SM UB-96 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 3 July 1918 as SM UB-96.[Note 1]

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-96.
History
German Empire
NameUB-96
Ordered6 / 8 February 1917[2]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg
Cost3,654,000 German Papiermark
Yard number112
Launched31 May 1918[1]
Commissioned3 July 1918[1]
FateSurrendered 21 November 1918, broken up in 1919-20[1]
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeGerman Type UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 510 t (500 long tons) surfaced
  • 640 t (630 long tons) submerged
Length55.52 m (182 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Beam5.76 m (18 ft 11 in)
Draught3.73 m (12 ft 3 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
  • 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,120 nmi (13,190 km; 8,190 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 depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[1]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • II Flotilla
  • 6 October – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Walter Krastel[3]
  • 2 July – 11 November 1918
Operations: 1 patrol
Victories: None

UB-96 was surrendered to Britain on 21 November 1918 and broken up in Bo'ness in 1919/20.[1]

Construction edit

She was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 31 May 1918. UB-96 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Walter Krastel. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-96 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun. UB-96 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,120 nautical miles (13,190 km; 8,190 mi). UB-96 had a displacement of 510 t (500 long tons) while surfaced and 640 t (630 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) when surfaced and 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) when submerged.

References edit

Notes edit

  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 edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  2. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 61.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Krastel". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 March 2015.

Bibliography edit