Name U-123 Commissioned 20 July 1918 Builder Blohm + Voss | Ordered 27 May 1916 Launched 26 January 1918 | |
Fate Surrendered 22 November 1918. Ran aground on the English East coast on the way to be broken up in 1921. Class and type German Type UE II submarine Type Coastal minelaying submarine | ||
SM U-123 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-123 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.
Design
German Type UE II submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-123 had a displacement of 1,163 tonnes (1,145 long tons) when at the surface and 1,468 tonnes (1,445 long tons) while submerged. It had a total length of 269 ft (82 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 1,235 metric horsepower (908 kW; 1,218 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 11,470 nautical miles (21,240 km; 13,200 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-123 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (fitted at the bow), twelve 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).