SM U-71 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-71 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

Design

Type UE I submarines were preceded by the longer Type U 66 submarines. U-71 had a displacement of 755 t when at the surface and 832 t while submerged. She had a total length of 56.80 m, a pressure hull length of 46.66 m, a beam of 5.90 m, a height of 8.25 m, and a draught of 4.86 m. The submarine was powered by two 900 PS engines for use while surfaced, and two 900 PS engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 m. The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 10.6 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.9 kn. When submerged, she could operate for 83 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 7880 nmi at 7 kn. U-71 was fitted with two 50 cm torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-two (twenty-eight crew members and four officers).

Operations

U-71 came off the stocks at Hamburg (Vulcan) in January 1916, and joined the Kiel School where she remained until 7 April 1916, when she entered the North Sea to join the 1st Half Flotilla.

Summary of raiding history

Citations