SM U-7 (Germany)

History
German Empire
NameU-7
Ordered8 April 1908
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Cost2,540,000 Goldmark
Yard number149
Laid down6 May 1909
Launched28 July 1910
Commissioned18 July 1911
FateSunk in a friendly fire incident, 26 dead.
General characteristics [1]
Class & typeType U 5 submarine
Displacement
  • 505 t (497 long tons) surfaced
  • 636 t (626 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.60 m (18 ft 4 in) (o/a)
  • 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in) (pressure hull)
Draught3.55 m (11 ft 8 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × Körting 6-cylinder and 2 × Körting 8-cylinder two stroke paraffin motors with 900 PS (660 kW; 890 shp)
  • 2 × SSW electric motors with 1,040 PS (760 kW; 1,030 shp)
  • 550 rpm surfaced
  • 600 rpm submerged
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × 1.30 m (4 ft 3 in) propellers
Speed
  • 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced
  • 10.2 knots (18.9 km/h; 11.7 mph) submerged
Range3,300 nmi (6,100 km; 3,800 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph)
Test depth30 m (98 ft)
Boats & landing
craft carried
1 dinghy
Complement4 officers, 24 men
Armament

SM U-7 was a Type U 5 U-boat which served in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. Built at Germaniawerft in Kiel between 1909 and 1910, she was launched on 28 July 1910 and commissioned in to the Navy on 18 July 1911.

Service history

At the start of World War I, U-7 formed part of I U-boat Flotilla. She was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Georg König. The boat took part in three war patrols but did not sink any merchant shipping.

On 21 January 1915, U-7 was torpedoed and sunk by SM U-22, which had mistaken her for an enemy submarine. Twenty-four crew were killed, with only one man surviving.

References

  1. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 4–6.

Bibliography

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

Further reading

  • Halpern, Paul G. (1995). A Naval History of World War I. New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-85728-498-0.
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-boats destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour Press. p. 11. ISBN 1-85409-321-5.
  • Rössler, Eberhard (1985). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkriegs, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935–1945 [The German Submarines and Their Shipyards: Submarine Construction Until the End of the First World War] (in German). Vol. I. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.
  • Roessler, Eberhard (1997). Die Unterseeboote der Kaiserlichen Marine. Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 978-3-7637-5963-7.
  • Schroeder, Joachim (2002). Die U-Boote des Kaisers. Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 978-3-7637-6235-4.
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 7". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.

53°25′48″N 6°02′00″E / 53.43000°N 6.03333°E / 53.43000; 6.03333