SM U-82
SM U-82 was a Type U 81 U-boat of the Imperial German Navy during World War I.
| History | |
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| Name: | SM U-82 |
| Ordered: | 23 June 1915 |
| Builder: | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number: | 252 |
| Laid down: | 31 August 1915 |
| Launched: | 1 July 1916 |
| Commissioned: | 16 September 1916 |
| Fate: | 16 January 1919 – Surrendered. Broken up at Blyth in 1919–20. |
| General characteristics [1] | |
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| Height: | 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in) |
| Draught: | 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in) |
| Installed power: | |
| Propulsion: | 2 shafts, 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers |
| Speed: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement: | 4 officers, 31 enlisted |
| Armament: |
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| Service record | |
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| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | 11 patrols |
| Victories: |
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She was launched on 1 July 1916 and commissioned on 16 September 1916 under Hans Adam. She was assigned to IV Flotilla on 21 November 1916, serving with them throughout the war. She carried out 11 patrols during the war, commanded from 30 April 1918 by Heinrich Middendorff. SM U-82 sank 36 ships for a total of 110,160 gross register tons (GRT), and damaging a further three ships for 32,914 tons. Among the ships she damaged was the USS Mount Vernon, the former SS Kronprinzessin Cecilie. At 18,372 tons she was one of the largest ships to be hit by a U-boat during the war.[4]
She was surrendered to the British on 16 January 1919 under the terms of the armistice, and was broken up at Blyth between 1919 and 1920.
Design
German Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-82 had a displacement of 808 tonnes (795 long tons) when at the surface and 946 tonnes (931 long tons) while submerged.[1] 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).[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, 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-82 was fitted with six 50 centimetres (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).[1]
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 December 1916 | Dorit |  |
242 | Sunk |
| 5 December 1916 | Ella |  |
879 | Sunk |
| 6 December 1916 | Christine | |
196 | Sunk |
| 6 December 1916 | Robert | |
353 | Sunk |
| 10 December 1916 | Gerda | |
287 | Sunk |
| 2 January 1917 | Omnium |  |
8,719 | Sunk |
| 3 January 1917 | Viking | |
761 | Sunk |
| 4 January 1917 | Calabro | _crowned.svg.png){kind=small} |
1,925 | Sunk |
| 5 January 1917 | Ebro | |
1,028 | Sunk |
| 6 January 1917 | Beaufront |  |
1,720 | Sunk |
| 23 April 1917 | Marita | |
1,759 | Sunk |
| 24 April 1917 | Thistleard | |
4,136 | Sunk |
| 25 April 1917 | Hackensack | |
4,060 | Sunk |
| 4 May 1917 | Ellin | .svg.png){kind=small} |
4,577 | Damaged |
| 11 June 1917 | Zylpha | |
2,917 | Sunk |
| 13 June 1917 | Storegut | |
2,557 | Sunk |
| 14 June 1917 | Highbury | |
4,831 | Sunk |
| 14 June 1917 | Ortolan | |
1,727 | Sunk |
| 15 June 1917 | Albertine Beatrice |  |
1,379 | Sunk |
| 15 June 1917 | Westonby | |
3,795 | Sunk |
| 16 June 1917 | Jessie | |
2,256 | Sunk |
| 18 June 1917 | Thistledhu | |
4,026 | Sunk |
| 25 July 1917 | Monkstone | |
3,097 | Sunk |
| 31 July 1917 | Orubian | |
3,876 | Sunk |
| 31 July 1917 | Quernmore | |
7,302 | Sunk |
| 19 September 1917 | Saint Ronald | |
4,387 | Sunk |
| 15 November 1917 | De Dollart | |
243 | Sunk |
| 19 February 1918 | Glencarron | |
5,117 | Sunk |
| 19 February 1918 | Philadelphian | |
5,165 | Sunk |
| 8 April 1918 | Tainui | |
9,965 | Damaged |
| 10 April 1918 | Westfield | |
3,453 | Sunk |
| 5 June 1918 | Argonaut | .svg.png){kind=small} |
4,826 | Sunk |
| 7 June 1918 | Brisk | |
1,662 | Sunk |
| 8 June 1918 | Hunsgrove | |
3,063 | Sunk |
| 8 June 1918 | Saima | |
1,147 | Sunk |
| 4 September 1918 | Dora | |
7,037 | Sunk |
| 5 September 1918 | USS Mount Vernon | |
18,372 | Damaged |
| 12 September 1918 | Galway Castle | |
7,988 | Sunk |
| 16 September 1918 | Madryn | |
2,244 | Sunk |
References
Notes
- Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
- Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Adam (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Middendorf". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 82". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 82". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
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.