SM UB-33

SM UB-33[Note 1] was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 5 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 April 1916 as SM UB-33.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-33.

SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-33
History
German Empire
Name: UB-33
Ordered: 22 July 1915[1]
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Cost: 1,152,000 German Papiermark[2]
Yard number: 257[1]
Launched: 5 December 1915[1]
Completed: 20 April 1916[1]
Commissioned: 22 April 1916[2]
Fate: sunk 11 April 1918[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UB II submarine
Displacement:
  • 274 t (270 long tons) surfaced
  • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught: 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) surfaced
  • 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 7,030 nmi (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 2 officers, 21 men
Armament:
Notes: 42-second diving time
Service record
Part of: Imperial German Navy
Commanders:
  • Herbert Lefholz (April 1916 – January 1917)
  • Oblt. Waldemar von Fischer (February – March 1917)
  • Karl Ruprecht (March – September 1917)
  • Fritz Gregor (September 1917 – April 1918)
Operations: 17 patrols
Victories:
  • 13 ships sunk
  • 2 damaged
  • 3 taken as prize

The submarine sank thirteen ships, damaged two others, and took a further three as prizes in seventeen patrols.[3]

Design

A German Type UB II submarine, UB-33 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 270 metric horsepower (270 shp; 200 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,030 nautical miles (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-33 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.[2]

Fate

UB-33 was mined and sunk around the Varne Bank on 11 April 1918.[4] The wreck of UB-33 lies 77 feet (23 m) below the surface of the water. The amount of clearance between the submarine and ships' keels passing directly overhead is very small, making it a risk for the heavy cross-channel ship traffic in the area. The wreck is officially classified as a war grave and therefore it cannot be deliberately destroyed.

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[3]
8 June 1917 Kragrö  Norway 550 Prize
9 June 1917 Götha  Sweden 720 Prize
13 June 1917 Gertie  Sweden 257 Prize
1 January 1918 Genesse  United Kingdom 2,892 Damaged
8 February 1918 Kia Ora  United Kingdom 99 Sunk
16 February 1918 Pikepool  United Kingdom 3,683 Damaged
16 February 1918 Commander  United Kingdom 58 Sunk
17 February 1918 Northville  United Kingdom 2,472 Sunk
19 February 1918 Commandant Baratier  France 324 Sunk
20 February 1918 Snow Drop  United Kingdom 40 Sunk
21 February 1918 Idalia  United Kingdom 23 Sunk
21 February 1918 Irex  United Kingdom 16 Sunk
21 February 1918 Leonora  United Kingdom 26 Sunk
21 February 1918 Oryx  United Kingdom 38 Sunk
21 February 1918 Rosebud  United Kingdom 44 Sunk
14 March 1918 Carla  Norway 1,668 Sunk
15 March 1918 Sparkling Foam  United Kingdom 199 Sunk
8 April 1918 Nyassaland  Norway 383 Sunk

References

Notes
  1. "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations
  1. Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 23-25.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 33". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 33". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.

Bibliography
  • Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.
  • Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 - 1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German). I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 33". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 February 2009.

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