SM UB-90 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 21 March 1918 as SM UB-90.[Note 1]

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-90.
History
German Empire
NameUB-90
Ordered6 / 8 February 1917[1]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg
Cost3,654,000 German Papiermark
Yard number106
Launched12 February 1918[2]
Commissioned21 March 1918[2]
FateSunk 16 October 1918 by British submarine[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 510 t (500 long tons) surfaced
  • 640 t (630 long tons) submerged
Length55.52 m (182 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Beam5.76 m (18 ft 11 in)
Draught3.73 m (12 ft 3 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
  • 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,120 nmi (13,190 km; 8,190 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 depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[2]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • II Flotilla
  • 29 June – 16 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Gottfried von Mayer[3]
  • 21 March – 16 October 1918
Operations: 2 patrols
Victories:
  • 1 merchant ship sunk
    (3,575 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as prize
    (850 GRT)

On 16 October 1918, UB-90 was hit by a torpedo from HMS L12 at 57°55′N 10°27′E / 57.917°N 10.450°E / 57.917; 10.450 and sunk. All 38 crew members died in the event.[2]

Construction

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She was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 12 February 1918. UB-90 was commissioned early the next year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Gottfried von Mayer. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-90 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun. UB-90 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,120 nautical miles (13,190 km; 8,190 mi). UB-90 had a displacement of 510 t (500 long tons) while surfaced and 640 t (630 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) when surfaced and 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

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Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[4]
29 July 1918 Douro   Denmark 850 Captured as prize
3 October 1918 Eupion   United Kingdom 3,575 Sunk

References

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Notes

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  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

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  1. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 61.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Gottfried von Mayer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 90". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 February 2015.

Bibliography

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