Type U
Type U 1
U 1 = 1 U-boat
First german submarine, double hull coastal submarine, construction influenced by Spanish ship designer Lorenzo Raimondo d’Equevilley (employed by Germaniawerft) and based on the russian submarines Karp, Karas and Kampala of 1904, which have almost identical dimensions. It was only used for training purposes.
| Year of construction | 1906 |
| Shipyard | Germaniawerft at Kiel |
| Displacement | 238 t / 283 t submerged |
| Length | 42.4 m |
| Beam | 3.8 m |
| Draught | 3.2 m |
| Propulsion | 2 Körting 6-cylinder two stroke kerosene engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | 400 HP/ 400 HP |
| Speed | 10.8 kn/8.7 kn submerged |
| Range | 1,400 sm / 50 sm submerged |
| Diving Depth | 30 m |
| Fuel | 22 cbm |
| Armament | 1 bow torpedo tube, 3 torpedoes |
| Complement | 12 |
Type U 2 (Projekt 7)
U 2 = 1 U-boat
Double hull coastal submarine. This was a experimental design always bound for ship-handling trouble, so it did not prove to be a success. It was only used for training purposes.
| Year of construction | 1908 |
| Shipyard | Imperial dockyard at Danzig |
| Displacement | 341 t / 430 t submerged |
| Length | 45.4 m |
| Beam | 5.5 m |
| Draught | 3.0 m |
| Propulsion | 2 Daimler 6-cylinder four stroke kerosene engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | 600 HP/ 630 HP |
| Speed | 13.2 kn/9.0 kn submerged |
| Range | 1,600 sm / 50 sm submerged |
| Diving Depth | 30 m |
| Fuel | 46 cbm |
| Armament | 2 bow, 2 stern torpedo tubes 6 torpedoes |
| Complement | 22 |
Type U 3 (Projekt 12)
U 3 and U 4 = 2 U-boats
Double hull coastal submarines which were easy to detect due to their yellow-whitish exhaustion fumes and the explosive noises of the exhaust. They were only used as training boats.
| Year of construction | 1909 |
| Shipyard | Imperial dockyard at Danzig |
| Displacement | 421 t / 510 t submerged |
| Length | 51.3 m |
| Beam | 5.6 m |
| Draught | 3.1 m |
| Propulsion | 2 Körting 6-cylinder two stroke kerosene engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | 900 HP/ 1.030 HP |
| Speed | 11.8 kn/9.4 kn submerged |
| Range | 1,800 sm / 55 sm submerged |
| Diving Depth | 30 m |
| Fuel | 48 cbm |
| Armament | 2 bow, 2 stern torpedo tubes 6 torpedoes, after 1914: 1 x 3.7 cm gun, after 1915: 1 x 5.0 cm gun |
| Complement | 22 |
type U 5
U 5 to U 8 = 5 U-boats
Double hull coastal submarines similar to U 3 which were easy to detect due to their yellow-whitish exhaustion fumes and the explosive noises of the exhaust.
| Year of construction | 1909 |
| Shipyard | Germaniawerft at Kiel |
| Displacement | 505 t / 636 t submerged |
| Length | 57.3 m |
| Beam | 5.6 m |
| Draught | 3.6 m |
| Propulsion | 2 Körting 6-cylinder two stroke kerosene engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | 900 HP/ 1.040 HP |
| Speed | 13.4 kn/10.2 kn submerged |
| Range | 1,900 sm / 80 sm submerged |
| Diving Depth | 30 m |
| Fuel | 54 cbm |
| Armament | 2 bow, 2 stern torpedo tubes 6 torpedoes, after 1914: 1×3.7 cm gun, after 1915: 1×5.00cm gun |
| Complement | 28, U 8: 29 |
Type U 9
U 9 to U 16 = 8 U-boats
Double hull coastal submarines similar to U 3 which were easy to detect due to their yellow-whitish exhaustion fumes and the explosive noises of the exhaust.
