SM UB-39
SM UB-45 a U-boat similar to UB-39
History
German Empire
Name UB-39
Ordered 22 July 1915
Builder Blohm & Voss , Hamburg
Cost 1,152,000 German Papiermark
Yard number 263
Launched 29 December 1915
Completed 28 April 1916
Commissioned 29 April 1916
Fate Sunk by mine 15 May 1917
General characteristics
Class and type Type UB II submarine
Displacement
274 t (270 long tons ) surfaced
303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) surfaced
5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph) submerged
Range
6,450 nmi (11,950 km; 7,420 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth 50 m (160 ft)
Complement 2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes 42-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
Flandern Flotilla
21 June 1916 – 7 May 1917
Commanders:
Oblt.z.S. Werner Fürbringer[ 4]
29 April – 7 November 1916
Oblt.z.S. Heinrich Küstner[ 5]
8 November 1916 – 7 May 1917
Operations:
14 patrols Victories:
93 merchant ships sunk (89,998 GRT )
4 merchant ships damaged (7,215 GRT )
SM UB-39 [ Note 1] was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German : Kaiserliche Marine ) during World War I .
Design
A Type UB II submarine , UB-39 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Körting six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 284 metric horsepower (280 shp; 209 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft . She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 6,450 nautical miles (11,950 km; 7,420 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-39 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes , four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun . She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.
Construction and career
The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 28 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 29 April 1916 as SM UB-38 .
The submarine sank 93 ships in 14 patrols. UB-39 struck a mine and sank in the English Channel on 17 May 1917.
Summary of raiding history
Date
Name
Nationality
Tonnage[ Note 2]
Fate[ 6]
10 July 1916
Staffa
United Kingdom
176
Sunk
13 July 1916
Dalhousie
United Kingdom
89
Sunk
13 July 1916
Florence
United Kingdom
149
Sunk
13 July 1916
Mary Ann
United Kingdom
5
Sunk
13 July 1916
Success
United Kingdom
6
Sunk
14 July 1916
Ben Aden
United Kingdom
176
Sunk
14 July 1916
Bute
United Kingdom
176
Sunk
14 July 1916
Girls Friend
United Kingdom
55
Sunk
14 July 1916
Langley Castle
United Kingdom
93
Sunk
14 July 1916
Recorder
United Kingdom
149
Sunk
1 August 1916
Braconash
United Kingdom
192
Sunk
1 August 1916
Helvetia
United Kingdom
167
Sunk
1 August 1916
King James
United Kingdom
163
Sunk
1 August 1916
Rhodesia
United Kingdom
110
Sunk
1 August 1916
Tatiana
United Kingdom
285
Sunk
1 August 1916
Zeeland
Netherlands
1,292
Sunk
2 August 1916
Olympia
United Kingdom
221
Sunk
2 August 1916
Smiling Morn
United Kingdom
126
Sunk
2 August 1916
Twiddler
United Kingdom
99
Sunk
3 August 1916
Trawler Prince
United Kingdom
126
Sunk
3 August 1916
Lucania
United Kingdom
92
Sunk
3 August 1916
Merchant Prince
United Kingdom
130
Sunk
3 August 1916
Destro
United Kingdom
859
Damaged
4 August 1916
Jägersborg
Denmark
1,797
Sunk
4 August 1916
Stamfordham
United Kingdom
921
Sunk
5 August 1916
Egyptian Prince
United Kingdom
129
Sunk
5 August 1916
St. Olive
United Kingdom
202
Sunk
6 September 1916
Ancona
United Kingdom
1,168
Damaged
6 September 1916
Strathtay
United Kingdom
4,428
Sunk
6 September 1916
Tagus
United Kingdom
937
Sunk
7 September 1916
