SM UB-120 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 23 March 1918 as SM UB-120.[Note 1]

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-120.
History
German Empire
NameUB-120
Ordered6 / 8 February 1917[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen
Cost3,654,000 German Papiermark
Yard number293
Laid down17 April 1917[2]
Launched23 February 1918[3]
Commissioned23 March 1918[3]
FateSurrendered 24 November 1918[3]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeType UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 512 t (504 long tons) surfaced
  • 643 t (633 long tons) submerged
Length55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,280 nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[3]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 1 July – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Richard Plum[4]
  • 23 March – 11 November 1918
Operations: 2 patrols
Victories: 1 merchant ship sunk
(145 GRT)

UB-120 was surrendered to the British on 24 November 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. She was broken up in Swansea in 1922[3]

Construction

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She was built by AG Weser of Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 23 February 1918. UB-120 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Richard Plum. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-120 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-120 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi). UB-120 had a displacement of 512 t (504 long tons) while surfaced and 643 t (633 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) when surfaced and 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

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Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[5]
3 August 1918 Ludvig   Denmark 145 Sunk

References

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Notes

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  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.
  2. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

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  1. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 120". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Richard Plum". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 120". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.

Bibliography

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