7. Selected Technical Data of Imperial German U-boats and their Torpedoes


Type
Displace-
ment
m³
Diving
Depth*
[m]
Propulsion
[hp]
max. Speed
[kn]
Range
[nm/kn]
Armament
Crew**
SM U-9
(equal to SM
U 10 to U 12)
493 sf
  611 sm
50
2x300 hp PM +
2x225 hp PM***
2x580 hp EM
14,2 sf
    8,1 sm
 3,250/9  sf 
75/5 sm 
2 BT, 2 ST
6 torpedoes
4 - 25
SM U 17
(equal to
SM U 18)
564 sf
  691 sm
50
4x350 hp PM***
2x560 hp EM
14,9 sf
    9,5 sm
 6,700/8  sf 
75/5 sm 
2 BT, 2 ST
6 torpedoes
4 - 25
SM U 21
(equal to SM
U 19 to U 22)
650 sf
  837 sm
50
2x850 hp DM
2x600 hp EM
15,4 sf
    9,5 sm
 7,600/8  sf 
80/5 sm 
2 BT, 2 ST
6 torpedoes
1 x 8.8 cm UK
4 - 31
SM U-53
(equal to SM
U-51 to U-56)
715 sf
  902 sm
50
2x1,200 hp DM
2x600 hp EM
17.1 sf
    9.1 sm
 9,400/8  sf 
55/5 sm 
2 BT, 2 ST
8 torpedoes
2 x 8.8 cm UK
4 - 31
SM U 117
(equal to SM
U 118 to U 121)
Type UE II
1,164 sf
  1,512 sm
75
2x1,200 hp DM
2x600 hp EM
14.7 sf
    7.0 sm
 13,900/8  sf 
35/4,5 sm 
4 BT
12 torpedoes
42 UC200 mines
(+ 32 storage)
4 - 36
SM U 135
(equal to SM
U 136 to U 138)
Type 42
1,175 sf
  1,531 sm
75
2x1,750 hp DM
2x450 hp DG
2x845 hp EM
17.7 sf
    8.1 sm
 10,000/8  sf 
50/4,5 sm 
4 BT, 2 ST
14 torpedoes
2 x 10,5 cm UK
4 - 42
SM U 139
(equal to SM
U 140 to U 141)
Type U-cruiser 46
1,930 sf
  2,483 sm
75
2x1,750 hp DM
2x450 hp DG
2x845 hp EM
15.8 sf
    7.6 sm
 12,630/8  sf 
53/4,5 sm 
4 BT, 2 ST
19 torpedoes
2 x 15.0 cm UK
6 - 56
(+ 1/20
prize-
crew)
SM U 151
(equal to SM
U 152 to U 157)
former merchant U-boat
1,512 sf
  1,875 sm
50
2x400 hp DM
2x400 hp EM
12.4 sf
    5.2 sm
 25,000/5.5  sf 
65/3 sm 
2 BT
18 torpedoes
2 x 15.0 cm
2 x 10,5 UK
6 - 50
(+ 1/20
prize-
crew)
SM UB 13
(equal to SM
UB 9 to UB 17)
Type UB I
127 sf
  141 sm
50
1x60 hp DM
1x120 hp EM
6.5 sf
    5.5 sm
 1,650/5  sf 
45/4 sm 
2 BT
2 torpedoes
1 MG
1 - 13
SM UB 29
(equal to SM
UB 24 to UB 28)
Type UB II
263 sf
  292 sm
50
2x142 hp DM
2x140 hp EM
9.2 sf
    5.8 sm
 6,500/5  sf 
45/4 sm 
2 BT
4 torpedoes
1 x 5.0 cm UK
2 - 21
SM UB 116
(equal to SM
UB 103 to UB 117)
Type UB III
516 sf
  651 sm
50
2x550 hp DM
2x394 hp EM
13.6 sf
    8.0 sm
 8,500/6  sf 
55/4 sm 
4 BT,1 ST
10 torpedoes
1 x 8,8 cm UK
3 - 31
SM UC 1
(equal to SM
UC 2 to UC 10)
Type UC I
168 sf
  183 sm
50
1x90 hp DM
1x175 hp EM
6.2 sf
    5.2 sm
 750/5  sf 
50/4 sm 
12 UC 120 mines
1 - 13
SM UC 71
(equal to SM
UC 65 to UC 73)
Type UC II
417 sf
  493 sm
50
2x350 hp DM
2x230 hp EM
11.6 sf
    7.0 sm
 9,430/7  sf 
55/4 sm 
2 BT, 1 ST
7 torpedoes
1 x 10,5 cm UK
18 UC 200 mines
3 - 23
SM UC 80
(equal to SM
UC 81 to UC 86)
Type UC III
474 sf
  560 sm
50
2x300 hp DM
2x385 hp EM
11.5 sf
    6.6 sm
 8,400/7  sf 
40/4,5 sm 
2 BT, 1 ST
7 torpedoes
1 x 10,5 cm UK
18 UC 200 mines
3 - 29


* All German U-boats were engineered with a diving depth safety factor of 2.5. That means that at a constructed diving depth (Konstruktionstauchtiefe) of 50 m, the probable destruction depth of the pressure hull was about 125m.
** First number shows the officers, the second the senior and junior rates.
*** Körting petrol motor

Acronyms:
PM = "Petrolmotor", Petrol Engine; DM = "Dieselmotor", Diesel Engine; DG = Diesel Generator
EM = Electric Motor;
BT = Bow Torpedo Tube; ST = Stern Torpedo Tube; UK = "Unterseebootskanone", U-boat Deck Gun;
sf = surfaced; sm = submerged

Selected Technical Data of U-boat Torpedoes used by the Imperial Navy

Torpedo
Type
Diameter
[cm]
Length
[m]
Propulsion
[hp]
Range/Speed
[m/kn]
Warhead [kg]
In use in
U-boats since
C06 AV 
45
5.65
Alcohol generated
steam
3,600/27
122
1914
C06 D
45
5.65
Petrol generated steam
with seawater injection
5,900/27
122
1914
G6 AV
50
60
Alcohol generated steam
with sweetwater injection
5,000/27
160
1914
G6 D
50
6.0
Petrol generated steam
with sweetwater injection
8,400/27
164
1914
G7
50
7.02
Petrol generated steam
with sweetwater injection
9,800/27
195
1918


The 45 cm torpedoes were used only by the U-boats SM U 1 to U 18, SM U-66 to U-70, SM UB 1 to UB 17.
All torpedoes were equipped with a device allowing the torpedo to be shot at an angle to the Target of up ± 90°.

See chapter 8. References.


The U-boat War in World War One