| Year of construction | 1910-1912 |
| Shipyard | Imperial dockyard at Danzig |
| Displacement | U 9 to U 12: 493 t / 611 t submerged, U 13 to U 15: 516 t / 644 t submerged, U 16: 489 t / 627 t submerged |
| Length | U 9 to U 12: 57.4 m, U 13 to U 15: 57.9 m, U 16: 57.8 m |
| Beam | U 9 to U 12: 6.0 m, U 13 to U 15: 6.0 m, U 16: 6.0 m |
| Draught | U 9 to U 12: 3.1 m, U 13 to U 15: 3.4 m, U 16: 3.4 m |
| Propulsion | 2 Körting 6-cylinder two stroke kerosene engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | U 9 to U 12: 1,050 HP / 1,160 HP submerged, U 13 to U 15: 1,200 HP / 1,160 submerged, U 16: 1,200 HP / 1,160 submerged |
| Speed | U 9 to U 12: 14.2 kn / 8,1 kn submerged, U 13 to U 15: 14.8 kn / 10.7 kn submerged, U 16: 14.8 kn / 10.7 kn submerged |
| Range | U 9 to U 12: 3,250 sm at 9 kn / 80 sm at 5 kn submerged, U 13 to U 15: 4,000 sm at 9 kn / 90 sm at 5 kn submerged, U 16: 4,500 sm at 9 kn / 90 sm at 5 kn submerged |
| Diving Depth | 50 m |
| Fuel | 52-66 cbm |
| Armament | 2 bow, 2 stern torpedo tubes 6 torpedoes, U 9, U 10, U 12 and U 16 had 1 gun from 1×3.7 cm to 8.8 cm, U 11, U 13 and U 15 had no gun. |
| Complement | 29 |
Type U 17 (Projekt 20)
U 17 to U 18 = 2 U-boats
Double hull coastal submarines similar to U 3 which were easy to detect due to their yellow-whitish exhaustion fumes and the explosive noises of the exhaust.
| Year of construction | 1912 |
| Shipyard | Imperial dockyard at Danzig |
| Displacement | 564 t/ 691 t submerged |
| Length | 62.4 m |
| Beam | 6.0 m |
| Draught | 3.4 m |
| Propulsion | 2 Körting 6-cylinder Zweitakt-Petroleummotoren, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | 1,400 HP / 1,120 HP submerged |
| Speed | 14.9 kn / 9.5 kn submerged |
| Range | 6,700 sm at 8 kn / 75 sm at 5 kn submerged |
| Diving Depth | 50 m |
| Fuel | 74 cbm |
| Armament | 2 bow, 2 stern torpedo tubes 6 torpedoes,U 17 after 1914: 1 x 3.7 cm gun, after 1915 1 x 5.0 cm gun plus 1 x 3.7 cm gun, after 1917 1 x 5.0 cm gun. U 18 had no gun. |
| Complement | 29 |
Type U 19
U 19 to U 41 = 23 U-boats
This boats were double hull submarines designed for high seas operations and the first U-boats to be equipped with diesel engines.
Note: The construction of U 42 started in Italy on German orders with keellaying on August 18th 1913 but it was seized by Italy an Mai 23rd 1915 and comissioned by the Italian Navy on August 8th 1915 as Ballila. It was handed over to the UK January 20th 1919 and was scuttled in Swansea in 1922
| Year of construction | 1913 to 1915 |
| Shipyard | U 19 to U 22 and U 27 to U 30 Imperial dockyard at Danzig, U 23 to U 26 and U 31 to U 41 Germaniawerft at Kiel |
| Displacement | U 19 to U 22 = 650 t / 837 t submerged, U 23 to U 26 = 669 t / 864 t submerged, U 27 to U 30 = 675 t / 867 t submerged, U 31 to U 41 = 685 t / 878 t submerged |
| Length | U 19 to U 22 = 64.2 m, U 23 to U 26 = 64.7 m, U 27 to U 30 = 64.7 m, U 31 to U 41 = 64.7 m |
| Beam | U 19 to U 22 = 6.1 m, U 23 to U 26 = 6.3 m, U 27 to U 30 = 6.3 m, U 31 to U 41 = 6.3 m |
| Draught | U 19 to U 22 = 3.6 m, U 23 to U 26 = 3.5 m, U 27 to U 30 = 3.5 m, U 31 to U 41 = 3.6 m |
| Propulsion | 2 MAN diesel engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | U 19 to U 22 = 1,700 HP / 1,200 HP submerged, U 23 to U 26 = 1,800 HP / 1,200 HP, U 27 to U 30 = 2,000 HP / 1,200 HP, U 31 to U 41 = 1,850 HP / 1,200 HP |
| Speed | U 19 to U 22 = 15.4 kn / 9.5 kn submerged, U 23 to U 26 = 16.7 kn / 10.3 kn submerged, U 27 to U 30 = 16.7 kn / 9.8 kn submerged, U 31 to U 41 = 16.4 kn / 9.7 kn submerged |
| Range | U 19 to U 22 = 7,600 sm at 8 kn / 80 sm at 5 kn submerged, U 23 to U 26 = 7,620 sm at 8 kn / 85 sm at 5 kn submerged, U 27 to U 30 = 9,770 sm at 8 kn / 85 sm at 5 kn submerged, U 31 to U 41 = 8,790 sm at 8 kn / 80 sm at 5 kn submerged |
| Diving Depth | 80 m |
| Fuel | 99 cbm to 110 cbm |
| Armament | 2 bow, 2 stern torpedo tubes 6-10 torpedoes, gun armament varying between U-boats from 1 x 8.8 cm to 1 x 10.5 cm |
| Complement | 35 |
Type U 43 (Projekt 25)
U 43 to U 50 and U 87 to U 92 = 14 U-boats
Double Hull submarines designed for high seas operations.
