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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
SUBMARINES
U7 submarines


Ships


Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
U7   203 Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany 1913 22.4.1915 7.1915 // --- completed by Germany (U66)
U8   204 Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany 1913 15.5.1915 8.1915 // --- completed by Germany (U67)
U9   205 Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany 1913 1.6.1915 8.1915 // --- completed by Germany (U68)
U10   206 Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany 1913 24.6.1915 9.1915 // --- completed by Germany (U69)
U11   207 Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany 1913 20.7.1915 9.1915 // --- completed by Germany (U70)


Technical data


Displacement standard, t

 

Displacement normal, t

791 / 933

Length, m

69.5

Breadth, m

6.30

Draught, m

3.79

No of shafts

2

Machinery

U7, 8: 2 Germania diesels / 4 SSW electric motors

U9-11: 2 Germania diesels / 4 Pichler electric motors

Power, h. p.

2300 / 1240

Max speed, kts

16.8 / 10.3

Fuel, t

diesel oil 87

Endurance, nm(kts)

7370(8) / 115(5)

Armament

1 x 1 - 66/24 G. L/26 K.15 BAK, 5 - 450 TT (4 bow, 1 stern, 12)

Complement

36

Diving depth operational, m

50



Project history

After the first Austrian trials a 500t submarine with 12kts submerged speed was requested. Of the submitted designs the final choice came down to the Whitehead Type 48 and the Germania Type 506d, and the German type was adopted because of its low price. The five boats were to be an improved U3 type, and the particulars given in the table relate to the original design for Austrian requirements. Ordered on 1 February 1913 the construction time was scheduled to be 29-33 months. Because of the war situation the transfer of the completed boats via Gibraltar to Pola was believed to be impossible. Therefore they were sold to Germany on 28 November 1914, and commissioned as U66-70. When the German Lieutenant (sen) Hersing brought his boat, U21, into the Mediterranean a few months later (in April 1915), it was obvious that sea-going U-boats could reach the Adriatic without trouble. In the light of this event a transfer to Austria-Hungary would have been possible and the re-sale of the boats must be seen as a severe setback for Austrian U-boat warfare.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.