SM U-88[Note 1] was a Type U 87 submarine built for the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) in World War I. U-88 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | U-88 |
| Ordered | 23 June 1915 |
| Builder | Kaiserliche Werft Danzig |
| Yard number | 32 |
| Laid down | 20 November 1915 |
| Launched | 22 June 1916 |
| Commissioned | 7 April 1917 |
| Fate | 5 September 1917 - Presumably mined off Terschelling. 43 dead (all hands lost)[1] |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Class and type | Type U 87 submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in) |
| Draught | 3.88 m (12 ft 9 in) |
| Installed power | |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers |
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 32 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: | 4 patrols |
| Victories: | |
U-88 is most notable for sinking and taking with her Kapitänleutnant Walther Schwieger, responsible for sinking the RMS Lusitania when he was commander of U-20. The submarine sank on 5 September 1917 when she presumably struck a British mine in the North Sea north of Terschelling at 53°57′N 4°55′E / 53.950°N 4.917°E. Everyone on board U-88 was killed.[1]
Design
editType U 87 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 81 submarines. U-88 had a displacement of 757 tonnes (745 long tons) when at the surface and 998 tonnes (982 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 65.80 m (215 ft 11 in), a pressure hull length of 50.07 m (164 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in), and a draught of 3.88 m (12 ft 9 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 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 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 11,380 nautical miles (21,080 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-88 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (two at the bow and two at the stern), ten to twelve torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun, and probably one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-six (thirty-two crew members and four officers).[2]
Summary of raiding history
edit| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 May 1917 | Hector |  Norway
|
1,146 | Sunk |
| 25 May 1917 | HMS Hilary |  Royal Navy
|
6,329 | Sunk |
| 28 May 1917 | Roma |  Russian Empire
|
417 | Damaged |
| 29 May 1917 | Ashleaf |  United Kingdom
|
5,768 | Sunk |
| 31 May 1917 | Jeanne Cordonnier |  France
|
2,194 | Sunk |
| 31 May 1917 | Miyazaki Maru |  Japan
|
7,892 | Sunk |
| 1 June 1917 | Cavina | United Kingdom
|
6,539 | Sunk |
| 6 June 1917 | Eemdijk |  Netherlands
|
3,048 | Sunk |
| 7 June 1917 | John Bakke | Norway
|
1,611 | Sunk |
| 29 June 1917 | Escondido | Norway
|
1,066 | Sunk |
| 3 July 1917 | Iceland | United Kingdom
|
1,501 | Sunk |
| 7 July 1917 | Coral Leaf | United Kingdom
|
428 | Damaged |
| 13 July 1917 | Ceres |  Denmark
|
1,166 | Sunk |
| 16 July 1917 | Vesta | Denmark
|
1,122 | Sunk |
References
editNotes
edit- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons
Citations
edit- ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 88". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Schwieger (Pour le Merite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 88". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
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.