| Year of construction | 1915 to 1917 |
| Shipyard | U 43 to U 50 Imperial dockyard at Danzig, U 87 to U 92 Germaniawerft at Kiel |
| Displacement | U 43 to U 50 = 725 t / 940 t submerged, U 87 to U 92 = 757 t / 998 t submerged |
| Length | U 43 to U 50 = 65.0 m, U 87 to U 92 = 65.8 m |
| Beam | U 43 to U 50 = 6.2 m, U 87 to U 92 = 6.2 m |
| Draught | U 43 to U 50 = 3.7 m, U 87 to U 92 = 3.9 m |
| Propulsion | 2 MAN diesel engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | U 43 to U 50 = 2,000 HP / 1,200 HP submerged, U 87 to U 92 = 2,400 HP / 1,200 HP |
| Speed | U 43 to U 50 = 15.2 kn / 9.7 kn submerged, U 87 to U 92 = 15.6 kn / 8.6 kn submerged |
| Range | U 43 to U 50 = 11,400 sm at 8 kn / 51 sm at 5 kn submerged, U 87 to U 92 = 11,300 sm at 8 kn / 56 sm at 5 kn submerged |
| Diving Depth | 50 m |
| Fuel | 132 cbm |
| Armament | 2 bow, 2 stern torpedo tubes, 12-16 torpedoes, guns on U 43 to U 50 = 2 x 8.8 cm, later 1 x 10.5 cm, U 87 to U 92 = 1 x 8.8 cm plus 1 x 10.5 cm |
| Complement | 36 |
type U 51 (type M)
U 51 to U 65, U 81 to U 86, U 93 to U 114 and U 160 to U 165 = 49 U-boats
Double Hull submarines designed for high seas operations.
Note: The Construction of U 166 and U 167 was completed at Bremer Vulkan but they were never commissioned, U 166 was taken by France and commissioned as Jean Roullier on March 21st 1919. U 167 was taken by the UK on April 18th 1919 and scuttled at Grays in 1922.
