SM U-83
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire
| |
| Name: | U-83 |
| Ordered: | 23 October 1915 |
| Builder: | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number: | 253 |
| Launched: | 13 July 1916 |
| Commissioned: | 6 September 1916 |
| Fate: | Sunk by gunfire of Q-Ship Farnborough SW of Ireland at 51°34′N 11°23′W / 51.567°N 11.383°WCoordinates: 51°34′N 11°23′W / 51.567°N 11.383°W, 17 February 1917. 35 dead and 1 survivor (all hands lost).[1] |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: |
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| Beam: |
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| Height: | 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in) |
| Draught: | 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in) |
| Installed power: | |
| Propulsion: | 2 shafts, 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers |
| Speed: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 50 m (164 ft 1 in) |
| Complement: | 4 officers, 31 enlisted |
| Armament: |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Commanders: |
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| Operations: | 2 |
| Victories: | 5 merchant ships sunk (6,286 GRT) |
SM U-83 was a Type U 81 u-boat of the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during the First World War. She had been commissioned and deployed to operate off the coast of the British Isles and attack coastal shipping as part of the German U-boat campaign.[1]
In a six-month career, U-83 made two combat patrols into the South-Western Approaches during the Atlantic campaign. In these patrols she sank five allied merchant ships for 6,286 gross register tons (GRT). On 17 February 1917, she torpedoed the British Q-ship HMS Farnborough off the Irish coast, but was sunk by Farnborough's hidden armaments when she approached too close. There were just 2 survivors, picked up by Farnborough; 35 of her crew perished. Farnborough was commanded by the submarine hunter Gordon Campbell and had on board later Victoria Cross recipients Ronald Niel Stuart and William Williams.
Design
German Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-83 had a displacement of 808 tonnes (795 long tons) when at the surface and 946 tonnes (931 long tons) while submerged.[2] It had a total length of 229 ft 10 in (70.05 m), a pressure hull length of 182 ft 3 in (55.55 m), a beam of 20 ft 8 in (6.30 m), a height of 26 ft 3 in (8.00 m), and a draught of 13 ft 2 in (4.01 m). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. It had two 1.7 m (5.6 ft) propeller shafts. It was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph).[2] When submerged, it could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, it could travel 11,220 nautical miles (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). U-83 was fitted with six 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 10.5 centimetres (4.1 in) deck machine gun. It had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers).[2]
Summary of raiding career
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 December 1916 | Niord |  Sweden |
123 | Sunk |
| 4 February 1917 | Anna Maria |  France |
141 | Sunk |
| 4 February 1917 | Coquette | France |
167 | Sunk |
| 6 February 1917 | Crown Point |  United Kingdom |
5,218 | Sunk |
| 7 February 1917 | Diaz |  Russian Empire |
637 | Sunk |
| 10 February 1917 | Paquerette | France |
164 | Sunk |
| 17 February 1917 | HMS Farnborough |  Royal Navy |
3,207 | Damaged |
References
- 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-83". German and Austrian U-Boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 12-14.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Kptlt. Bruno Hoppe". German and Austrian U-Boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-83". German and Austrian U-Boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
Bibliography
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-593-4.