SM U-97

History

German Empire
Name	U-97
Ordered	15 September 1915
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	261
Laid down	25 March 1916
Launched	4 April 1917
Commissioned	16 May 1917
Fate	Sank 21 November 1918 en route to surrender
General characteristics
Class & type	Type U 93 submarine
Displacement	837 t (824 long tons) surfaced 998 t (982 long tons) submerged
Length	71.55 m (234 ft 9 in) (o/a) 56.05 m (183 ft 11 in) (pressure hull)
Beam	6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (o/a) 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height	8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught	3.94 m (12 ft 11 in)
Installed power	2 × 2,300 PS (1,692 kW; 2,269 shp) surfaced 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers
Speed	16.9 knots (31.3 km/h; 19.4 mph) surfaced 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph) submerged
Range	8,290 nmi (15,350 km; 9,540 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 47 nmi (87 km; 54 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament	6 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) 12–16 torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun
Service record
Part of:	IV Flotilla 27 August 1917 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Hugo Schmidt 15 May 1917 – 13 October 1917 Kptlt. Otto Wünsche 14 October 1917 – 12 January 1918 Kptlt. Hans von Mohl 13 January – 11 November 1918
Operations:	5 patrols
Victories:	3 merchant ships sunk (622 GRT) 1 auxiliary warship sunk (1,467 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (4,785 GRT)

SM U-97 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-97 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. The German unit sank by accident on her way to surrender at position 53°25′N 3°10′E / 53.417°N 3.167°E / 53.417; 3.167.