SM U-20 (Germany)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-20.

U-20 (second from left) in Kiel harbour, 1914
History
German Empire
NameU-20
Ordered25 November 1910
BuilderKaiserliche Werft Danzig
Cost2,450,000 Goldmark
Yard number14
Laid down7 November 1911
Launched18 December 1912
Commissioned5 August 1913
FateGrounded 4 November 1916 and destroyed by her crew the next day.
General characteristics
Class and typeGerman Type U 19 submarine
Displacement
  • 650 t (640 long tons) surfaced
  • 837 t (824 long tons) submerged
Length64.15 m (210 ft 6 in)
Beam6.10 m (20 ft)
Height7.30 m (23 ft 11 in)
Draught3.58 m (11 ft 9 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × MAN 8-cylinder two stroke diesel motors with 1,700 PS (1,250 kW; 1,680 shp)
  • 2 × AEG double Motordynamos with 1,200 PS (880 kW; 1,180 shp)
  • 320 rpm submerged
Speed
  • 15.4 knots (28.5 km/h; 17.7 mph) surfaced
  • 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,700 nautical miles (18,000 km; 11,200 mi) at 8 kn surfaced
  • 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 5 kn submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Boats & landing
craft carried		1 dinghy
Complement4 officers, 31 men
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 1 August 1914 – 4 November 1916
Commanders:
Operations: 7 patrols
Victories:
  • 37 merchant ships sunk
    (145,830 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (2,246 GRT)
  • 1 warship damaged
    (397 tons)

SM U-20[Note 1] was a German Type U 19 U-boat built for service in the Imperial German Navy. She was launched on 18 December 1912, and commissioned on 5 August 1913. During World War I, she took part in operations around the British Isles. U-20 became infamous following her sinking of the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania on 7 May 1915, an act that dramatically reshaped the course of the First World War.

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Dröscher (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walther Schwieger (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 20". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 14 March 2015.


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