Marguerite
France
102
Sunk
7 September 1916
Alcyon
France
163
Sunk
7 September 1916
Heathdene
United Kingdom
3,541
Sunk
7 September 1916
Messicano
Kingdom of Italy
4,065
Sunk
8 September 1916
Jeune Union
France
267
Sunk
8 September 1916
Lyderhorn
Norway
939
Sunk
8 September 1916
Olazarri
Spain
2,585
Sunk
9 September 1916
Europe
France
356
Sunk
9 September 1916
Pronto
Norway
1,411
Sunk
10 September 1916
Lexie
United Kingdom
3,778
Sunk
11 September 1916
Fredavore
Norway
1,577
Sunk
20 October 1916
Midland
United Kingdom
4,247
Sunk
20 October 1916
Secundo
Norway
1,512
Sunk
21 October 1916
Hebe
Denmark
775
Sunk
21 October 1916
Helga
Denmark
1,182
Sunk
22 October 1916
Alix
Norway
1,584
Sunk
13 November 1916
Corinth
United Kingdom
3,669
Sunk
28 November 1916
Alert
United Kingdom
289
Sunk
28 November 1916
Alison
United Kingdom
286
Sunk
28 November 1916
Ramsgarth
United Kingdom
1,553
Sunk
29 November 1916
Grace
United Kingdom
135
Sunk
29 November 1916
Saint Philippe
France
3,419
Sunk
30 November 1916
Nagata Maru
Japan
3,521
Sunk
30 November 1916
Harald
Norway
1,083
Sunk
1 December 1916
Jeanne D’arc
France
205
Sunk
2 December 1916
Palacine
Canada
3,286
Sunk
3 December 1916
Primevere
France
143
Sunk
6 December 1916
Amicitia
Norway
1,111
Sunk
7 December 1916
Bravo
Spain
1,214
Sunk
8 December 1916
Rakiura
Norway
3,569
Sunk
8 December 1916
Rollo
Denmark
2,290
Sunk
8 December 1916
Saga
Norway
433
Sunk
28 December 1916
Rouen
France
1,656
Damaged
1 January 1917
Holly Branch
United Kingdom
3,568
Sunk
1 January 1917
Leon
France
652
Sunk
2 January 1917
Carlyle
United Kingdom
466
Sunk
3 January 1917
Columbia
France
34
Sunk
3 January 1917
Diamant De La Couronne I
France
36
Sunk
3 January 1917
Diamant De La Couronne II
France
34
Sunk
3 January 1917
Formidable
France
26
Sunk
3 January 1917
Helgøy
Norway
1,806
Sunk
3 January 1917
Honneur Et Devouement
France
26
Sunk
3 January 1917
Jeanne Mathilde
France
60
Sunk
3 January 1917
La Pensee
France
30
Sunk
3 January 1917
Marie Henriette
France
25
Sunk
3 January 1917
Moderne
France
38
Sunk
3 January 1917
Pere Montfort
France
13
Sunk
3 January 1917
Pierre Le Grand
France
42
Sunk
3 January 1917
Richelieu
France
25
Sunk
3 January 1917
Saint Jacques
France
34
Sunk
3 January 1917
Saint Paul II
France
30
Sunk
3 January 1917
Petit Emile
France
60
Sunk
4 January 1917
Gabrielle Francois
France
37
Sunk
5 January 1917
Allie
United Kingdom
1,127
Sunk
5 January 1917
Markland
Norway
1,627
Sunk
4 February 1917
Dauntless
United Kingdom
2,157
Sunk
5 February 1917
Yvonne
France
123
Sunk
10 February 1917
Rancagua
France
2,729
Sunk
23 March 1917
Achille Adam
United Kingdom
460
Sunk
23 March 1917
Clan Macmillan
United Kingdom
4,525
Sunk
23 March 1917
Exchange
United Kingdom
279
Sunk
23 March 1917
O. A. Knudsen
Norway
3,532
Damaged
1 April 1917
Silvia
United Kingdom
164
Sunk
5 April 1917
Dicto
Norway
2,363
Sunk
6 April 1917
La Tour D’Auvergne
France
188
Sunk
6 April 1917
Perce Neige
France
141
Sunk
9 April 1917
Saint Maudez
France
292
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
Bibliography
Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg : Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH . ISBN 3-8132-0713-7 .
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 .
Rössler, Eberhard (1979). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden (in German). Vol. I. Munich : Bernard & Graefe . ISBN 3-7637-5213-7 .
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in May 1917
Shipwrecks Other incidents
50°20′N 1°20′W / 50.333°N 1.333°W / 50.333; -1.333