SM UB-104 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 15 March 1918 as SM UB-104.[Note 1]
 UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-104.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UB-104 |
| Ordered | 6 / 8 February 1917[1] |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Cost | 3,714,000 German Papiermark |
| Yard number | 310 |
| Launched | 1 September 1917[2] |
| Commissioned | 15 March 1918[2] |
| Fate | Sunk by mine on 19 September 1918[2] |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Class and type | Type UB III submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 55.30 m (181 ft 5 in) (o/a) |
| Beam | 5.80 m (19 ft) |
| Draught | 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 31 men[2] |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | 3 patrols |
| Victories: |
11 merchant ships sunk (15,958 GRT) |
UB-104 was sunk by mine in at the Northern Barrage on 19 September 1918.[2]
Construction
editShe was built by Blohm & Voss of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 1 September 1917. UB-104 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Ernst Berlin. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-104 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-104 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,420 nautical miles (13,740 km; 8,540 mi). UB-104 had a displacement of 519 t (511 long tons) while surfaced and 649 t (639 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) when surfaced and 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) when submerged.
Summary of raiding history
edit| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 August 1918 | Flevo X |  Netherlands
|
111 | Sunk |
| 2 August 1918 | Remke | Netherlands
|
193 | Sunk |
| 3 August 1918 | Cambrai |  France
|
963 | Sunk |
| 13 August 1918 | Frida |  Denmark
|
395 | Sunk |
| 13 August 1918 | Jönköping 1 |  Sweden
|
1,546 | Sunk |
| 14 August 1918 | Wallsend |  United Kingdom
|
2,697 | Sunk |
| 14 September 1918 | Gibel Hamam | United Kingdom
|
647 | Sunk |
| 15 September 1918 | Kendal Castle | United Kingdom
|
3,885 | Sunk |
| 16 September 1918 | Ethel | United Kingdom
|
2,336 | Sunk |
| 16 September 1918 | Lord Stewart | United Kingdom
|
1,445 | Sunk |
| 17 September 1918 | Ursa | Sweden
|
1,740 | 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- ^ Rössler 1979, p. 66.
- ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ernst Berlin". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Thomas Bieber (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 104". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
Bibliography
edit- Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.
- 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.
- Rössler, Eberhard (1979). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.