SM U-73

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-73.

Willy Stöwer: sinking a troop transport by a German submarine in the Mediterranean, postcard from 1917 - missions such as U-73 offered motifs for marine painters
History
German Empire
NameU-73
Ordered6 January 1915
BuilderKaiserliche Werft Danzig
Yard number29
Launched16 June 1915
Commissioned9 October 1915
FateScuttled during the evacuation of Cattaro 30 October 1918 in position 44°52′N 13°50′E / 44.867°N 13.833°E / 44.867; 13.833[1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType UE I submarine
Displacement
  • 745 t (733 long tons) surfaced
  • 829 t (816 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.90 m (19 ft 4 in) (o/a)
  • 5.00 m (16 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught4.84 m (15 ft 11 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 800 PS (588 kW; 789 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 800 PS (588 kW; 789 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts, 2× 1.41 m (4 ft 8 in) propellers
Speed
  • 10.6 knots (19.6 km/h; 12.2 mph) surfaced
  • 7.9 knots (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,880 nmi (14,590 km; 9,070 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 83 nmi (154 km; 96 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement4 officers, 28 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • Pola / Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer II Flotilla
  • 30 April 1916 – 30 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Gustav Sieß[3]
  • 9 October 1915 – 21 May 1917
  • Kptlt. Ernst von Voigt[4]
  • 22 May 1917 – 15 January 1918
  • Kptlt. Karl Meusel[5]
  • 16 January – 15 June 1918
  • Oblt. Carl Bünte[6]
  • 16 June – 15 September 1918
  • Kptlt. Fritz Saupe[7]
  • 16 September – 30 October 1918
Operations: 9 patrols
Victories:
  • 13 merchant ships sunk
    (24,483 GRT)
  • 3 warships sunk
    (28750 tons)[1]
  • 5 auxiliary warships sunk
    (62,366 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (1,749 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (6,318 GRT)

SM U-73 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She engaged in the commerce war as part of the First Battle of the Atlantic. U-73 has the distinction of being responsible for planting the underwater mine that later led to the sinking of the largest ship sunk during World War I, the 48,158 tons hospital ship Britannic.[8]

  1. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 73". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  2. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 10–11.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Gustav Sieß". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ernst von Voigt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Meusel". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Carl Bünte". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Fritz Saupe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  8. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Britannic". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.