SM UB-55

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-55.
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-55.
History
German Empire
NameUB-55
Ordered20 May 1916[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen
Cost3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number267
Laid down5 September 1916[2]
Launched9 May 1917[3]
Commissioned1 July 1917[3]
FateSunk 22 April 1918 at 50°59′N 01°20′E / 50.983°N 1.333°E / 50.983; 1.333 by mines, 30 dead[3]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeType UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 516 t (508 long tons) surfaced
  • 646 t (636 long tons; 712 short tons) submerged
Length55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,020 nmi (16,710 km; 10,380 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[3]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 30 August 1917 – 22 April 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Ralph Wenninger
  • 1 July 1917 – 22 April 1918
Operations: 7 patrols
Victories:
  • 20 merchant ships sunk
    (26,485 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (113 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (12,809 GRT)

SM UB-55 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 1 July 1917 as SM UB-55.[Note 1]

She operated as part of the Flanders Flotilla based in Zeebrugge. UB-55 was sunk at 05:05 on 22 April 1918 at 51°01′N 01°20′E / 51.017°N 1.333°E / 51.017; 1.333 after striking a mine, 30 crew members lost their lives in the event.[3]

  1. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 55". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.


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