SM UB-129

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-129.
History
German Empire
NameUB-129
Ordered6 / 8 February 1917[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen
Cost3,654,000 German Papiermark
Yard number302
Laid down21 August 1917[2]
Launched10 April 1918[3]
Commissioned11 May 1918[3]
FateLost in the surrender of Austria-Hungary, 30 October 1918[3]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeType UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 512 t (504 long tons) surfaced
  • 643 t (633 long tons) submerged
Length55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,280 nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 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[3]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • Mittelmeer I Flotilla
  • 2 – 30 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Karl Neumann[4]
  • 11 June – 30 October 1918
Operations: 1 patrol
Victories: 2 merchant ships sunk
(5,098 GRT)

SM UB-129 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 11 June 1918 as SM UB-129.[Note 1]

UB-129 was lost 31 October 1918 in Fiume (45°19′N 14°26′E / 45.317°N 14.433°E / 45.317; 14.433) after the surrender of Austria-Hungary.[3]

Construction

She was built by AG Weser of Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 11 May 1918. UB-129 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Kptlt. Karl Neumann. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-129 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun. UB-129 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi). UB-129 had a displacement of 512 t (504 long tons) while surfaced and 643 t (633 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) when surfaced and 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[5]
16 September 1918 Buenaventura  United States 4,881 Sunk
22 September 1918 Erik  Denmark 217 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. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

  1. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 129". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Neumann (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 129". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 March 2015.

Bibliography