Jump to content

SM UB-39

Coordinates: 50°20′N 1°20′W / 50.333°N 1.333°W / 50.333; -1.333
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from UB-39)
SM UB-45 a U-boat similar to UB-39
History
German Empire
NameUB-39
Ordered22 July 1915[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Cost1,152,000 German Papiermark[2]
Yard number263[3]
Launched29 December 1915[3]
Completed28 April 1916[3]
Commissioned29 April 1916[2]
FateSunk by mine 15 May 1917[2]
General characteristics
Class & typeType UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 274 t (270 long tons) surfaced
  • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) surfaced
  • 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph) submerged
Range
  • 6,450 nmi (11,950 km; 7,420 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 depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes42-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 21 June 1916 – 7 May 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Werner Fürbringer[4]
  • 29 April – 7 November 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Heinrich Küstner[5]
  • 8 November 1916 – 7 May 1917
Operations: 14 patrols
Victories:
  • 93 merchant ships sunk
    (89,998 GRT)
  • 4 merchant ships damaged
    (7,215 GRT)

SM UB-39[Note 1] was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I.

Design

[edit]

A Type UB II submarine, UB-39 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Körting six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 284 metric horsepower (280 shp; 209 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 6,450 nautical miles (11,950 km; 7,420 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-39 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.[2]

Construction and career

[edit]

The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 28 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 29 April 1916 as SM UB-38.

The submarine sank 93 ships in 14 patrols. UB-39 struck a mine and sank in the English Channel on 17 May 1917.[2]

