SM U-70

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-70.

History
German Empire
NameU-70
Ordered2 February 1913
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel[2]
Yard number207[1]
Laid down11 February 1914, as U-11 (Austria-Hungary)[1]
Launched20 July 1915[1]
Commissioned22 September 1915[1]
FateSurrendered 20 November 1918; broken up, 1919–20
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeType U 66 submarine
Displacement
  • 791 t (779 long tons) surfaced
  • 933 t (918 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (o/a)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height7.95 m (26 ft 1 in)
Draft3.79 m (12 ft 5 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) surfaced
  • 10.3 knots (19.1 km/h; 11.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,370 nmi (13,650 km; 8,480 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 115 nmi (213 km; 132 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement4 officers, 32 enlisted men
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 9 February 1916 – 11 November 1918[1]
Commanders:
Operations: 12 war patrols[1]
Victories:
  • 52 merchant ships sunk
    (135,288 GRT)[1]
  • 1 warship sunk
    (1,290 tons)
  • 5 merchant ships damaged
    (24,971 GRT)

SM U-70 was a Type U 66 submarine or U-boat for the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She had been laid down in February 1914 as U-11 the final boat of the U-7 class for the Austro-Hungarian Navy (German: Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine or K.u.K. Kriegsmarine) but was sold to Germany, along with the others in her class, in November 1914.

The submarine was ordered as U-11 from Germaniawerft of Kiel as the last of five boats of the U-7 class for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. After the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Navy became convinced that none of the submarines of the class could be delivered to the Adriatic via Gibraltar. As a consequence, the entire class, including U-11, was sold to the German Imperial Navy in November 1914. Under German control, the class became known as the U 66 type and the boats were renumbered; U-11 became U-70, and all were redesigned and reconstructed to German specifications. U-70 was launched in July 1915 and commissioned in September. As completed, she displaced 791 tonnes (779 long tons), surfaced, and 933 tonnes (918 long tons), submerged. The boat was 69.50 metres (228 ft) long and was armed with five torpedo tubes and a deck gun.

A part of the IV Flotilla throughout the war, U-70 sank 52 merchant ships with a combined gross register tonnage (GRT) of 135,288. Included in that total was Southland—at 11,899 GRT, one of the largest ships of the war sunk by a U-boat—sunk in June 1917. In addition she sank one British Flower-class sloop and damaged five merchant ships (24,971 GRT). On 20 November 1918, nine days after the Armistice, U-70 was surrendered to the British. She was broken up at Bo'ness in 1919–20.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 70". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
  2. ^ Gardiner, p. 177.
  3. ^ Gröner 1991, p. 10.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Wünsche". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Joachim Born". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.


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