SM U-97

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-97.
History
German Empire
Name: U-97
Ordered: 15 September 1915
Builder: Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number: 261
Laid down: 25 March 1916
Launched: 4 April 1917
Commissioned: 16 May 1917
Status: Sank 21 November 1918 en route to surrender
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: German Type U 93 submarine
Displacement:
  • 837 t (824 long tons) surfaced
  • 998 t (982 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (o/a)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught: 3.94 m (12 ft 11 in)
Installed power:
  • 2 × 2,300 PS (1,692 kW; 2,269 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion: 2 shafts, 2 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers
Speed:
  • 16.9 knots (31.3 km/h; 19.4 mph) surfaced
  • 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 8,290 nmi (15,350 km; 9,540 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 47 nmi (87 km; 54 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement: 4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament:
  • 6 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern)
  • 12–16 torpedoes
  • 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) deck gun
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hugo Schmidt[2]
  • 15 May 1917 – 13 October 1917
  • Kptlt. Otto Wünsche[3]
  • 14 October 1917 – 12 January 1918
  • Kptlt. Hans von Mohl[4]
  • 13 January – 11 November 1918
Operations: 5 patrols
Victories:
  • 4 merchant ships sunk (2,089 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged (4,785 GRT)

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.[5] The German unit sank by accident on her way to surrender at position 53°25′N 3°10′E / 53.417°N 3.167°E / 53.417; 3.167Coordinates: 53°25′N 3°10′E / 53.417°N 3.167°E / 53.417; 3.167.

Design

German Type U 93 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 87 submarines. U-97 had a displacement of 838 tonnes (825 long tons) when at the surface and 1,000 tonnes (980 long tons) while submerged.[1] It had a total length of 234 ft 9 in (71.55 m), a pressure hull length of 183 ft 11 in (56.06 m), a beam of 20 ft 8 in (6.30 m), and a draught of 12 ft 11 in (3.94 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 propeller shafts and two 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers. It was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph).[1] When submerged, it could operate for 52 nautical miles (96 km; 60 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, it could travel 9,020 nautical miles (16,710 km; 10,380 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-97 was fitted with six 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (four at the bow and two at the stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 8.8 centimetres (3.5 in) deck machine gun. It had a complement of thirty-six (thirty-two crew members and four officers).[1]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)
Fate[6]
22 November 1917 Conovium  United Kingdom 86 Sunk
22 November 1917 Elsena  United Kingdom 335 Sunk
22 November 1917 Hartland  United Kingdom 4,785 Damaged
11 February 1918 HMS Westphalia  Royal Navy 1,467 Sunk
2 June 1918 Argus  Denmark 201 Sunk

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 12-14.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hugo Schmidt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Wünsche (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans von Mohl". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 97". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 97". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

Bibliography

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