| Year of construction | 1916 to 1918 |
| Shipyard | U 51 to U 65, U 81 to U 86, U 93 to U 114 at Germaniawerft at Kiel U 160 to U 165 at Bremer Vulkan at Bremen |
| Displacement | U 51 to U 65 = 715 t / 902 t submerged, U 81 to U 86 = 808 t / 946 t submerged, U 93 to U 114 = 838 t / 1,000 t submerged, U 160 to U 165 = 821 / 1,002 t submerged |
| Length | U 51 to U 65 = 65.2 m, U 81 to U 86 = 70.1 m, U 93 to U 114 = 71.6 m, U 160 to U 165 = 71.6 m |
| Beam | U 51 to U 65 = 6.4 m, U 81 to U 86 = 6.3 m, U 93 to U 114 = 6.3 m, U 160 to U 165 = 6.3 m |
| Draught | U 51 to U 65 = 3.6 m, U 81 to U 86 = 4.0 m, U 93 to U 114 = 3.9 m, U 160 to U 165 = 3.9 m |
| Propulsion | 2 MAN diesel engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | U 51 to U 65 = 2,400 HP / 1,200 HP submerged, U 81 to U 86 = 2,400 HP / 1,200 HP submerged, U 93 to U 114 = 2,400 HP / 1,200 HP submerged, U 160 to U 165 = 2,400 HP / 1,230 HP submerged |
| Speed | U 51 to U 65 = 17.1 kn / 9.1 kn submerged, U 81 to U 86 = 16.8 kn / 9.1 kn submerged, U 93 to U 114 =16.8 kn / 8,6 kn submerged, U 160 to U 165 = 16.2 kn / 8.2 kn submerged |
| Range | U 51 to U 65 = 9,400 sm at 8 kn / 55 sm at 5 kn submerged, U 81 to U 86 = 11,200 sm at 8 kn / 56 sm at 5 kn submerged, U 93 to U 114 = 9,020 sm at 8 kn / 52 sm at 5 kn submerged, U 160 to U 165 = 8,500 sm at 8 kn / 50 sm at 5 kn submerged |
| Diving Depth | 50 m |
| Fuel | 103 cbm 133 cbm |
| Armament | U 51 to U 65 and U 81 to U 86 = 2 bow and 2 stern torpedo tubes, 8 torpedoes, U 93 to U 114 and U 160 to U 165 = 4 bow and 2 stern torpedo tubes, 12 to 16 torpedoes, gun armament warying between U-boats from 1 x 8.8 cm to 1 x 10.5 cm |
| Complement | 36 |
type U 66 (type UD)
U 66 to U 70 = 5 U-boats
Double Hull submarines designed for high seas operations.
Note: The Imperial and Royal Austrian-Hungarian Navy ordered 5 U-Boats (U 7 to U 11) in 1913 at the Germaniawerft, with the outbreak of war Germany bought these boats and commissioned them as U 66 to U 70 in 1915.
| Year of construction | 1915 |
| Shipyard | Germaniawerft at Kiel |
| Displacement | 791 t / 933 t submerged |
| Length | 69.5 m |
| Beam | 6.3 m |
| Draught | 3.8 m |
| Propulsion | 2 diesel engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | 2,300 HP / 1,240 HP submerged |
| Speed | 16.8 kn / 10.3 kn submerged |
| Range | 7,370 sm at 8 kn / 115 sm at 5 kn submerged |
| Diving Depth | 50 m |
| Fuel | 87 cbm |
| Armament | 4 bow and 1 stern torpedo tube, 12 torpedoes, 1 x 8.8 cm gun, after 1916 1 x 10.5 cm gun |
| Complement | 36 |
type U 71 (type UE and UE I)
U 71 to U 80 = 10 U-boats
Single Hull submarines with saddle tanks designed for minelaying operations
| Year of construction | 1915 / 1916 |
| Shipyard | Vulcan-Werft at Hamburg |
| Displacement | 755 t / 832 t submerged |
| Length | 56.8 m |
| Beam | 5.9 m |
| Draught | 4.9 m |
| Propulsion | 2 diesel engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | 900 HP / 900 HP submerged |
| Speed | U 71 to U 74 = 10,6 kn / 7,9 kn submerged, U 75 to U 80 = 9.9 kn / 7.9 kn submerged |
| Range | 7,880 sm at 7 kn / 83 sm at 4 kn submerged |
| Diving Depth | 50 m |
| Fuel | 82 cbm to 90 cbm |
| Armament | 1 bow and 1 stern torpedo tubes, 4 torpedoes, 38 mines ( through 2 stern tubes for mine delivery), 1 x 8.8 cm gun oder 1 x 10.5 cm gun, U 72 after 1917 1 x 10.5 cm plus 1 x 8.8 cm gun |
| Complement | 32 |
Type U 117 (type UE II, Projekt 45)
U 117 to U 120 and U 122 to U 126 = 9 U-boats
Double hull submarines designed as mine-cruiser for minelaying operation
