SM U-97

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-97.

History

German Empire
Name:	U-97
Ordered:	15 September 1915
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number:	261
Laid down:	25 March 1916
Launched:	4 April 1917
Commissioned:	16 May 1917
Fate:	Sank 21 November 1918 en route to surrender
General characteristics ^[1]
Class and type:	German Type U 93 submarine
Displacement:	837 t (824 long tons) surfaced 998 t (982 long tons) submerged
Length:	71.55 m (234 ft 9 in) (o/a) 56.05 m (183 ft 11 in) (pressure hull)
Beam:	6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (o/a) 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught:	3.94 m (12 ft 11 in)
Installed power:	2 × 2,300 PS (1,692 kW; 2,269 shp) surfaced 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion:	2 shafts, 2 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers
Speed:	16.9 knots (31.3 km/h; 19.4 mph) surfaced 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph) submerged
Range:	8,290 nmi (15,350 km; 9,540 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 47 nmi (87 km; 54 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth:	50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement:	4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament:	6 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) 12–16 torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) deck gun
Service record
Part of:	Imperial German Navy: IV Flotilla 27 August 1917 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Hugo Schmidt^[2] 15 May 1917 – 13 October 1917 Kptlt. Otto Wünsche^[3] 14 October 1917 – 12 January 1918 Kptlt. Hans von Mohl^[4] 13 January – 11 November 1918
Operations:	5 patrols
Victories:	4 merchant ships sunk (2,089 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (4,785 GRT)

SM U-97 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-97 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.^[5] The German unit sank by accident on her way to surrender at position 53°25′N 3°10′E / 53.417°N 3.167°E / 53.417; 3.167Coordinates: 53°25′N 3°10′E / 53.417°N 3.167°E / 53.417; 3.167.

Design

German Type U 93 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 87 submarines. U-97 had a displacement of 838 tonnes (825 long tons) when at the surface and 1,000 tonnes (980 long tons) while submerged.^[1] It had a total length of 234 ft 9 in (71.55 m), a pressure hull length of 183 ft 11 in (56.06 m), a beam of 20 ft 8 in (6.30 m), and a draught of 12 ft 11 in (3.94 m). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. It had two propeller shafts and two 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers. It was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).^[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph).^[1] When submerged, it could operate for 52 nautical miles (96 km; 60 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, it could travel 9,020 nautical miles (16,710 km; 10,380 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-97 was fitted with six 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (four at the bow and two at the stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 8.8 centimetres (3.5 in) deck machine gun. It had a complement of thirty-six (thirty-two crew members and four officers).^[1]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage^{[Note 1]}	Fate^[6]
22 November 1917	Conovium	United Kingdom	86	Sunk
22 November 1917	Elsena	United Kingdom	335	Sunk
22 November 1917	Hartland	United Kingdom	4,785	Damaged
11 February 1918	HMS Westphalia	Royal Navy	1,467	Sunk
2 June 1918	Argus	Denmark	201	Sunk

References

Notes

↑ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 12-14.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hugo Schmidt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Wünsche (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans von Mohl". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 97". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 97". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

Bibliography

Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

German Type U 93 submarines

U-93 U-94 U-95 U-96 U-97 U-98 U-105 U-106 U-107 U-108 U-109 U-110 U-111 U-112 U-113 U-114 U-160 U-161 U-162 U-163 U-164 U-165 U-166 U-167

Preceded by: Type U 87 Followed by:Type UE II List of U-boats of Germany

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1918

Shipwrecks	1 Nov: SM U-72, SMS Viribus Unitis 5 Nov: HMS Campania 6 Nov: USS Jolly Roger 9 Nov: HMS Britannia 10 Nov: HMS Ascot 14 Nov: HMS Cochrane 15 Nov: Carabinier, USS Elizabeth 16 Nov: Cesare Rossarol 18 Nov: SM U-165 21 Nov: SM U-97 22 Nov: HMS G11 26 Nov: USS Bonita Unknown date: Cerisoles, Inkerman

Other incidents	5 Nov: HMS Glorious, HMS Royal Oak 6 Nov: USS Kanawha 13 Nov: Carabinier

1917 1918 1919 October 1918 December 1918

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