SM U-90
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire
| |
| Name: | U-90 |
| Ordered: | 23 June 1915 |
| Builder: | Kaiserliche Werft Danzig |
| Yard number: | 34 |
| Laid down: | 29 December 1915 |
| Launched: | 12 January 1917 |
| Commissioned: | 2 August 1917 |
| Fate: | Surrendered 20 November 1918; broken up 1919–1920 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and type: | German Type U 87 submarine |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: |
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| Beam: |
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| Height: | 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in) |
| Draught: | 3.88 m (12 ft 9 in) |
| Installed power: | |
| Propulsion: | 2 shafts, 2 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers |
| Speed: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 50 m (164 ft 1 in) |
| Complement: | 4 officers, 32 enlisted |
| Armament: |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Commanders: |
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| Operations: | 7 patrols |
| Victories: | |
SM U-90 was a Type U 87 u-boat of the Imperial German Navy during World War I.[5] Its commander Walter Remy made regular stops at remote island North Rona for provisions such as fresh mutton. On 15 May 1918, U-90 shelled the Hirta wireless station in St Kilda, Scotland. On 31 May 1918, U-90 torpedoed and sank USS President Lincoln, a former Hamburg America Line steamer that had been seized by the United States for troop transportation. From the U.S. Navy crew that abandoned the sinking vessel, U-90 captured Lieutenant Edouard Izac, eventually taking him to Germany. Izac later escaped German captivity and reported to the US Navy about German submarine movements.
Design
German Type U 87 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 81 submarines. U-90 had a displacement of 757 tonnes (745 long tons) when at the surface and 998 tonnes (982 long tons) while submerged.[1] It had a total length of 215 ft 11 in (65.81 m), a pressure hull length of 164 ft 3 in (50.06 m), a beam of 20 ft 4 in (6.20 m), a height of 30 ft 8 in (9.35 m), and a draught of 12 ft 9 in (3.89 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 shafts and two 1.66 m (5.4 ft) 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 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph).[1] 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 11,380 nautical miles (21,080 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-90 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (two at the bow and two at the stern), ten to twelve torpedoes, one 10.5 centimetres (4.1 in) deck machine gun, 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] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 September 1917 | Union Republicaine |  France |
44 | Sunk |
| 27 September 1917 | Deux Jeannes | France |
50 | Sunk |
| 27 September 1917 | Liberte | France |
49 | Sunk |
| 27 September 1917 | Peuples Freres | France |
41 | Sunk |
| 30 September 1917 | Drake |  United Kingdom |
2,267 | Sunk |
| 30 September 1917 | Heron | United Kingdom |
885 | Sunk |
| 1 October 1917 | Neuilly | France |
2,186 | Sunk |
| 3 October 1917 | Jeannette | France |
226 | Sunk |
| 20 November 1917 | Robert Morris | United Kingdom |
146 | Sunk |
| 21 November 1917 | Aros Castle | United Kingdom |
4,460 | Sunk |
| 22 January 1918 | Corton | United Kingdom |
3,405 | Damaged |
| 22 January 1918 | Victor De Chavarri |  Spain |
2,957 | Sunk |
| 24 January 1918 | Charles | United Kingdom |
78 | Sunk |
| 25 January 1918 | Normandy | United Kingdom |
618 | Sunk |
| 26 January 1918 | Union | France |
677 | Sunk |
| 30 January 1918 | Lindeskov |  Denmark |
1,254 | Sunk |
| 31 January 1918 | Martin Gust |  Russian Empire |
248 | Sunk |
| 1 February 1918 | Arrino | United Kingdom |
4,484 | Sunk |
| 16 March 1918 | Oilfield | United Kingdom |
4,000 | Sunk |
| 28 March 1918 | City of Winchester | United Kingdom |
114 | Sunk |
| 8 April 1918 | Superb |  Norway |
489 | Sunk |
| 29 May 1918 | Begum | United Kingdom |
4,646 | Sunk |
| 29 May 1918 | Carlton | United Kingdom |
5,265 | Sunk |
| 31 May 1918 | USS President Lincoln |  United States Navy |
18,168 | Sunk |
| 15 August 1918 | USS Montanan | United States Navy |
6,659 | Sunk |
| 15 August 1918 | J. M. J. | France |
54 | Sunk |
| 16 August 1918 | USS West Bridge | United States Navy |
5,189 | Damaged |
| 17 August 1918 | Escrick | United Kingdom |
4,151 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1918 | Joseph Cudahy | United States |
3,302 | Sunk |
| 24 August 1918 | Graciosa |  Portugal |
2,276 | Sunk |
| 14 October 1918 | Dundalk | United Kingdom |
794 | Sunk |
| 16 October 1918 | Pentwyn | United Kingdom |
3,587 | Sunk |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 12-14.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Remy (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Helmut Patzig (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Jeß (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 90". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 89". 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.