| Year of construction | 1918 |
| Shipyard | U 117 to U 120 at Vulcan-Werft at Hamburg, U 122 to U 126 at Blohm & Voss at Hamburg |
| Displacement | U 117 to U 120 = 1,164 t / 1,512 t submerged, U 122 to U 126 = 1,163 t / 1,468 t submerged |
| Length | U 117 to U 120 = 81.5 m, U 122 to U 126 = 82.0 m |
| Beam | 7.4 m |
| Draught | 4.2 m |
| Propulsion | 2 diesel engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | U 117 to U 120 = 2,400 HP / 1,200 HP submerged, U 122 to U 126 = 2,400 HP / 1,230 HP submerged |
| Speed | 14.7 kn / 7.0 kn submerged |
| Range | U 117 to U 120 = 13,900 sm at 8 kn / 35 sm at 5 kn submerged, U 122 to U 126 = 11,470 sm at 8 kn / 35 sm at 5 kn submerged |
| Diving Depth | 50 m |
| Fuel | 82 cbm to 90 cbm |
| Armament | 4 bow, 14 torpedoes, 2 mine laying tubes for 42 mines, 1 x 15 cm gun, U 177 plus 1 x 8.8 cm, U 123 2 x 10.5 cm |
| Complement | 40 |
Type U 135 (Projekt 42)
U 135 and U 136 = 2 U-boats
Double Hull submarines designed for high seas operation, forerunner of the later “U-boat Cruiser” (U 139 to U 132, Projekt 46)
| Year of construction | 1918 |
| Shipyard | Imperial dockyard at Danzig |
| Displacement | 1,175 t / 1,534 t submerged |
| Length | 83.5 m |
| Beam | 5.5 m |
| Draught | 4.3 m |
| Propulsion | 2 diesel engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | 3,400 HP / 1,690 HP submerged |
| Speed | 17.0 kn / 8.1 kn submerged |
| Range | 10,000 sm at 8 kn / 50 sm at 4.5 kn submerged |
| Diving Depth | 75 m |
| Fuel | 191 cbm |
| Armament | 4 bow and 2 stern torpedo tubes, 14 torpedoes, 1 x 15.0 cm gun |
| Complement | 46 |
Type U 139 (Projekt 46)
U 139 to U 142 = 4 U-boats
Double hull submarines designed for high seas operation, named as “U-boat Cruiser”.
| Year of construction | 1918 |
| Shipyard | Germaniawerft at Kiel |
| Displacement | U 139 to U 141 = 1,930 t / 2,483 t submerged, U 142 = 2,158 t / 2,785 t submerged |
| Length | U 139 to U 141 = 92.0 m, U 142 = 97.5 m |
| Beam | U 139 to U 141 = 9.1 m, U 142 = 9.1 m |
| Draught | U 139 to U 141 = 5.3 m, U 142 = 5.4 m |
| Propulsion | 2 diesel engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | U 139 to U 141 = 3,400 HP / 1,690 HP submerged, U 142 = 6,000 HP / 2,600 HP submerged |
| Speed | U 139 to U 141 = 15.3 kn / 7.6 kn submerged, U 142 = 17.5 kn / 8.5 kn submerged |
| Range | U 139 to U 141 = 12,360 sm at 8 kn / 53 sm at 5 kn submerged, U 142 = 17,750 sm at 8 kn / 70 sm at 4.5 kn submerged |
| Diving Depth | 75 m |
| Fuel | 443 cbm to 451 cbm |
| Armament | 4 bow and 2 stern torpedo tubes, 19-24 torpedoes, 1 x 15.0 cm gun, U 140 to U 142 plus 2 x 8.8 cm gun |
| Complement | 62 plus 21 men als prize crew |
Type U 151 (U-Kreuzer)
U 151 to U 157 = 7 U-boats
Double hull submarines designed for high seas operation, named as “U-boat Cruiser”.
Note: Modified U-boats originally designed as merchant submarines, U 151 ( ex U Oldenburg) U 155 (ex U Deutschland) and U 157 ( ex U Bayern)
| Year of construction | 1917 |
| Shipyard | Germaniawerft at Kiel |
| Displacement | 1,503 t / 1,875 t submerged |
| Length | 65.0 m |
| Beam | 8.9 m |
| Draught | 5.3 m |
| Propulsion | 2 diesel engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers |
| Engine Power | 800 HP/ 800 HP submerged |
| Speed | 12.4 kn / 5.2 kn submerged |
| Range | 25,000 sm at 5 kn / 65 sm at 3 kn submerged |
| Diving Depth | 50 m |
| Fuel | 285 cbm |
| Armament | 2 bow torpedo tubes, 18 torpedoes, 1 x 15.0 cm plus 2 x 8.8 cm guns |
| Complement | 56 plus 20 men prize crew |