Military submarine
|
|
| History |
|---|
 German Empire |
|---|
| Name | U-85 |
| Ordered | 23 June 1915 |
| Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number | 255 |
| Laid down | 29 November 1915 |
| Launched | 22 August 1916 |
| Commissioned | 23 October 1916 |
| Fate | Foundered in North Sea after 7 March 1917, 38 dead (all hands lost).[1] |
| General characteristics |
|---|
| Displacement |
- 808 t (795 long tons) surfaced
- 946 t (931 long tons) submerged
|
| Length | |
| Beam |
- 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (oa)
- 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
|
| Height | 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in) |
| Draught | 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in) |
| Installed power |
- 2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced
- 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers |
| Speed |
- 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) surfaced
- 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
|
| Range |
- 11,220 nmi (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
- 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 31 enlisted |
| Armament | |
| Service record |
| Part of: |
- IV Flotilla
- 15 January – 12 March 1917
|
| Commanders: |
- Kptlt. Willy Petz[3]
- 23 October 1916 – 12 March 1917
|
| Operations: |
3 patrols |
| Victories: |
- 4 merchant ships sunk
(20,225 GRT)
- 1 merchant ship damaged
(7,608 GRT)[1]
|
SM U-85[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.
U-85 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.[1]
Initially, U-81 to U-83 had one 10.5 cm gun with 140-240 rounds. U-84 - U-86 on the other hand had two 8.8 cm guns. In 1917, U-84 - U-86 were refitted with a single 10.5 cm gun (240 rounds)[1]
Design
German Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-85 had a displacement of 808 tonnes (795 long tons) when at the surface and 946 tonnes (931 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 70.06 m (229 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 55.55 m (182 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in), a height of 8 m (26 ft 3 in), and a draught of 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in). 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. 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 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,220 nautical miles (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-85 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (two at the bow and two at the stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun (from 1917). She had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers).
