SM U-3 was the third German U-boat created by the German Empire in their history, and the first of two submarines in its class. The boat was built by Kaiserliche Werft Danzig and was launched on 27 March 1909.
 SM U-3 in the Harbour of Kiel (second boat right)
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | U-3 |
| Ordered | 13 August 1907[1] |
| Builder | Kaiserliche Werft Danzig[1] |
| Cost | 1,629,000 Goldmark |
| Yard number | 2 |
| Launched | 27 March 1909[1] |
| Commissioned | 29 May 1909[1] |
| Fate | Surrendered on 1 December 1918. Sank on the way to be broken up at Preston. |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Type | German Type U 3 submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 5.6 m (18 ft 4 in) |
| Draught | 3.05 m (10 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 1 dinghy |
| Complement | 3 officers, 19 men |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Operations: | none |
| Victories: | No ships sunk or damaged |
On 17 January 1911, U-3 sank near Kiel harbour in Heikendorfer Bay because of an unclosed ventilation shaft valve. Its entire 30-man crew was rescued by SMS Vulkan via torpedo tube. Amongst the saved crew was Otto Weddigen, the later commander of U-9 and Paul Clarrendorf, the commander of U-boot-Abnahme-Kommando in Kiel which enlisted U-boat crews.
U-3 began her World War I career as a training boat from 1 August 1914 to 11 November 1918. On 1 December 1918, the surrendered boat was being towed to Preston to be broken up when she sank. Unlike the first two U-boat designs, the third design was fitted with a 5 cm (2.0 in) SK L/40 deck gun.
See also
editCitations
edit- ^ a b c d Rössler 1985, p. 15.
- ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 4–6.
References
edit- 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 (1985). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkriegs, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935–1945 [The German Submarines and Their Shipyards: Submarine Construction Until the End of the First World War] (in German). Vol. I. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.
External links
edit- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 3". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 August 2009.