SM UB-116

SM UB-116 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 24 May 1918 as SM UB-116.[Note 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-116.
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-116.
History
German Empire
Name: UB-116
Ordered: 6/8 February 1917[1]
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Cost: 3,714,000 German Papiermark
Yard number: 322
Launched: 4 November 1917[2]
Commissioned: 24 May 1918[2]
Fate: Sunk by remote-controlled mine 28 October 1918 at 58°50′N 3°4′W.[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UB III submarine
Displacement:
  • 519 t (511 long tons) surfaced
  • 649 t (639 long tons) submerged
Length: 55.30 m (181 ft 5 in) (o/a)
Beam: 5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught: 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) surfaced
  • 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 7,420 nmi (13,740 km; 8,540 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 depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 3 officers, 31 men[2]
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
  • Flanders Flotilla
  • 15 August – 4 October 1918
  • III Flotilla
  • 4–28 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Stephan[3]
  • 24 May – 4 October 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Joachim Emsmann[4]
  • 5–28 October 1918
Operations: 4 patrols
Victories: None

UB-116 was sunk by a remote-controlled mine at 58°50′N 3°4′W off Orkney while making an attempt to enter Scapa Flow in order to attack units of the British Grand Fleet as part of final German Naval offensive of the war.[2]

According to Uboat.net, "UB 116" hit a mine and was next finished off by depth charges while trying to reach the empty Scapa anchorage. All hands were lost (36 sailors).[5]

Construction
Main article: German Type UB III submarine

She was built by Blohm & Voss of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 4 November 1917. UB-116 was commissioned in the spring the next year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Erich Stephan. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-116 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-116 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,420 nautical miles (13,740 km; 8,540 mi). UB-116 had a displacement of 519 t (511 long tons) while surfaced and 649 t (639 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) when surfaced and 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) when submerged.

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. Rössler 1979, p. 66.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 25-30.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Stephan". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Joachim Emsmann". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 116". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.

Bibliography
  • Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.
  • Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 - 1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German). I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

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