SM UB-121

SM UB-121 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 10 February 1918 as SM UB-121.[Note 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-121.
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-121.
History
German Empire
Name: UB-121
Ordered: 6/8 February 1917[1]
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen
Cost: 3,654,000 German Papiermark
Yard number: 294
Launched: 6 January 1918[2]
Commissioned: 10 February 1918[2]
Fate: Wrecked in tow 15 April 1919
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UB III submarine
Displacement:
  • 512 t (504 long tons) surfaced
  • 643 t (633 long tons) submerged
Length: 55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam: 5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught: 3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 7,280 nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 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:
  • III Flotilla
  • 10 February – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Albrecht Schmidt[3]
  • 10 February – 11 November 1918
Operations: 3 patrols
Victories: None

UB-121 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 20 November 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. She was transferred to France in 1919, but while in tow to Brest in company with U-118 she ran aground at Birling Gap on 15 April 1919. The wreck was sold by the British Admiralty to R. Longmate for £500 on 3 May 1919, and broken up in situ, although a few pieces remain in situ.[4]

Construction
Main article: German Type UB III submarine

She was built by AG Weser of Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 6 January 1918. UB-121 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Albrecht Schmidt. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-121 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-121 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi). UB-121 had a displacement of 512 t (504 long tons) while surfaced and 643 t (633 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) when surfaced and 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) when submerged.

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.

Citations
  1. Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 25-30.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Albrecht Schmidt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  4. Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. pp. 22, 55, 96, 130. ISBN 978 1 5267 4198 1.

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)

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