SM U-37
Appearance
History | |
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Name | U-37 |
Ordered | 12 June 1912 |
Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
Yard number | 197 |
Laid down | 2 January 1913 |
Launched | 25 August 1914 |
Commissioned | 9 December 1914 |
Fate | Struck mine on 30 April 1915 in Straits of Dover |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type U 31 submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Draught | 3.56 m (11 ft 8 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 50 m (164 ft 1 in) |
Boats & landing craft carried | 1 dinghy |
Complement | 4 officers, 31 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: |
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Operations: | 1 patrol |
Victories: |
SM U-37[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-37 was engaged in
First Battle of the Atlantic
.
Design
Type 27 subs in dimensions and differed only slightly in propulsion and speed. They were considered very good high sea boats with average manoeuvrability and good surface steering.[2]
U-37 had an
pressure hull was 52.36 m (171 ft 9 in) long. The boat's beam was 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in) (o/a), while the pressure hull measured 4.05 m (13 ft 3 in). Type 31s had a draught of 3.56 m (11 ft 8 in) with a total height of 7.68–8.04 m (25 ft 2 in – 26 ft 5 in). The boats displaced a total of 971 tonnes (956 long tons); 685 t (674 long tons) when surfaced and 878 t (864 long tons) when submerged.[2]
U-37 was fitted with two
kW; 1,825 bhp) for use on the surface and two Siemens-Schuckert double-acting electric motors with a total of 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) for underwater use. These engines powered two shafts each with a 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) propeller, which gave the boat a top surface speed of 16.4 knots (30.4 km/h; 18.9 mph), and 9.7 knots (18.0 km/h; 11.2 mph) when submerged. Cruising range was 8,790 nautical miles (16,280 km; 10,120 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) on the surface, and 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) under water. Diving depth was 50 m (164 ft 1 in).[2]
The U-boat was armed with four 50 cm (20 in)
bow and two in the stern, and carried 6 torpedoes. Additionally U-37 was equipped in 1915 with two 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck guns
.
The boat's complement was 4 officers and 31 enlisted.[2]
Summary of raiding history
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[3] |
---|---|---|---|---|
25 March 1915 | Delmira | ![]() |
3,459 | Damaged |
31 March 1915 | Emma | ![]() |
1,617 | Sunk |
1 April 1915 | Seven Seas | ![]() |
1,194 | Sunk |
References
Notes
- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- gross register tons
Citations
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Wilcke". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, p. 6.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 37". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
Bibliography
- 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.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 37". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.