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How many WW1 U-boats were sunk by aircraft?
Posted by:
VikingG
()
Date: July 30, 2007 11:09PM
Statistics in Clay Blair's book state that ONE U-boat (not named) was lost to aircraft in WW1.
The web page below states that THREE U-boats were sunk by aircraft - UC-36, UB-20 and UB-32:
[www.firstworldwar.com]
"As the war progressed the RNAS began to use the seaplanes offensively against the U-Boats as well. On the 20th of May, 1917 the UC36 earned the dubious distinction of being the first submarine ever sunk by an aircraft. The UB20 suffered a similar fate in July and the UB32 in August."
In contrast, uboat.net states ONE POSSIBLE loss to aircraft:
- UB-20 "28 Jul, 1917 - Hit a mine and sank with all hands while on a diving trial off Zeebrugge at 51.21N, 02.38E."
- UB-32 "22 Sep, 1917 - Possibly sunk by bombs dropped from RNAS aircraft at 5145N 0205E"
- UC-36 "21 May, 1917 - Rammed off Ushant (4842N 0514W) by French steamer Molière.", but also notes that its fate was "re-assessed in fall 2006" with no mention of the previous recorded fate! Was it air attack?
A post here in the uboat.net forums (link: [www.uboat.net]) states THREE losses to aircraft:
- UB-20 "Destroyed by Seaplanes 8676 and 8862, in the North Sea, 29th July, 1917."
- UB-32 "Destroyed by seaplane 9860, 27 miles North of Cape Barfleur, 18th August, 1917."
- UC-36 "Destroyed by Seaplane 8663, 20 miles ENE of Noord Hinder Lightship, 20th May, 1917."
I've also found another interesting list of U-boat fates on web page (link: [www.btinternet.com]), which apparently is derived from numerous credible sources (I'm not suggesting that the other lists above are less credible - I have no way of telling). This page states the following ONE boat was sunk by aircraft with THREE POSSIBLES:
- UC-1 "Mined. Possibly bombed by aircraft from Felixstowe off the N.Hinder L.V., on 25 July. (The former is the most likely fate)." [uboat.net says UC-1 was mined]
- UC-6 "Mined nets. Caught in mined nets. Another account describes how UC-6 was caught on the surface... and was bombed by seaplane No.8676, Maj. B.D. Hobbs, RFC. This incident was witnessed and reported by several German ships." [uboat.net says UC-6 was caught in mined nets]
- UB-20 "July 28. Mined. Possibly sunk by two seaplanes off N.Hinder L.V. the same day while on a 'Jolly' with guests aboard including some women."
- UB-32 "Sunk by bombs dropped by seaplane No. 8695."
The latter page also states that UC-36 was sunk by its own mines, not by aircraft... So that's three different fates I've found for UC-36, which was supposedly infamous as for being the first ever U-boat to be sunk by an aircraft?!
Does anyone here have a reliable source that confirms how many U-boats were sunk by aircraft in WW1?
The web page below states that THREE U-boats were sunk by aircraft - UC-36, UB-20 and UB-32:
[www.firstworldwar.com]
"As the war progressed the RNAS began to use the seaplanes offensively against the U-Boats as well. On the 20th of May, 1917 the UC36 earned the dubious distinction of being the first submarine ever sunk by an aircraft. The UB20 suffered a similar fate in July and the UB32 in August."
In contrast, uboat.net states ONE POSSIBLE loss to aircraft:
- UB-20 "28 Jul, 1917 - Hit a mine and sank with all hands while on a diving trial off Zeebrugge at 51.21N, 02.38E."
- UB-32 "22 Sep, 1917 - Possibly sunk by bombs dropped from RNAS aircraft at 5145N 0205E"
- UC-36 "21 May, 1917 - Rammed off Ushant (4842N 0514W) by French steamer Molière.", but also notes that its fate was "re-assessed in fall 2006" with no mention of the previous recorded fate! Was it air attack?
A post here in the uboat.net forums (link: [www.uboat.net]) states THREE losses to aircraft:
- UB-20 "Destroyed by Seaplanes 8676 and 8862, in the North Sea, 29th July, 1917."
- UB-32 "Destroyed by seaplane 9860, 27 miles North of Cape Barfleur, 18th August, 1917."
- UC-36 "Destroyed by Seaplane 8663, 20 miles ENE of Noord Hinder Lightship, 20th May, 1917."
I've also found another interesting list of U-boat fates on web page (link: [www.btinternet.com]), which apparently is derived from numerous credible sources (I'm not suggesting that the other lists above are less credible - I have no way of telling). This page states the following ONE boat was sunk by aircraft with THREE POSSIBLES:
- UC-1 "Mined. Possibly bombed by aircraft from Felixstowe off the N.Hinder L.V., on 25 July. (The former is the most likely fate)." [uboat.net says UC-1 was mined]
- UC-6 "Mined nets. Caught in mined nets. Another account describes how UC-6 was caught on the surface... and was bombed by seaplane No.8676, Maj. B.D. Hobbs, RFC. This incident was witnessed and reported by several German ships." [uboat.net says UC-6 was caught in mined nets]
- UB-20 "July 28. Mined. Possibly sunk by two seaplanes off N.Hinder L.V. the same day while on a 'Jolly' with guests aboard including some women."
- UB-32 "Sunk by bombs dropped by seaplane No. 8695."
The latter page also states that UC-36 was sunk by its own mines, not by aircraft... So that's three different fates I've found for UC-36, which was supposedly infamous as for being the first ever U-boat to be sunk by an aircraft?!
Does anyone here have a reliable source that confirms how many U-boats were sunk by aircraft in WW1?
How many WW1 U-boats were sunk by aircraft?