SM UB-48

The SM UB-48 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. It was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 11 June 1917 as SM UB-48.[Note 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-48.

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-48.
History
German Empire
Name: UB-48
Ordered: 20 May 1916[1]
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Cost: 3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number: 293
Launched: 6 January 1917[2]
Commissioned: 11 June 1917[2]
Fate: Scuttled at Pola on 28 October 1918 following the surrender of Austria-Hungary.[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UB III submarine
Displacement:
  • 516 t (508 long tons) surfaced
  • 651 t (641 long tons) submerged
Length: 55.30 m (181 ft 5 in) (o/a)
Beam: 5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught: 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 13.6 knots (25.2 km/h; 15.7 mph) surfaced
  • 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 9,040 nmi (16,740 km; 10,400 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 3 officers, 31 men[2]
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
  • Pola/Mittelmeer II Flotilla
  • 2 September 1917 – 28 October 1918
Commanders: Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Steinbauer[3]
Operations: 9 patrols
Victories:
  • 36 ships merchant sunk (110,095 GRT)
  • 8 merchant ships damaged (25,113 GRT)
  • 1 warship damaged (18,400 tons)

The submarine conducted nine patrols and sank 32 ships during the war for a total loss of 104,488 gross register tons (GRT) and one destroyer.[3] It operated as part of the Pola Flotilla and later the II Mediterranean U-boat Flotilla based in Cattaro.[3] UB-48 was one of the most successful U-boats serving in the Mediterranean. The boat was assigned the number U-79 in the Austro-Hungarian Navy.[2] It was scuttled in Pola after the surrender of Austria-Hungary on 28 October 1918.[2]

Construction
Main article: German Type UB III submarine

UB-48 was ordered by the GIN on 20 May 1916 and built by Blohm & Voss of Hamburg. Following less than a year of construction, it was launched at Hamburg on 6 January 1917. UB-48 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Wolfgang Steinbauer.[3] Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-48 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-48 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,090 nautical miles (16,830 km; 10,460 mi). UB-48 had a displacement of 516 t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 651 t (641 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.6 knots (25.2 km/h; 15.7 mph) when surfaced and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history
SM UB 48 under Captain Lieutenant Wolfgang Steinbauer invaded the Italian port of Carloforte on 29 April 1918 and destroyed the British steamer KINGSTONIAN, two British salvage steamers and a French barque
Ships sunk or damaged by SM UB-48[4]
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate
12 August 1917 Roanoke  United Kingdom 4,803 Sunk
14 August 1917 HMS Prize  Royal Navy 199 Sunk
18 August 1917 Kongsli  Norway 5,826 Sunk
20 August 1917 Serra Do Marco  Portugal 50 Sunk
20 August 1917 Serra Do Pilar  Portugal 50 Sunk
23 August 1917 Winlaton  United Kingdom 3,270 Sunk
27 August 1917 Hathor  United Kingdom 3,823 Sunk
2 October 1917 Imera  Italy 1,172 Sunk
6 October 1917 Citta Di Bari  Italy 1,489 Sunk
9 October 1917 Niki  Greece 511 Sunk
14 October 1917 Valparaiso  Italy 4,930 Sunk
19 October 1917 Pera  United Kingdom 7,635 Sunk
20 October 1917 Collegian  United Kingdom 7,520 Sunk
27 November 1917 Glenbridge  United Kingdom 3,845 Damaged
4 December 1917 Dowlais  United Kingdom 3,016 Sunk
4 December 1917 Gerasimos  Greece 3,845 Sunk
8 December 1917 Consols  United Kingdom 3,756 Sunk
27 January 1918 Volonta Di Dio  Italy 43 Sunk
30 January 1918 Harlaw  Italy 821 Sunk
2 February 1918 Celia  United Kingdom 5,004 Sunk
2 February 1918 Edilio  Italy 4,719 Sunk
2 February 1918 Newminster Abbey  United Kingdom 3,114 Sunk
3 February 1918 Aboukir  United Kingdom 3,660 Sunk
7 February 1918 Sturton  United Kingdom 4,406 Sunk
26 April 1918 Upada  United Kingdom 5,257 Damaged
27 April 1918 Romany  United Kingdom 3,983 Sunk
29 April 1918 Kingstonian  United Kingdom 6,564 Sunk
29 April 1918 Dalkeith  United Kingdom 748 Sunk
29 April 1918 Monte Bianco  France 988 Damaged
29 April 1918 Moose  United Kingdom 208 Damaged
2 May 1918 Franklyn  United Kingdom 4,919 Sunk
2 May 1918 Tyler  United States 3,928 Sunk
5 May 1918 Clan Ross  United Kingdom 5,971 Damaged
2 June 1918 San Antonio  Italy 389 Sunk
6 June 1918 Christophero Colombo  Italy 264 Sunk
10 June 1918 Nivernais  France 2,555 Sunk
13 June 1918 Penhallow  United Kingdom 4,318 Sunk
16 August 1918 Balkan  France 1,709 Sunk
18 August 1918 Nordboen  Denmark 2,417 Sunk
1 September 1918 Baron Minto  United Kingdom 4,537 Damaged
1 September 1918 Monviso  Italy 4,020 Damaged
18 October 1918 Voltaire  French Navy 18,400 Damaged

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. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Rössler 1979, p. 65.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  3. Bendert 2000, p. 123.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 48". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.

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.
  • 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.

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