SM UB-41

SM UB-41[Note 1] was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-41.

SM UB-45 a U-boat similar to UB-41
History
German Empire
NameUB-41
Ordered22 July 1915[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Cost1,152,000 German Papiermark[2]
Yard number265[3]
Launched6 May 1916[3]
Completed25 August 1916[3]
Commissioned25 August 1916[2]
FateSunk by mine 5 October 1917[2]
General characteristics
Class and typeGerman Type UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 274 t (270 long tons) surfaced
  • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) surfaced
  • 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph) submerged
Range
  • 6,450 nmi (11,950 km; 7,420 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes42-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • II Flotilla
  • 2 November 1916 – 13 September 1917
  • V Flotilla
  • 13 September – 5 October 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Friedrich Karl Sichart von Sichartshofen[4]
  • 25 August 1916 – 20 March 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Günther Krause[5]
  • 21 March – 13 September 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Max Ploen[6]
  • 14 September – 5 October 1917
Operations: 13 patrols
Victories:
  • 8 merchant ships sunk
    (8,387 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (641 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as prize
    (259 GRT)

Design

A German Type UB II submarine, UB-41 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Körting six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 284 metric horsepower (280 shp; 209 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 6,450 nautical miles (11,950 km; 7,420 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-41 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.[2]

Construction and career

The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 6 May 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 25 August 1916 as SM UB-41.

The submarine sank eight ships in thirteen patrols. They included the William Cory and Son collier SS Harrow, which UB-41 torpedoed in the North Sea off Robin Hood's Bay on 8 September 1917. UB-41 was reported missing on 5 October 1917. The same day, a large explosion was observed from the coast at Scarborough, England. The case of her loss was either an internal explosion, or she struck a mine, possibly a German one, and sank in the North Sea on 5 October 1917.[2][7]

Her wrecksite was discovered in 1989 and surveyed in 1997 and 2003. The vessel is broken into two sections, at degree angles laying on the starboard side, and showing signs of impact damage.[8]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[9]
21 November 1916 Thyholmen  Norway 259 Captured as prize
18 January 1917 Cetus  United Kingdom 139 Damaged
19 April 1917 Ellida  Norway 1,124 Sunk
22 May 1917 Lanthorn  United Kingdom 2,299 Sunk
23 May 1917 Monarch  Norway 1,318 Sunk
12 June 1917 Alwyn  United Kingdom 73 Sunk
13 June 1917 Silverburn  United Kingdom 284 Sunk
14 June 1917 Angantyr  Denmark 1,359 Sunk
6 August 1917 Talisman  United Kingdom 153 Sunk
8 September 1917 Harrow  United Kingdom 1,777 Sunk
3 October 1917 Clydebrae  United Kingdom 502 Damaged

References

Notes
  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
  1. Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. Rössler 1979, p. 65.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Friedrich Karl Sichart von Sichartshofen". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Günther Krause". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Max Ploen". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  7. Howell & Croce 2013, p. 4.
  8. Howell & Croce 2013, p. 5.
  9. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 41". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.

Bibliography
  • 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.
  • Howell, D; Croce, Paulo (November 2013). Archaeological Services in Relation to Marine DesignationUB-41 and UB-75, off Robin Hood's Bay (PDF). research.historicengland.org.uk (Report). Salisbury: Wessex Archaeology (for English Heritage). Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  • Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 – 1945. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

54°18′N 0°21′W

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