SM U-140

History
German Empire
Name:	U-140
Ordered:	1 August 1916
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number:	301
Launched:	4 November 1917
Commissioned:	28 March 1918
In service:	28 March 1918 – 11 November 1918
Fate:	Surrendered to the United States on 23 February 1919. Used for testing and sunk by the US destroyer Dickerson at Cape Charles on 22 July 1921.
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:	German Type U 139 submarine
Displacement:	1,930 t (1,900 long tons) surfaced 2,483 t (2,444 long tons) submerged
Length:	92.00 m (301 ft 10 in) (o/a) 71.50 m (234 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Beam:	9.12 m (29 ft 11 in) (o/a) 5.75 m (18 ft 10 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	5.27 m (17 ft 3 in)
Draught:	11.20 m (36 ft 9 in)
Installed power:	2 × 3,500 PS (2,574 kW; 3,452 shp) 2 × 450 PS (331 kW; 444 shp) surfaced 2 × 1,780 PS (1,309 kW; 1,756 shp) submerged
Propulsion:	2 shafts, 2 × 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) propellers
Speed:	15.8 knots (29.3 km/h; 18.2 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:	17,750 nmi (32,870 km; 20,430 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 53 nmi (98 km; 61 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph) submerged
Test depth:	75 m (246 ft 1 in)
Complement:	6 (1) officers, 56 (20) enlisted – (prize crew)
Armament:	6 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) 19-24 torpedoes 2 × 15 cm (5.9 in) deck guns 2 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck guns
Service record[2]
Part of:	U-Kreuzer Flotilla unknown start – 11 November 1918
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Waldemar Kophamel 28 March – 11 November 1918
Operations:	1 patrol
Victories:	7 merchant ships sunk (30,004 GRT) 1 Coast Guard ship sunk (590 tons)

SM U-140 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-140 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. ^[2]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate[3]
27 July 1918	Porto	Portugal	1,079	Sunk
2 August 1918	Tokuyama Maru	Japan	7,029	Sunk
4 August 1918	O. B. Jennings	United States	10,289	Sunk
5 August 1918	Stanley M. Seaman	United States	1,060	Sunk
6 August 1918	Diamond Shoals LV71	United States Coast Guard	590	Sunk
6 August 1918	Merak	United States	3,024	Sunk
21 August 1918	Diomed	United Kingdom	7,523	Sunk

References

1. Gröner 1991, pp. 19-21.
2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 140". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 140". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.

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.