 tonnes (931 long tons) while submerged. [2] She had a total length of 70.06 m (229 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 55.55 m (182 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in), a height of 8 m (26 ft 3 in), and a draught of 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft). [2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph). [2] When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,220 nautical miles (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-85 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (two at the bow and two at the stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun (from 1917). She had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers). [2]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [4]
26 January 1917 Dicax Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 923Sunk
6 February 1917 Cliftonian Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,303Sunk
6 February 1917 Explorer Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,608Damaged
7 February 1917 California Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,669Sunk
7 February 1917 Vedamore Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,330Sunk

Related Research Articles

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 UC-17 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She was ordered on 29 August 1915 and launched on 29 February 1916. She was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 21 July 1916 as SM UC-17.

SM UC-20 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 1 April 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 7 September 1916 as SM UC-20. In 13 patrols UC-20 was credited with sinking 21 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-20 was surrendered on 16 January 1919 and broken up at Preston in 1919–20.

SM UC-23 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 29 February 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 July 1916 as SM UC-23. In 17 patrols UC-23 was credited with sinking 46 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-23 was surrendered at Sevastopol on 25 November 1918 and broken up at Bizerta in August 1921.

SM UC-64 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916, laid down on 3 April 1916, and was launched on 23 January 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 February 1917 as SM UC-64. In 15 patrols UC-64 was credited with sinking 26 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-64 was mined and sunk in the Dover Strait on 20 June 1918.

SM UC-79 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I.

SM U-82 was a Type U 81 U-boat of the Imperial German Navy during World War I.

SM U-75 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-75 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. On her first mission, U-75 laid the mine that sank the cruiser HMS Hampshire during her voyage to Russia carrying British Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener. The cruiser sank at 59°07′N03°24′W west of the Orkney Islands with nearly total loss of life in a force 9 gale.

SM U-76 was a Type UE 1 submarine and one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-76 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM U-80 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-80 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM U-81 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-81 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM U-84 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-84 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM U-87 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-87 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. She sank some 22 merchant vessels before 25 December 1917, when HMS Buttercup rammed U-87 in the Irish Sea and depth-charged her. Then the P-class sloop P.56 sank her. U-87's entire crew of 44 were lost.

SM U-88 was a Type U 87 submarine built for the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-88 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM U-89 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-89 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. On 12 February 1918, U-89 was rammed and sunk by HMS Roxburgh off Malin Head. There were no survivors.

SM U-91 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-91 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM U-97 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-97 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. The German unit sank by accident on her way to surrender at position 53°25′N3°10′E.

SM U-98 was a Type U 93 submarine and one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-98 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM U-107 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-107 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM U-113 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-113 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

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 3 4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 85". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Willy Petz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 85". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.