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SM UB-27

Coordinates: 52°47′N 2°24′E / 52.783°N 2.400°E / 52.783; 2.400
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(Redirected from German submarine UB27)
For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-27.
SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-27
History
German Empire
NameUB-27
Ordered30 April 1915[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen[1]
Cost1,291,000 German Papiermark
Yard number241[1]
Laid down8 July 1915
Launched10 February 1916[1]
Commissioned23 February 1916
FateSunk by British warship on 29 July 1917
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 265 t (261 long tons) surfaced
  • 291 t (286 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.36 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (13 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.66 m (12 ft)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 8.9 knots (16.5 km/h; 10.2 mph) surfaced
  • 5.72 knots (10.59 km/h; 6.58 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,200 nmi (13,300 km; 8,300 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 14 April 1916 - 1 February 1917
  • II Flotilla
  • 1 February - 21 April 1917
  • Baltic Flotilla
  • 21 April - 19 July 1917
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 19 – 29 July 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Victor Dieckmann[3]
  • 23 February – 31 October 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Georg Lübbe[4]
  • 1 November 1916 – 23 April 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Freiherr Heinz von Stein zu Lausnitz[5]
  • 24 April – 29 July 1917
Operations: 17 patrols
Victories:
  • 10 merchant ships sunk
    (16,094 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (1,997 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (3,240 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as prize
    (1,019 GRT)

SM UB-27 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 10 February 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 23 February 1916 as SM UB-27.[Note 1] UB-27 sank 11 ships in 17 patrols for a total of 18,091 gross register tons (GRT).[6]

Design

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A Type UB II submarine, UB-27 had a displacement of 265 tonnes (261 long tons) when at the surface and 291 tonnes (286 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.13 m (118 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.36 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.66 m (12 ft 0 in). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 270 metric horsepower (270 shp; 200 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 8.90 knots (16.48 km/h; 10.24 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.72 knots (10.59 km/h; 6.58 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,200 nautical miles (13,300 km; 8,300 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-26 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 5 cm (2.0 in) SK L/40 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a thirty-second dive time.[2]

Service history

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On 29 April 1916 in the North Sea about 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) south-east of Souter Point near Whitburn, County Durham, UB-27 opened with her deck gun fire at SS Wandle, an 889 GRT "flat-iron" collier of the Wandsworth, Wimbledon and Epsom District Gas Company.[7] The collier engaged the submarine and survived.[7] Afterwards in Britain it was believed Wandle had sunk UB-27 and the master, G.E.A. Mastin, and his crew were celebrated.[8][9]

UB-27 disappeared after 22 July 1917. HMS Halcyon reported ramming and depth charging a U-boat on 29 July 1917. A postwar German study concluded that it was possible that Halcyon sank UB-27 at 52°47′N 2°24′E / 52.783°N 2.400°E / 52.783; 2.400.

Summary of raiding history

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Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[10]
28 April 1916 Blessing  United Kingdom 19 Sunk
28 April 1916 Christian  Denmark 227 Damaged
29 April 1916 Teal  United Kingdom 766 Sunk
29 April 1916 Wandle  United Kingdom 889 Damaged
30 April 1916 Mod  Norway 664 Sunk
1 May 1916 Rio Branco  Brazil 2,258 Sunk
2 May 1916 Mars  Norway 581 Sunk
2 May 1916 Memento  Norway 654 Sunk
2 May 1916 Superb  Norway 770 Sunk
24 August 1916 HMS Duke of Albany  Royal Navy 1,997 Sunk
27 August 1916 Skjaereg  Norway 1,019 Captured as prize
7 October 1916 Jupiter  United Kingdom 2,124 Damaged
8 October 1916 Magnus  United Kingdom 154 Sunk
12 March 1917 Thode Fagelund  Norway 4,352 Sunk
14 March 1917 Davanger  Norway 5,876 Sunk

Notes

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  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.
  2. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Rössler 1979, p. 54.
  2. ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Victor Dieckmann (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Georg Lübbe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Heinz von Stein zu Lausnitz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  6. ^ Bendert 2000, p. 195.
  7. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Wandle". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  8. ^ "Wandsworth and District Gas Company". Access to Archives. The National Archives. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  9. ^ Central Office of Information; for Ministry of Transport (1947). British Coaster: The Official Story. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. pp. 53–54.
  10. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 27". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.

Bibliography

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