Summary of raiding history

[edit]
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
10 July 1916 Staffa United Kingdom 176 Sunk
13 July 1916 Dalhousie United Kingdom 89 Sunk
13 July 1916 Florence United Kingdom 149 Sunk
13 July 1916 Mary Ann United Kingdom 5 Sunk
13 July 1916 Success United Kingdom 6 Sunk
14 July 1916 Ben Aden United Kingdom 176 Sunk
14 July 1916 Bute United Kingdom 176 Sunk
14 July 1916 Girls Friend United Kingdom 55 Sunk
14 July 1916 Langley Castle United Kingdom 93 Sunk
14 July 1916 Recorder United Kingdom 149 Sunk
1 August 1916 Braconash United Kingdom 192 Sunk
1 August 1916 Helvetia United Kingdom 167 Sunk
1 August 1916 King James United Kingdom 163 Sunk
1 August 1916 Rhodesia United Kingdom 110 Sunk
1 August 1916 Tatiana United Kingdom 285 Sunk
1 August 1916 Zeeland Netherlands 1,292 Sunk
2 August 1916 Olympia United Kingdom 221 Sunk
2 August 1916 Smiling Morn United Kingdom 126 Sunk
2 August 1916 Twiddler United Kingdom 99 Sunk
3 August 1916 Trawler Prince United Kingdom 126 Sunk
3 August 1916 Lucania United Kingdom 92 Sunk
3 August 1916 Merchant Prince United Kingdom 130 Sunk
3 August 1916 Destro United Kingdom 859 Damaged
4 August 1916 Jägersborg Denmark 1,797 Sunk
4 August 1916 Stamfordham United Kingdom 921 Sunk
5 August 1916 Egyptian Prince United Kingdom 129 Sunk
5 August 1916 St. Olive United Kingdom 202 Sunk
6 September 1916 Ancona United Kingdom 1,168 Damaged
6 September 1916 Strathtay United Kingdom 4,428 Sunk
6 September 1916 Tagus United Kingdom 937 Sunk
7 September 1916 Marguerite France 102 Sunk
7 September 1916 Alcyon France 163 Sunk
7 September 1916 Heathdene United Kingdom 3,541 Sunk
7 September 1916 Messicano Kingdom of Italy 4,065 Sunk
8 September 1916 Jeune Union France 267 Sunk
8 September 1916 Lyderhorn Norway 939 Sunk
8 September 1916 Olazarri Spain 2,585 Sunk
9 September 1916 Europe France 356 Sunk
9 September 1916 Pronto Norway 1,411 Sunk
10 September 1916 Lexie United Kingdom 3,778 Sunk
11 September 1916 Fredavore Norway 1,577 Sunk
20 October 1916 Midland United Kingdom 4,247 Sunk
20 October 1916 Secundo Norway 1,512 Sunk
21 October 1916 Hebe Denmark 775 Sunk
21 October 1916 Helga Denmark 1,182 Sunk
22 October 1916 Alix Norway 1,584 Sunk
13 November 1916 Corinth United Kingdom 3,669 Sunk
28 November 1916 Alert United Kingdom 289 Sunk
28 November 1916 Alison United Kingdom 286 Sunk
28 November 1916 Ramsgarth United Kingdom 1,553 Sunk
29 November 1916 Grace United Kingdom 135 Sunk
29 November 1916 Saint Philippe France 3,419 Sunk
30 November 1916 Nagata Maru Japan 3,521 Sunk
30 November 1916 Harald Norway 1,083 Sunk
1 December 1916 Jeanne D’arc France 205 Sunk
2 December 1916 Palacine Canada 3,286 Sunk
3 December 1916 Primevere France 143 Sunk
6 December 1916 Amicitia Norway 1,111 Sunk
7 December 1916 Bravo Spain 1,214 Sunk
8 December 1916 Rakiura Norway 3,569 Sunk
8 December 1916 Rollo Denmark 2,290 Sunk
8 December 1916 Saga Norway 433 Sunk
28 December 1916 Rouen France 1,656 Damaged
1 January 1917 Holly Branch United Kingdom 3,568 Sunk
1 January 1917 Leon France 652 Sunk
2 January 1917 Carlyle United Kingdom 466 Sunk
3 January 1917 Columbia France 34 Sunk
3 January 1917 Diamant De La Couronne I France 36 Sunk
3 January 1917 Diamant De La Couronne II France 34 Sunk
3 January 1917 Formidable France 26 Sunk
3 January 1917 Helgøy Norway 1,806 Sunk
3 January 1917 Honneur Et Devouement France 26 Sunk
3 January 1917 Jeanne Mathilde France 60 Sunk
3 January 1917 La Pensee France 30 Sunk
3 January 1917 Marie Henriette France 25 Sunk
3 January 1917 Moderne France 38 Sunk
3 January 1917 Pere Montfort France 13 Sunk
3 January 1917 Pierre Le Grand France 42 Sunk
3 January 1917 Richelieu France 25 Sunk
3 January 1917 Saint Jacques France 34 Sunk
3 January 1917 Saint Paul II France 30 Sunk
3 January 1917 Petit Emile France 60 Sunk
4 January 1917 Gabrielle Francois France 37 Sunk
5 January 1917 Allie United Kingdom 1,127 Sunk
5 January 1917 Markland Norway 1,627 Sunk
4 February 1917 Dauntless United Kingdom 2,157 Sunk
5 February 1917 Yvonne France 123 Sunk
10 February 1917 Rancagua France 2,729 Sunk
23 March 1917 Achille Adam United Kingdom 460 Sunk
23 March 1917 Clan Macmillan United Kingdom 4,525 Sunk
23 March 1917 Exchange United Kingdom 279 Sunk
23 March 1917 O. A. Knudsen Norway 3,532 Damaged
1 April 1917 Silvia United Kingdom 164 Sunk
5 April 1917 Dicto Norway 2,363 Sunk
6 April 1917 La Tour D’Auvergne France 188 Sunk
6 April 1917 Perce Neige France 141 Sunk
9 April 1917 Saint Maudez France 292 Sunk

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  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

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. ^ a b c Rössler 1979, p. 65.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Werner Fürbringer (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Küstner". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 39". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.

Bibliography

[edit]

50°20′N 1°20′W / 50.333°N 1.333°W / 50.333; -1.333