SM U-81

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-81.

History
German Empire
NameU-81
Ordered23 June 1915
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number251
Laid down31 August 1915
Launched24 June 1916
Commissioned22 August 1916
Fate1 May 1917 - Torpedoed W of Ireland at 51°33′N 13°38′W / 51.550°N 13.633°W / 51.550; -13.633 by HM Sub E54. 31 dead, seven survivors.[1]
General characteristics [2]
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
  • 18 October 1916 – 1 May 1917
Commanders:
Operations: 5 patrols
Victories:
  • 30 merchant ships sunk
    (88,483 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (3,481 GRT)[1]

SM U-81[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) in World War I. U-81 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.[1]

U-81 had one 10.5 cm gun with 140–240 rounds.[1] On 8 February 1917 she torpedoed Mantola 143 nautical miles (265 km; 165 mi) off Fastnet, forcing her crew and passengers to abandon her. She then shelled the drifting hulk until being chased away by the Acacia-class sloop HMS Laburnum. Mantola sank the next day.[4][5] HMS E54 sank U-81 by torpedo west of Ireland on 1 May 1917. 31 of U-81's crew were killed; seven survived.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 81". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  2. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Raimund Weisbach". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Gairsoppa". Ships hit by U-boats. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  5. ^ "SS Mantola WWI shipwreck reveals silver haul". BBC News. 10 October 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2011.


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