SM UB-131 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 4 July 1918 as SM UB-131.[Note 1]
 UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-131.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UB-131 |
| Ordered | 6 / 8 February 1917[1] |
| Builder | AG Weser, Bremen |
| Cost | 3,654,000 German Papiermark |
| Yard number | 304 |
| Laid down | 14 November 1917[2] |
| Launched | 4 June 1918[3] |
| Commissioned | 4 July 1918[3] |
| Fate | Surrendered 24 November 1918; wrecked near Bulverhythe 9 Jan 21; scrapped |
| General characteristics [3] | |
| Class and type | Type UB III submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a) |
| Beam | 5.80 m (19 ft) |
| Draught | 3.72 m (12 ft 2 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 31 men[3] |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: | No patrols |
| Victories: | None |
UB-131 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 21 November 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. She was wrecked near Bulverhythe on 9 Jan 21 while in-tow from Harwich to Falmouth to take part in explosive trials. The wreck was sold to F. Ray & Sons on 23 May 1921 for £655, and was broken up in situ.[5]
Construction
editShe was built by AG Weser of Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 4 June 1918. UB-131 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Kptlt. Gerhard Schulz. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-131 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun. UB-131 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-131 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.
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.
Citations
edit- ^ Rössler 1979, p. 55.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 131". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Gerhard Schulz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
- ^ Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. pp. 51–52, 130. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.
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.