SM UB-72

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-72.
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-72.
History
German Empire
NameUB-72
Ordered23 September 1916[1]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg
Cost3,337,000 German Papiermark
Yard number96
Launched30 July 1917[2]
Commissioned9 September 1917[2]
FateSunk 12 May 1918 at 50°8′N 2°41′W / 50.133°N 2.683°W / 50.133; -2.683 by British submarine.[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 508 t (500 long tons) surfaced
  • 639 t (629 long tons) submerged
Length55.52 m (182 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Beam5.76 m (18 ft 11 in)
Draught3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,420 nmi (15,590 km; 9,690 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[2]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • V Flotilla
  • 28 October 1917 – 25 April 1918
  • II Flotilla
  • 25 April – 12 May 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Walter Creutzfeld[3]
  • 9 September 1917 – 1 March 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Friedrich Traeger[4]
  • 2 March – 12 May 1918
Operations: 5 patrols
Victories:
  • 4 merchant ships sunk
    (7,088 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (3,463 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (3,358 GRT)

SM UB-72 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 9 September 1917 as SM UB-72.[Note 1]

UB-72 was serving in the English Channel when she was sunk by a torpedo from HMS D4 at 50°8′N 2°41′W / 50.133°N 2.683°W / 50.133; -2.683 on 12 May 1918.[2]

Construction

Main article: Type UB III submarine

She was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 30 July 1917. UB-72 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-72 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-72 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 8,420 nautical miles (15,590 km; 9,690 mi). UB-72 had a displacement of 508 t (500 long tons) while surfaced and 639 t (629 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) when submerged.


Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[5]
3 February 1918 Svanfos  Norway 896 Sunk
28 March 1918 HMS Tithonus  Royal Navy 3,463 Sunk
30 March 1918 Vafos  Norway 1,322 Sunk
6 May 1918 Sandhurst  United Kingdom 3,034 Sunk
8 May 1918 Quito  United Kingdom 3,358 Damaged
9 May 1918 Baron Ailsa  United Kingdom 1,836 Sunk

References

Notes

  1. ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 61.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Creutzfeld". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Friedrich Traeger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 72". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.

Bibliography