SM UB-52 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 Pola Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 9 August 1917 as SM UB-52.[Note 1]
 UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-52.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UB-52 |
| Ordered | 20 May 1916[2] |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Cost | 3,276,000 German Papiermark |
| Yard number | 297 |
| Launched | 8 March 1917[1] |
| Commissioned | 9 August 1917[1] |
| Fate | Sunk 23 May 1918 at 41°36′N 18°52′E / 41.600°N 18.867°E by HMS H4, all hands lost[1] |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and type | German Type UB III submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 55.30 m (181 ft 5 in) (o/a) |
| Beam | 5.80 m (19 ft) |
| Draught | 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 31 men[1] |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: | 4 patrols |
| Victories: | |
She operated as part of the Pola Flotilla based in Cattaro. UB-52 was sunk by torpedo on 23 May 1918 at 41°36′N 18°52′E / 41.600°N 18.867°E by the British submarine HMS H4 enforcing the Otranto Barrage at the southern end of the Adriatic, with all hands lost.[1]
Construction edit
UB-52 was ordered by the GIN on 20 May 1916. She was built by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 8 March 1917. UB-52 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Otto Launburg.
Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-52 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-52 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,040 nautical miles (16,740 km; 10,400 mi). UB-52 had a displacement of 516 t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 651 t (641 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.6 knots (25.2 km/h; 15.7 mph) when surfaced and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) when submerged.
Summary of raiding history edit
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 January 1918 | Empress Ekaterina II |  Russian Empire
|
5,545 | Sunk |
| 1 February 1918 | La Dives |  France
|
2,108 | Sunk |
| 4 February 1918 | Maid of Harlech |  United Kingdom
|
315 | Sunk |
| 4 February 1918 | Sardinia | United Kingdom
|
6,580 | Damaged |
| 5 February 1918 | HMS Rosina Ferrara |  Royal Navy
|
227 | Damaged |
| 9 February 1918 | Antenor | United Kingdom
|
5,319 | Damaged |
| 18 February 1918 | Basque | France
|
3,261 | Damaged |
| 20 February 1918 | Balgray | United Kingdom
|
3,603 | Sunk |
| 20 February 1918 | Zeno | United Kingdom
|
2,890 | Sunk |
| 17 March 1918 | Ivydene | United Kingdom
|
3,541 | Sunk |
| 18 March 1918 | John H. Barry | United Kingdom
|
3,083 | Sunk |
| 18 March 1918 | Saldanha | United Kingdom
|
4,594 | Sunk |
| 4 April 1918 | Sincerita |  Kingdom of Italy
|
1,722 | Sunk |
| 2 May 1918 | Flawyl | United Kingdom
|
3,592 | Sunk |
| 9 May 1918 | Atlantique | France
|
6,479 | Damaged |
| 11 May 1918 | Suzette Fraissinet | France
|
2,288 | Sunk |
| 12 May 1918 | Omrah | United Kingdom
|
8,130 | Sunk |
| 18 May 1918 | Media | United Kingdom
|
5,437 | Damaged |
References edit
Notes edit
- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons
Citations edit
- ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
- ^ Rössler, p.65
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB-52". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
Bibliography edit
- 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.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Rössler, Eberhard (1979). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.