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]
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | U-83 |
| Ordered | 23 June 1915 |
| Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number | 253 |
| Laid down | 23 October 1915 |
| 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°W, 17 February 1917. 35 dead and 2 survivors.[1] |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| 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 |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 31 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: | 2 patrols |
| Victories: | |
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 six merchant ships for 6,450 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
editType 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] She had a total length of 70.06 m (229 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 55.55 m (182 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in), a height of 8 m (26 ft 3 in), and a draught of 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She 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, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,220 nautical miles (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-83 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (two at the bow and two at the stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers).[2]
Summary of raiding history
edit| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | 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
editNotes
edit- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
edit- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 83". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: 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
edit- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.