SM U-85
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire
| |
| Name: | U-85 |
| Ordered: | 23 June 1915 |
| Builder: | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number: | 255 |
| Laid down: | 29 November 1915 |
| Launched: | 22 August 1916 |
| Commissioned: | 23 October 1916 |
| Fate: | Foundered in North Sea after 7 March 1917, 38 dead (all hands lost).[1] |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: |
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| Beam: |
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| Height: | 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in) |
| Draught: | 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in) |
| Installed power: | |
| Propulsion: | 2 shafts, 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers |
| Speed: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 50 m (164 ft 1 in) |
| Complement: | 4 officers, 31 enlisted |
| Armament: |
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| Service record | |
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| Commanders: |
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| Operations: | 2 patrols |
| Victories: | |
SM U-85 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]
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
German 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] It had a total length of 229 ft 10 in (70.05 m), a pressure hull length of 182 ft 3 in (55.55 m), a beam of 20 ft 8 in (6.30 m), a height of 26 ft 3 in (8.00 m), and a draught of 13 ft 2 in (4.01 m). 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. It had two 1.7 m (5.6 ft) propeller shafts. It 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, it could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, it could travel 11,220 nautical miles (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). U-85 was fitted with six 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 10.5 centimetres (4.1 in) deck machine gun (from 1917). It had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers).[2]
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 January 1917 | Dicax |  Norway |
923 | Sunk |
| 6 February 1917 | Cliftonian |  United Kingdom |
4,303 | Sunk |
| 6 February 1917 | Explorer | United Kingdom |
7,608 | Damaged |
| 7 February 1917 | California | United Kingdom |
8,669 | Sunk |
| 7 February 1917 | Vedamore | United Kingdom |
6,330 | Sunk |
References
- 1 2 3 4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 85". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 12-14.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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
- 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.