SM_UB-29

SM <i>UB-29</i>

SM UB-29

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For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-29.

SM UB-29 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 31 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 January 1916 as SM UB-29.[Note 1]

Quick Facts History, German Empire ...

The submarine sank 36 ships in 17 patrols for a total of 47,107 gross register tons (GRT).[5] UB-29 was supposedly sunk by two depth charges from HMS Landrail south of Goodwin Sands at 51°9′N 1°46′E on 13 December 1916 ,[2] although the location of its wreck discovered in Belgian waters, approximately 15 nm NW of Ostend, contradicts this claim. The Landrail might have mistaken UB-29 for another boat, possibly the UC-19.[6]

The UB-29's wreckage – exceptionally well preserved and with the hull still intact – was found by Belgian divers in the summer of 2017, and formally identified in November 2017. Its exact location was not published, in order to enable further research and protection of the site.[7]

Design

A Type UB II submarine, UB-29 had a displacement of 265 tonnes (261 long tons) when at the surface and 291 tonnes (286 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.13 m (118 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.36 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.66 m (12 ft). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 267 metric horsepower (263 shp; 196 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 6,650 nautical miles (12,320 km; 7,650 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-29 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 5 cm (2.0 in) SK L/40 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a thirty-second dive time.[2]

Summary of raiding history

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Wreckage

The well preserved wreckage of the submarine was discovered in 2017 off the coast of Ostend. Hence, the assumption that it was sunk south of Goodwin Sands after a collision with HMS Landrail cannot be maintained. One possible explanation is that UB-29 escaped after the collision, and ran into a mine in Belgian waters. Another explanation is that HMS Landrail sank another U-boat, possibly the UC-19. The German government decided to leave the 22 crew members in the wreckage. Only some minor artefacts lying outside the submarine will be salvaged for an exposition in Belgium and will later be handed to the Internationales Maritimes Museum Hamburg.[9]

Notes

  1. [N 1]
    "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. [N 2]
    Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

References

  1. [1]
    Rössler 1979, p. 54.
  2. [2]
    Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. [3]
    Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Herbert Pustkuchen (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  4. [4]
    Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Platsch". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  5. [5]
    Bendert 2000, p. 195.
  6. [6]
    "In Noordzee gevonden Duitse WO 1 duikboot geidentificeerd". vrt.be (in Flemish). Retrieved 2017-11-14.
  7. [7]
    "Gezonken WOI-duikboot voor onze kust geeft geheimen prijs". hln.be (in Flemish). Retrieved 2017-11-14.
  8. [8]
    Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 29". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  9. [9]
    "In Noordzee gevonden Duitse WO 1 duikboot geidentificeerd". vrt.be (in Flemish). Retrieved 2017-11-14.

Bibliography
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