German Type U 87 submarine

Type 87 was a class of U-boats built during World War I by the Kaiserliche Marine.

Class overview
Builders: Germaniawerft, Kiel and Kaiserliche Werft Danzig
Operators:  Imperial German Navy
Preceded by: Type U 81
Succeeded by: Type U 93
Completed: 6
Lost: 4
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: German Type U 87 submarine
Displacement:
  • 757 t (745 long tons) surfaced
  • 998 t (982 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (oa)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height: 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in)
Draught: 3.88 m (12 ft 9 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 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 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:
  • 11,380 nmi (21,080 km; 13,100 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 (164 ft 1 in)
Complement: 4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament:

Type 87 U-boats carried 16 torpedoes and had various arrangements of deck guns. U 87 and U 89 had one 10.5 cm/45 and one 8.8 cm deck gun, U 88 was probably equally armed. U 90 - U 92 were armed with one 10.5 cm/45 gun (140-240 rounds).

They carried a crew of 36 and had excellent seagoing abilities with a cruising range of approximately 11,220 nautical miles (20,780 km; 12,910 mi). Many arrangements from the Type 81, 87, and 93 were also seen on the World War II Type IX U-boats when their design work took place 20 years later.

Compared to the previous type 81, the 87s were 4.26 metres (14.0 ft) shorter, while the pressure hull was shortened .48 metres (1 ft 7 in).[2] They were 1.2 knots (2.2 km/h; 1.4 mph) slower on the surface, and .5 knots (0.93 km/h; 0.58 mph) slower submerged, but increased range by 180 nautical miles (330 km; 210 mi) to 11,380 nautical miles (21,080 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots. They carried 16 torpedoes instead of 12. As with the previous type, there was a mixture of guns. Crew size was increased by 1 to 36.

Compared to the following type 93, the 87s were 5.75 metres (18.9 ft) shorter, with the pressure hull 5.98 metres (19.6 ft) shorter and 105 tons lighter.[3] Their range was 2,288 nautical miles (4,237 km; 2,633 mi) longer, but speed was 1.2 knots (2.2 km/h; 1.4 mph) slower on the surface and unchanged submerged.

Type 87 boats were responsible for sinking 2.218% of all allied shipping sunk during the war, taking a total of 285,019 gross register tons (GRT). They also damaged 36,271 GRT.

Boat Sunk Damaged Total
U-87 59,884 7,638 68,522
U-88 39,382 845 40,227
U-89 8,496 8,496
U-90 74,177 8,594 82,771
U-91 87,119 11,821 98,940
U-92 15,961 7,373 23,334
Totals 285,019 36,271 321,290

References
  1. Gröner 1991, pp. 12-14.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat Types: Type U 81". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat Types: Type 93". 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.
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat Types: Type U 87". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
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