History
German Empire
NameU-82
Ordered23 June 1915
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number252
Laid down31 August 1915
Launched1 July 1916
Commissioned16 September 1916
Fate16 January 1919 – Surrendered. Broken up at Blyth in 1919–20.
General characteristics [1]
Displacement
  • 808 t (795 long tons) surfaced
  • 946 t (931 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (oa)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.00 m (26 ft 3 in)
Draught4.02 m (13 ft 2 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers
Speed
  • 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) surfaced
  • 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 11,220 nmi (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement4 officers, 31 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 21 November 1916 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hans Adam[2]
  • 16 September 1916 – 29 April 1918
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Middendorf[3]
  • 30 April – 11 November 1918
Operations: 11 patrols
Victories:
  • 34 merchant ships sunk
    (98,091 GRT)
  • 2 auxiliary warships sunk
    (10,219 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (14,542 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (18,372 GRT)

SM U-82 was a Type U 81 U-boat of the Imperial German Navy during World War I.

She was launched on 1 July 1916 and commissioned on 16 September 1916 under Hans Adam. She was assigned to IV Flotilla on 21 November 1916, serving with them throughout the war. She carried out 11 patrols during the war, commanded from 30 April 1918 by Heinrich Middendorff. SM U-82 sank 36 ships for a total of 110,160 gross register tons (GRT), and damaging a further three ships for 32,914 tons. Among the ships she damaged was the USS Mount Vernon, the former SS Kronprinzessin Cecilie. At 18,372 tons she was one of the largest ships to be hit by a U-boat during the war.[4]

She was surrendered to the British on 16 January 1919 under the terms of the armistice, and was broken up at Blyth between 1919 and 1920.

Design

German Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-82 had a displacement of 808 tonnes (795 long tons) when at the surface and 946 tonnes (931 long tons) while submerged.[1] She had a total length of 70.06 m (229 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 55.55 m (182 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in), a height of 8 m (26 ft 3 in), and a draught of 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph).[1] When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,220 nautical miles (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-82 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers).[1]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[5]
5 December 1916 Dorit  Denmark 242 Sunk
5 December 1916 Ella  Norway 879 Sunk
6 December 1916 Christine  Denmark 196 Sunk
6 December 1916 Robert  Denmark 353 Sunk
10 December 1916 Gerda  Denmark 287 Sunk
2 January 1917 Omnium  France 8,719 Sunk
3 January 1917 Viking  Denmark 761 Sunk
4 January 1917 Calabro  Kingdom of Italy 1,925 Sunk
5 January 1917 Ebro  Denmark 1,028 Sunk
6 January 1917 Beaufront  United Kingdom 1,720 Sunk
23 April 1917 Marita  Norway 1,759 Sunk
24 April 1917 Thistleard  United Kingdom 4,136 Sunk
25 April 1917 Hackensack  United Kingdom 4,060 Sunk
4 May 1917 Ellin  Greece 4,577 Damaged
11 June 1917 HMS Zylpha  Royal Navy 2,917 Sunk
13 June 1917 Storegut  Norway 2,557 Sunk
14 June 1917 Ortolan  United Kingdom 1,727 Sunk
14 June 1917 Taplow  United Kingdom 2,981 Sunk
15 June 1917 Albertine Beatrice  Netherlands 1,379 Sunk
15 June 1917 Westonby  United Kingdom 3,795 Sunk
16 June 1917 Jessie  United Kingdom 2,256 Sunk
18 June 1917 Thistledhu  United Kingdom 4,026 Sunk
25 July 1917 Monkstone  United Kingdom 3,097 Sunk
31 July 1917 Orubian  United Kingdom 3,876 Sunk
31 July 1917 HMS Quernmore  Royal Navy 7,302 Sunk
19 September 1917 Saint Ronald  United Kingdom 4,387 Sunk
15 November 1917 De Dollart  Netherlands 243 Sunk
19 February 1918 Glencarron  United Kingdom 5,117 Sunk
19 February 1918 Philadelphian  United Kingdom 5,165 Sunk
8 April 1918 Tainui  United Kingdom 9,965 Damaged
10 April 1918 Westfield  United Kingdom 3,453 Sunk
5 June 1918 Argonaut  United States 4,826 Sunk
7 June 1918 Brisk  Norway 1,662 Sunk
8 June 1918 Hunsgrove  United Kingdom 3,063 Sunk
8 June 1918 Saima  United Kingdom 1,147 Sunk
4 September 1918 Dora  United States 7,037 Sunk
5 September 1918 USS Mount Vernon  United States Navy 18,372 Damaged
12 September 1918 Galway Castle  United Kingdom 7,988 Sunk
16 September 1918 Madryn  United Kingdom 2,244 Sunk

References

Notes

  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Adam (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Middendorf". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 82". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 82". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.

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.

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