SM U-123

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-123.
History
German Empire
Name: U-123
Ordered: 27 May 1916
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Launched: 26 January 1918
Commissioned: 20 July 1918
Fate: Surrendered 22 November 1918. Ran aground on the English East coast on the way to be broken up in 1921.
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: German Type UE II submarine
Type: Coastal minelaying submarine
Displacement:
  • 1,163 t (1,145 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,468 t (1,445 long tons) submerged
Length: 82.00 m (269 ft) (o/a)
Beam: 7.42 m (24 ft 4 in)
Height: 10.16 m (33 ft 4 in)
Draught: 4.22 m (13 ft 10 in)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 shafts, 2 × 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) propellers
Speed:
  • 14.7 knots (27.2 km/h; 16.9 mph) surfaced
  • 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 11,470 nmi (21,240 km; 13,200 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 35 nmi (65 km; 40 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph) submerged
Test depth: 75 m (246 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 36 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Karl Thouret[2]
  • 20 July – 11 November 1918
Operations: None
Victories: None

SM U-123[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-123 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. [3]

Design

German Type UE II submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-123 had a displacement of 1,163 tonnes (1,145 long tons) when at the surface and 1,468 tonnes (1,445 long tons) while submerged.[1] It had a total length of 269 ft (82 m), a beam of 24 ft 4 in (7.42 m), a height of 33 ft 4 in (10.16 m), and a draught of 13 ft 10 in (4.22 m). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,235 metric horsepower (908 kW; 1,218 shp) engines for use while submerged. It had two shafts and two 1.61 m (5.3 ft) propellers. It was capable of operating at depths of up to 75 metres (246 ft).[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 14.7 knots (27.2 km/h; 16.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph).[1] When submerged, it could operate for 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph); when surfaced, it could travel 11,470 nautical miles (21,240 km; 13,200 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-123 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (fitted at the bow), twelve torpedoes, two 100 centimetres (39 in) mine chutes (fitted at its stern), forty-two mines, one 15 centimetres (5.9 in) deck machine gun, and 494 rounds. It had a complement of forty (thirty-six 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, p. 15.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Thouret". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 123". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2010.

Bibliography

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