SM U-81
U-81 had one 10.5 cm gun with 140–240 rounds. On 8 February 1917 she torpedoed Mantola 143 nautical miles (265 km; 165 mi) off Fastnet, forcing her crew and passengers to abandon her. She then shelled the drifting hulk until being chased away by the Acacia-class sloop HMS Laburnum. Mantola sank the next day. HMS E54 sank U-81 by torpedo west of Ireland on 1 May 1917. 31 of U-81's crew were killed; seven survived.
Design
Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-81 had a displacement of 808 tonnes (795 long tons) when at the surface and 946 tonnes (931 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 70.06 m (229 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 55.55 m (182 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in), a height of 8 m (26 ft 3 in), and a draught of 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in). 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. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).
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). When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,220 nautical miles (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-81 was fitted with four 50-centimetre (20 in) torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers).
Summary of raiding history
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 December 1916 | Douglas | ![]() |
1,177 | Sunk |
19 December 1916 | Nystrand | ![]() |
1,397 | Sunk |
2 February 1917 | Songdal | ![]() |
2,090 | Sunk |
3 February 1917 | Port Adelaide | ![]() |
8,181 | Sunk |
4 February 1917 | Maria | ![]() |
992 | Sunk |
5 February 1917 | Wartenfels | ![]() |
4,511 | Sunk |
7 February 1917 | Gravina | ![]() |
1,242 | Sunk |
8 February 1917 | Mantola | ![]() |
8,253 | Sunk |
10 February 1917 | Netherlee | ![]() |
4,227 | Sunk |
12 February 1917 | Hugo Hamilton | ![]() |
2,577 | Sunk |
10 March 1917 | Algol | ![]() |
988 | Sunk |
10 March 1917 | Skreien | ![]() |
415 | Sunk |
13 March 1917 | Coronda | ![]() |
2,733 | Sunk |
14 March 1917 | Paignton | ![]() |
2,017 | Sunk |
18 March 1917 | Pola | ![]() |
3,061 | Sunk |
18 March 1917 | Trevose | ![]() |
3,112 | Sunk |
19 March 1917 | Alnwick Castle | ![]() |
5,900 | Sunk |
19 March 1917 | Frinton | ![]() |
4,194 | Sunk |
22 March 1917 | Attika | ![]() |
2,306 | Sunk |
25 March 1917 | C. Sundt | ![]() |
1,105 | Sunk |
25 March 1917 | Garant | ![]() |
735 | Sunk |
25 March 1917 | Laly | ![]() |
1,880 | Sunk |
24 April 1917 | Amulree | ![]() |
1,145 | Sunk |
25 April 1917 | Glenesk | ![]() |
1,369 | Sunk |
25 April 1917 | Heathfield | ![]() |
1,643 | Sunk |
25 April 1917 | Invermay | ![]() |
1,471 | Sunk |
27 April 1917 | Uranus | ![]() |
3,978 | Sunk |
28 April 1917 | Jose De Larrinaga | ![]() |
5,017 | Sunk |
28 April 1917 | Terence | ![]() |
4,309 | Sunk |
30 April 1917 | Elisabeth | ![]() |
217 | Damaged |
1 May 1917 | Dorie | ![]() |
3,264 | Damaged |
1 May 1917 | San Urbano | ![]() |
6,458 | Sunk |
References
Notes
- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons
Citations
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 81". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Raimund Weisbach". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Gairsoppa". Ships hit by U-boats. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "SS Mantola WWI shipwreck reveals silver haul". BBC News. 10 October 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 81". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
Bibliography
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.