Name U-120 Builder AG Vulcan, Hamburg Launched 20 June 1918 | Ordered 27 May 1916 Commissioned 31 August 1918 Draft 4.22 m | |
Fate Surrendered on 22 November 1918
Broken up in April 1919 Class and type German Type UE II submarine | ||
SM U-120 was a Type UE II long-range minelayer submarine of the Imperial German Navy. She was built at Hamburg, Germany, by Aktiengesellschaft Vulcan and launched on 20 June 1918. She was commissioned in the Imperial German Navy on 31 August 1918 with Kapitänleutnant Hans von Mellenthin in command. She had a short-lived career, not being assigned to any flotillas, nor achieving any successful attacks on enemy shipping, before the end of the First World War. She was surrendered to Italy on 22 November 1918, and was broken up in April 1919 at La Spezia.
Design
German Type UE II submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-120 had a displacement of 1,164 tonnes (1,146 long tons) when at the surface and 1,512 tonnes (1,488 long tons) while submerged. It had a total length of 267 ft 5 in (81.51 m), a beam of 24 ft 4 in (7.42 m), a height of 33 ft 4 in (10.16 m), and a draught of 13 ft 10 in (4.22 m). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. It had two shafts and two 1.61 m (5.3 ft) propellers. It was capable of operating at depths of up to 75 metres (246 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 14.7 knots (27.2 km/h; 16.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). When submerged, it could operate for 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph); when surfaced, it could travel 13,900 nautical miles (25,700 km; 16,000 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-120 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (fitted at its bow), fourteen torpedoes, two 100 centimetres (39 in) mine chutes (fitted at its stern), forty-two mines, one 15 centimetres (5.9 in) deck machine gun, and 494 rounds. It had a complement of forty (thirty-six crew members and four officers).