SM U-74

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-74.
History
German Empire
Name: U-74
Ordered: 6 January 1915
Builder: Kaiserliche Werft Danzig ( 30)
Launched: 10 August 1915
Commissioned: 24 November 1915
Fate: 17 May 1916 - Sank in a mine handling accident 3.5 nmi (6.5 km; 4.0 mi) off Dunbar, Scotland. 34 dead (all hands lost).[1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type 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)
Height: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught: 4.84 m (15 ft 11 in)
Installed power:
  • 2 × 800 PS (588 kW; 789 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 800 PS (588 kW; 789 shp) submerged
Propulsion: 2 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:
  • 5,480 nmi (10,150 km; 6,310 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 depth: 50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement: 4 officers, 28 enlisted
Armament:
  • 2 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (one starboard bow, one starbord stern)
  • 4 torpedoes
  • 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck guns
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Erwin Weisbach[3]
  • 24 November 1915 – 17 May 1916
Operations: 2 patrols
Victories: 1 ship sunk (2,802 GRT)[1]

SM U-74[Note 1] was a Type UE 1 submarine and one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-74 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

Design

German Type UE I submarines were preceded by the longer Type U 66 submarines. U-74 had a displacement of 755 tonnes (743 long tons) when at the surface and 832 tonnes (819 long tons) while submerged.[2] It had a total length of 186 ft 4 in (56.79 m), a pressure hull length of 153 ft 1 in (46.66 m), a beam of 19 ft 4 in (5.89 m), a height of 27 ft 1 in (8.26 m), and a draught of 15 ft 11 in (4.85 m). The submarine was powered by two 900 metric horsepower (660 kW; 890 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 900 metric horsepower (660 kW; 890 shp) engines for use while submerged. It had two propeller shafts. It was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 10.6 knots (19.6 km/h; 12.2 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.9 knots (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph).[2] When submerged, it could operate for 83 nautical miles (154 km; 96 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, it could travel 7,880 nautical miles (14,590 km; 9,070 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). U-74 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), four torpedoes, and one 5.5 centimetres (2.2 in) deck machine gun. It had a complement of thirty-two (twenty-eight crew members and four officers).[2]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[4]
20 April 1916 Sabbia  United Kingdom 2,802 Sunk

References

Notes

  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. ↑ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

  1. 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 74". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 10-11.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erwin Weisbach". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 74". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.

Bibliography

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