SM U-7 (Germany)

SM U-7 was a Type U 5 U-boat, one of the 329 that served in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-7 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-7.

History
German Empire
Name: U-7
Ordered: 8 April 1908
Builder: Germaniawerft, Kiel
Cost: 2,540,000 Goldmark
Yard number: 149
Laid down: 6 May 1909
Launched: 28 July 1910
Commissioned: 18 July 1911
Fate: Sunk by U-22 in a friendly fire incident, 26 dead.
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: German Type U 5 submarine
Displacement:
  • 505 t (497 long tons) surfaced
  • 636 t (626 long tons) submerged
Length:
  • 57.30 m (188 ft) (o/a)
  • 43.10 m (141 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Beam:
  • 5.60 m (18 ft 4 in) (o/a)
  • 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in) (pressure hull)
Draught: 3.55 m (11 ft 8 in)
Installed power:
  • 2 × Körting 6-cylinder and 2 × Körting 8-cylinder two stroke paraffin motors with 900 PS (660 kW; 890 shp)
  • 2 × SSW electric motors with 1,040 PS (760 kW; 1,030 shp)
  • 550 rpm surfaced
  • 600 rpm submerged
Propulsion:
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × 1.30 m (4 ft 3 in) propellers
Speed:
  • 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced
  • 10.2 knots (18.9 km/h; 11.7 mph) submerged
Range: 3,300 nmi (6,100 km; 3,800 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph)
Test depth: 30 m (98 ft)
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 1 dingi
Complement: 4 officers, 24 men
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 1 August 1914 – 21 January 1915
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Georg König[2]
  • 1 August 1914 – 21 January 1915
Operations: 3 patrols
Victories: None

Fate

On 21 January 1915, U-7 was torpedoed and sunk by SM U-22, which had mistaken her for an enemy submarine. Twenty-four crew were killed, and only one survived.

References
  1. Gröner 1991, pp. 4-6.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Georg König". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 March 2015.

Bibliography
  • Beesly, Patrick (1982). Room 40: British Naval Intelligence 1914-1918. London: H Hamilton. ISBN 978-0-241-10864-2.
  • 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.
  • Halpern, Paul G. (1995). A Naval History of World War I. New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-85728-498-0.
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-boats destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour Press. p. 11. ISBN 1-85409-321-5.
  • Koerver, Hans Joachim (2008). Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol I., The Fleet in Action. Steinbach: LIS Reinisch. ISBN 978-3-902433-76-3.
  • Koerver, Hans Joachim (2009). Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol II., The Fleet in Being. Steinbach: LIS Reinisch. ISBN 978-3-902433-77-0.
  • Rössler, Eberhard (1985). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkriegs, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935-1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German). I. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Roessler, Eberhard (1997). Die Unterseeboote der Kaiserlichen Marine. Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 978-3-7637-5963-7.
  • Schroeder, Joachim (2002). Die U-Boote des Kaisers. Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 978-3-7637-6235-4.
  • Spindler, Arno (1966) [1932]. Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten. 5 Vols. Berlin: Mittler & Sohn. Vols. 4+5, dealing with 1917+18, are very hard to find: Guildhall Library, London, has them all, also Vol. 1-3 in an English translation: The submarine war against commerce.

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