SM UB-117
 UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-117. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name: | UB-117 |
| Ordered: | 6/8 February 1917[1] |
| Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Cost: | 3,714,000 German Papiermark |
| Yard number: | 323 |
| Launched: | 21 November 1917[2] |
| Commissioned: | 6 May 1918[2] |
| Fate: | Surrendered 26 November 1918, broken up in 1919/20.[2] |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Class and type: | German Type UB III submarine |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 55.30 m (181 ft 5 in) (o/a) |
| Beam: | 5.80 m (19.0 ft) |
| Draught: | 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement: | 3 officers, 31 men[2] |
| Armament: |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Commanders: |
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| Operations: | 3 patrols |
| Victories: | 5 merchant ships sunk (9,342 GRT) |
SM UB-117 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the Imperial German Navy during World War I. She was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 6 May 1918 as SM UB-117.[Note 1]
UB-117 was surrendered to the British on 26 November 1918 and broken up in Felixstowe in 1919/20.[2]
Construction
She was built by Blohm & Voss of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 21 November 1917. UB-117 was commissioned in the spring the next year under the command of Kptlt. Erwin Waßner. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-117 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun. UB-117 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,420 nautical miles (13,740 km; 8,540 mi). UB-117 had a displacement of 519 t (511 long tons) while surfaced and 649 t (639 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) when surfaced and 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) when submerged.
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 September 1918 | Acadian |  United Kingdom |
2,305 | Sunk |
| 17 September 1918 | Lavernock | United Kingdom |
2,406 | Sunk |
| 18 September 1918 | Buffalo |  France |
2,359 | Sunk |
| 18 September 1918 | John O. Scott | United Kingdom |
1,235 | Sunk |
| 18 September 1918 | Primo | United Kingdom |
1,037 | Sunk |
References
Notes
- ↑ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ↑ Tonnages are in gross register tons
Citations
- ↑ Rössler 1979, p. 66.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gröner 1991, pp. 25-30.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erwin Waßner (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 117". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
Bibliography
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 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 (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.
- Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 – 1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German). I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.