|
|
| History |
|---|
 German Empire |
|---|
| Name | U-75 |
| Ordered | 9 March 1915 |
| Builder | AG Vulkan, Hamburg |
| Yard number | 57 |
| Launched | 30 January 1916 |
| Commissioned | 26 March 1916 |
| Fate | 13 December 1917 - Struck a mine off Terschelling. 23 dead, unknown number of survivors.[1] |
| General characteristics |
|---|
| Class and type | German Type UE I submarine |
| Displacement |
- 755 t (743 long tons) surfaced
- 832 t (819 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 | 4.86 m (15 ft 11 in) |
| Installed power |
- 2 × 900 PS (662 kW; 888 shp) surfaced
- 2 × 800 PS (588 kW; 789 shp) submerged
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2× 1.38 m (4 ft 6 in) propellers |
| Speed |
- 9.9 knots (18.3 km/h; 11.4 mph) surfaced
- 7.9 knots (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph) submerged
|
| Range |
- 7,880 nmi (14,590 km; 9,070 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 (160 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 28 enlisted |
| Armament | |
| Service record |
| Part of: |
- I Flotilla
- 29 June 1916 – 13 December 1917
|
| Commanders: |
- Kptlt. Curt Beitzen[3]
- 26 March 1916 – 1 May 1917
- Kptlt. Fritz Schmolling[4]
- 2 May – 13 December 1917
|
| Operations: |
7 patrols |
| Victories: |
- 8 merchant ships sunk
(16,913 GRT)
- 1 warship sunk
(10,850 tons)[1]
- 3 auxiliary warships sunk
(1,434 GRT)
- 2 merchant ships damaged
(7,548 GRT)
- 1 auxiliary warship damaged
(194 GRT)
- 1 merchant ship taken as prize
(1,700 GRT)
|
SM U-75 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.
U-75 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. On her first mission, U-75 laid the mine that sank the cruiser HMS Hampshire during her voyage to Russia carrying British Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener. The cruiser sank at 59°07′N 03°24′W / 59.117°N 3.400°W / 59.117; -3.400 west of the Orkney Islands with nearly total loss of life in a force 9 gale.
Design
German Type UE I submarines were preceded by the longer Type U 66 submarines. U-75 had a displacement of 755 tonnes (743 long tons) when at the surface and 832 tonnes (819 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 56.80 m (186 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 46.66 m (153 ft 1 in), a beam of 5.90 m (19 ft 4 in), a height of 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in), and a draught of 4.86 m (15 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two 900 metric horsepower (660 kW; 890 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 800 metric horsepower (590 kW; 790 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.9 knots (18.3 km/h; 11.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.9 knots (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 83 nautical miles (154 km; 96 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,880 nautical miles (14,590 km; 9,070 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). U-75 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one at the port bow and one starboard stern), four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-two (twenty-eight crew members and four officers).
