SM U-51

History
German Empire
NameU-51
Ordered23 August 1914
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number233
Laid down19 December 1914
Launched25 November 1915
Commissioned24 February 1916
FateSunk on 14 July 1916
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeType U 51 [cs] submarine
Displacement
  • 715 t (704 long tons) surfaced
  • 902 t (888 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.44 m (21 ft 2 in) (oa)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height7.82 m (25 ft 8 in)
Draught3.64 m (11 ft 11 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
Speed
  • 17.1 knots (31.7 km/h; 19.7 mph) surfaced
  • 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,400 nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 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:
  • I Flotilla
  • Unknown start – 25 May 1916
  • II Flotilla
  • 25 May – 14 July 1916
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Walter Rumpel[2]
  • 19 February – 14 July 1916
Operations: 1 patrol
Victories: None

SM U-51[Note 1] was a Type U 51 submarine, one of 329 submarines in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She engaged in commerce warfare during the First Battle of the Atlantic.

She was ordered from Germaniawerft, at Kiel, on 23 August 1914 and laid down there on 19 December. She was launched on 25 November 1915 and commissioned on 24 February 1916. Kapitänleutnant Walter Rumpel was her captain for her entire career.

  1. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Rumpel". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.


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