SM UB-78 facts for kids

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-78.
Quick facts for kids History
German Empire
Name	UB-78
Ordered	23 September 1916
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Cost	3,338,000 German Papiermark
Yard number	307
Launched	2 June 1917
Commissioned	20 October 1917
Fate	Mined off Dover in position 51°01′N 01°17′E / 51.017°N 1.283°E / 51.017; 1.283 on 19 April 1918 all 35 crew lost.
General characteristics
Class and type	German Type UB III submarine
Displacement	516 t (508 long tons) surfaced 648 t (638 long tons) submerged
Length	55.30 m (181 ft 5 in) (o/a)
Beam	5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught	3.68 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	2 × propeller shaft 2 × MAN four-stroke 6-cylinder diesel engines, 1,085 bhp (809 kW) 2 × Siemens-Schuckert electric motors, 780 shp (580 kW)
Speed	13.6 knots (25.2 km/h; 15.7 mph) surfaced 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) submerged
Range	8,680 nmi (16,080 km; 9,990 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	3 officers, 31 men
Armament	5 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) 10 torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun
Service record
Part of:	V Flotilla 2 January – 18 February 1918 Flanders Flotilla 18 February – 19 April 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Woldemar Petri 20 October 1917 – 15 February 1918 Oblt.z.S. Ulrich Pilzecker 16 February – 17 March 1918 Oblt.z.S. Arthur Stoßberg 18 March – 19 April 1918
Operations:	5 patrols
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk (1,241 GRT) 2 merchant ships damaged (7,040 GRT)

SM UB-78 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 German Imperial Navy on 20 October 1917 as SM UB-78. Mined off Dover on 19 April 1918 all 35 crew lost.

Construction

She was built by Blohm & Voss of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 2 June 1917. UB-78 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Kptlt. Woldemar Petri. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-78 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-78 would carry a crew of up to 3 officers and 31 men and had a cruising range of 8,680 nautical miles (16,080 km; 9,990 mi). UB-78 had a displacement of 516 t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 648 t (638 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.6 knots (25.2 km/h; 15.7 mph) when surfaced and 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage	Fate
21 March 1918	Strathearn	United Kingdom	152	Damaged
22 March 1918	Polleon	United Kingdom	1,155	Sunk
25 March 1918	HMD Border Lads	Royal Navy	86	Sunk
26 March 1918	British Star	United Kingdom	6,888	Damaged