SM U-139
.jpg) German U boats, U-161. U-135, U-139 | |
| Career (German Empire) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-139 |
| Ordered: | 1 August 1916 |
| Builder: | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number: | Werk 300 |
| Launched: | 3 December 1917 |
| Commissioned: | 18 May 1918 |
| Renamed: | Halbronn |
| Fate: | Surrendered to France on 24 November 1918 |
| Career (France) |  |
| Name: | Halbronn |
| Acquired: | 24 November 1918 |
| Decommissioned: | 24 July 1935 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | German Type U 139 submarine |
| Displacement: |
1,930 tons surfaced 2,483 tons submerged 3,050 tons total,) |
| Length: |
92 m (302 ft) overall 71.50 m (234.6 ft) pressure hull |
| Beam: |
9.12 m (29.9 ft) overall 5.75 m (18.9 ft) pressure hull |
| Height: | 11.2 m (37 ft) |
| Draught: | 5.27 m (17.3 ft) |
| Propulsion: |
2 x MAN AG diesels, 3,300 hp surfaced 1,780 hp submerged |
| Speed: |
15.8 knots (29.3 km/h; 18.2 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged |
| Range: | 12,630 nautical miles (23,000 km) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced, 53 nautical miles (98 km) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph) submerged |
| Complement: | 62 men |
| Armament: |
24 G6 torpedoes (4/2 in bow/stern tubes) 2 x 150 mm deck gun with 980 rounds |
SM U-139 was the lead ship of her class, one of the submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She was commissioned on 18 May 1918 under the command of Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, who named the submarine Korvettenkapitän Schwieger, after Walther Schwieger, who had sunk the RMS Lusitania in 1915. She only sailed on one war patrol, during which she sunk 5 small ships. U-139 surrendered to France on 24 November 1918 and shortly afterwards became French submarine Halbronn (until 24 July 1935 when she was broken up).
Action of 14 October 1918
On the 14 October 1918, U-139 attacked the Portuguese civilian steamer SS São Miguel, which was being escorted by the Portuguese Navy small naval trawler NRP Augusto de Castilho in the Atlantic Ocean. The Augusto Castilho covered the escape of the São Miguel by engaging U-139 for several hours, until being destroyed.[1]
See also
- List of U-boats
References
- ↑ James H. Guill, "the only battle of note that occurred near the Azores during this period took place 14 October 1918 between the German U-139 and Portugal's ships São Miguel and Augusto Castilho.", page 507.
External links
- SM U-139 on uboat.net
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