SM UB-52 explained

SM UB-52 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the Pola Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 9 August 1917 as SM UB-52.

She operated as part of the Pola Flotilla based in Cattaro. UB-52 was sunk by torpedo on 23 May 1918 at 41.6°N 70°W by the British submarine enforcing the Otranto Barrage at the southern end of the Adriatic, with all hands lost.

Construction

See main article: Type UB III submarine. UB-52 was ordered by the GIN on 20 May 1916. She was built by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 8 March 1917. UB-52 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Otto Launburg.

Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-52 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.82NaN2 deck gun. UB-52 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9040nmi. UB-52 had a displacement of 516lk=inNaNlk=in while surfaced and 651t when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.6kn when surfaced and when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage^[1]	Fate^[2]
30 January 1918	Empress Ekaterina II		5,545	Sunk
1 February 1918	La Dives	France	2,108	Sunk
4 February 1918	Maid of Harlech	United Kingdom	315	Sunk
4 February 1918	Sardinia	United Kingdom	6,580	Damaged
5 February 1918	HMS Rosina Ferrara		227	Damaged
9 February 1918	Antenor	United Kingdom	5,319	Damaged
18 February 1918	Basque	France	3,261	Damaged
20 February 1918	Balgray	United Kingdom	3,603	Sunk
20 February 1918	Zeno	United Kingdom	2,890	Sunk
17 March 1918	Ivydene	United Kingdom	3,541	Sunk
18 March 1918	John H. Barry	United Kingdom	3,083	Sunk
18 March 1918	Saldanha	United Kingdom	4,594	Sunk
4 April 1918	Sincerita		1,722	Sunk
2 May 1918	Flawyl	United Kingdom	3,592	Sunk
9 May 1918	Atlantique	France	6,479	Damaged
11 May 1918	Suzette Fraissinet	France	2,288	Sunk
12 May 1918		United Kingdom	8,130	Sunk
18 May 1918	Media	United Kingdom	5,437	Damaged

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Book: Bendert, Harald . Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal . . Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. 2000 . 3-8132-0713-7 . German.
• Book: Gröner. Erich. Jung. Dieter. Maass. Martin. Thomas. Keith. Magowan. Rachel. 1991. German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. 2. London. Conway Maritime Press. 0-85177-593-4. CITEREFGröner1991.
• Book: Rössler . Eberhard . Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden . 1979 . . . I. 3-7637-5213-7. de.

Notes and References

1. Tonnages are in gross register tons
2. ub52. UB-52. 1boat. 3 December 2014.