SM UB-128 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 11 May 1918 as SM UB-128.[Note 1]
 UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-128.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UB-128 |
| Ordered | 6 / 8 February 1917[1] |
| Builder | AG Weser, Bremen |
| Cost | 3,654,000 German Papiermark |
| Yard number | 301 |
| Laid down | 20 July 1917[2] |
| Launched | 10 April 1918[3] |
| Commissioned | 11 May 1918[3] |
| Fate | Surrendered 3 February 1919; used for explosive trials and dumped on beach 1921; sold for scrap 1921 |
| General characteristics [3] | |
| Class and type | Type UB III submarine |
| Displacement | |
| 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 |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 31 men[3] |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: | 2 patrols |
| Victories: |
1 merchant ship sunk (7,418 GRT) |
UB-128 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 3 February 1919 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. After passing into British hands, UB-128 was towed to Falmouth along with five other U-boats [Note 2] for use in a series of explosive test trials by the Royal Navy in Falmouth Bay, in order to find weaknesses in their design. Following her use on 1 February 1921, UB-128 was dumped on Castle Beach and sold to R. Roskelly & Rodgers on 19 April 1921 for scrap (for £120), and partially salvaged over the following decades, although parts remain in situ.[5]
Construction
editShe was built by AG Weser of Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 10 April 1918. UB-128 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Kptlt. Wilhelm Canaris. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-128 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun. UB-128 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-128 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.
Summary of raiding history
edit| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 3] | Fate[6] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 August 1918 | Champlain |  France
|
7,418 | Sunk |
References
editNotes
editCitations
edit- ^ Rössler 1979, p. 55.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 128". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Canaris". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
- ^ Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. pp. 50–52, 99, 130. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 128". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
Bibliography
edit- 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. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Rössler, Eberhard (1979). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.