SM UB-70

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-70.
History
German Empire
Name:	UB-70
Ordered:	20 May 1916[1]
Builder:	Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel
Cost:	3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number:	288
Launched:	7 August 1917[2]
Commissioned:	12 October 1917[2]
Fate:	Lost May 1918
General characteristics [2]
Class and type:	German Type UB III submarine
Displacement:	513 t (505 long tons) surfaced 647 t (637 long tons) submerged
Length:	55.83 m (183 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Beam:	5.80 m (19.0 ft)
Draught:	3.67 m (12 ft 0 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:	13.2 knots (24.4 km/h; 15.2 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:	9,090 nmi (16,830 km; 10,460 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 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[2]
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:	I Flotilla Unknown – 5 May 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Johannes Remy[3] 29 October 1917 – 5 May 1918
Operations:	2 patrols
Victories:	1 merchant ship sunk (1,794 GRT)

SM UB-70 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 29 October 1917 as SM UB-70.^{[Note 1]}

UB-70 was serving in the Mediterraneanwhen she departed on her last patrol on 16 April 1918. She was last heard from on 5 May 1918 when she reported herself to be in the Mediterranean Sea east of Gibraltar. She was never seen or heard from again. Her entire crew of 33 men was lost.^[4]

Construction

UB-70 was built by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft of Kiel and following just under a year of construction, launched at Kiel on 17 August 1917. UB-70 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Kptlt. Johannes Remy. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-70 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-70 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,090 nautical miles (16,830 km; 10,460 mi). UB-70 had a displacement of 513 t (505 long tons) while surfaced and 647 t (637 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.2 knots (24.4 km/h; 15.2 mph) when surfaced and 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage[Note 2]	Fate[5]
2 May 1918	Valdivia	France	1,794	Sunk

References

Notes

1. "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
2. Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

1. Rössler 1979, p. 28.
2. Gröner 1991, pp. 25-30.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Johannes Remy". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
4. "UB 70". Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 70". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 March 2015.

Bibliography

• Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.
• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
• Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 - 1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German). I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.