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-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-66.
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History | |
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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 | Sunk by depth charges 18 January 1918 at 38°30′N 24°25′E / 38.500°N 24.417°E by a British warship[2] |
General characteristics [2] | |
Class and type | Type UB III submarine |
Displacement | |
Length | 55.83 m (183 ft 2 in) (o/a) |
Beam | 5.80 m (19 ft) |
Draught | 3.67 m (12 ft) |
Propulsion |
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Speed |
|
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: | 2 patrols |
Victories: |
2 merchant ships sunk (4,105 GRT) |
UB-66 was sunk by HMS Campanula at 38°30′N 24°25′E / 38.500°N 24.417°E on 18 January 1918, 30 crew members died in the event.[2]
Construction
editShe 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.
Summary of raiding history
editDate | 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
editNotes
edit- ^ "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
edit- ^ Rössler 1979, p. 27.
- ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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
edit- 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.