SM U-161

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-161.
German U boats, U-161. U-135, U-139
History
German Empire
Name: U-161
Ordered: 9 February 1917
Builder: Bremer Vulkan, Vegesack
Launched: 23 March 1918
Commissioned: 29 June 1918
Fate:
  • Surrendered 20 November 1918
  • Ran aground 1921
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: German Type U 93 submarine
Displacement:
  • 821 t (808 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,002 t (986 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (o/a)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught: 3.88 m (12 ft 9 in)
Installed power:
  • 2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,230 PS (905 kW; 1,213 shp) submerged
Propulsion: 2 shafts, 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers
Speed:
  • 16.2 knots (30.0 km/h; 18.6 mph) surfaced
  • 8.2 knots (15.2 km/h; 9.4 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement: 4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
  • IV Flotilla
  • unknown start – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Waldemar von Münch[2]
  • 29 June – 11 November 1918
Operations: 1 patrol
Victories: None

SM U-161[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-161 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. [3]

Just after the end of the war, U-161 surrendered to the United Kingdom on 20 November 1918. She ran aground on the east coast of England in 1921 while under way to be scrapped.[4]

Design

German Type U 93 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 87 submarines. U-161 had a displacement of 821 tonnes (808 long tons) when at the surface and 1,002 tonnes (986 long tons) while submerged.[1] It had a total length of 234 ft 9 in (71.55 m), a pressure hull length of 183 ft 11 in (56.06 m), a beam of 20 ft 8 in (6.30 m), a height of 27 ft 1 in (8.26 m), and a draught of 12 ft 9 in (3.89 m). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,230 metric horsepower (900 kW; 1,210 shp) engines for use while submerged. It had two propeller shafts and two 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers. It was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.2 knots (30.0 km/h; 18.6 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8.2 knots (15.2 km/h; 9.4 mph).[1] When submerged, it could operate for 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, it could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-161 was fitted with six 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (four at the bow and two at the stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and two 10.5 centimetres (4.1 in) deck guns. It had a complement of thirty-six (thirty-two crew members and four officers).[1]

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.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 12-14.
  2. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Waldemar von Münch". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 161". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  4. ↑ "U 161". Uboat.net. Retrieved 27 October 2012.

Bibliography

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