SM U-50

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For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-50.
History
German Empire
NameU-50
Ordered4 August 1914
BuilderKaiserliche Werft Danzig
Yard number28
Launched31 December 1915
Commissioned4 July 1916
FateSunk probably by a mine off Terschelling on or after 31 August 1917 [1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType U-43 submarine
Displacement
  • 725 t (714 long tons) surfaced
  • 940 t (930 long tons) submerged
Length65.00 m (213 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (oa)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height9.00 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught3.74 m (12 ft 3 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,000 PS (1,471 kW; 1,973 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 15.2 knots (28.2 km/h; 17.5 mph) surfaced
  • 9.7 knots (18.0 km/h; 11.2 mph) submerged
Range
  • 11,400 nmi (21,100 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 51 nmi (94 km; 59 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement36
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 4 July 1916 – 31 August 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Gerhard Berger[3]
  • 4 July 1916 - 31 August 1917
Operations: 5 patrols
Victories: 27 merchant ships sunk
(92,924 GRT)

SM U-50[Note 1] was one of 329 submarines in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

U-50 is most notable for sinking the Laconia, formerly an armed merchant cruiser which had returned to passenger service, killing two Americans before the United States had entered the war. Laconia was also the 15th largest ship destroyed by submarine in the war.[4]

Summary of raiding history

[edit]
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[5]
10 November 1916 Bogota  United Kingdom 4,577 Sunk
11 November 1916 Løkken  Norway 1,954 Sunk
11 November 1916 Morazan  United Kingdom 3,486 Sunk
11 November 1916 Sarah Radcliffe  United Kingdom 3,333 Sunk
12 November 1916 San Giovanni  Kingdom of Italy 1,315 Sunk
12 November 1916 Stylinai Bebis  Greece 3,603 Sunk
12 November 1916 Ioannis  Greece 3,828 Sunk
13 November 1916 Lela  Kingdom of Italy 2,987 Sunk
14 November 1916 Hatsuse  United Kingdom 282 Sunk
18 February 1917 Jean Pierre  France 449 Sunk
22 February 1917 Blenheim  Norway 1,144 Sunk
24 February 1917 Falcon  United Kingdom 2,244 Sunk
25 February 1917 Aries  United Kingdom 3,071 Sunk
25 February 1917 Huntsman  United Kingdom 7,460 Sunk
25 February 1917 Laconia  United Kingdom 18,099 Sunk
11 April 1917 Sarvsfos  Norway 1,462 Sunk
19 April 1917 Avocet  United Kingdom 1,219 Sunk
20 April 1917 Emma  United Kingdom 2,520 Sunk
21 April 1917 Diadem  United Kingdom 4,307 Sunk
23 April 1917 Dykland  United Kingdom 4,291 Sunk
23 April 1917 Oswald  United Kingdom 5,185 Sunk
25 April 1917 Swanmore  United Kingdom 6,373 Sunk
7 June 1917 Yuba  Norway 1,458 Sunk
11 June 1917 Sigrun  Norway 2,538 Sunk
16 June 1917 Carrie Hervey  United Kingdom 111 Sunk
21 June 1917 Ortona  United Kingdom 5,524 Sunk
26 June 1917 Vonin  Denmark 104 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

[edit]
  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 50". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  2. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Gerhard Berger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Largest ships". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 50". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

Bibliography

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  • 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.

55°25′00″N 04°17′00″E / 55.41667°N 4.28333°E / 55.41667; 4.28333

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