SM U-125

History
German Empire
Name: U-125
Ordered: 27 May 1916
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Launched: 26 May 1918
Commissioned: 4 September 1918
Fate: 26 November 1918 – Surrendered to Japan. In Japanese service as the O1 1920-21. Dismantled at Yokosuka Navy Yard between January and March 1921. Between March 1924 and January 1925 she was used as a floating jetty at the Kure Submarine School. In 1925 she was rebuilt at Yokosuka as testbed for submarine salvage operations carried out by the tender Asahi. On 19 August 1931 U 125 was re-commissioned as Auxiliary Vessel No. 2900 and used until 1935.
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:
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:
  • Kptlt. Hans Scabell[2]
  • 4 September – 11 November 1918
Operations: None
Victories: None

SM U-125[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-125 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-125 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] She had a total length of 82 metres (269 ft), a beam of 7.42 m (24 ft 4 in), a height of 10.16 m (33 ft 4 in), and a draught of 4.22 m (13 ft 10 in). 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. She had two shafts and two 1.61 m (5.3 ft) propellers. She 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 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph).[1] When submerged, she could operate for 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,470 nautical miles (21,240 km; 13,200 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-125 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (fitted at its bow), twelve torpedoes, two 100 centimetres (39 in) mine chutes (fitted at its stern), forty-two mines, one 15 cm (5.9 in) SK L/45 deck gun, and 494 rounds. She 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: Hans Scabell". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 125". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 January 2010.

Bibliography

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