SM U-82 was a Type U 81 U-boat of the Imperial German Navy during World War I. She was launched on 1 July 1916 and commissioned on 16 September 1916 under Hans Adam. She was assigned to IV Flotilla on 21 November 1916, serving with them throughout the war. She carried out 11 patrols during the war, commanded from 30 April 1918 by Heinrich Middendorff. SM U-82 sank 36 ships for a total of, and damaging a further three ships for 32,914 tons. Among the ships she damaged was the USS Mount Vernon, the former SS Kronprinzessin Cecilie. At 18,372 tons she was one of the largest ships to be hit by a U-boat during the war. She was surrendered to the British on 16 January 1919 under the terms of the armistice, and was broken up at Blyth between 1919 and 1920.

Design

Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-82 had a displacement of 808 t when at the surface and 946 t while submerged. She had a total length of 70.06 m, a pressure hull length of 55.55 m, a beam of 6.30 m, a height of 8 m, and a draught of 4.02 m. The submarine was powered by two 2400 PS engines for use while surfaced, and two 1200 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 16.8 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 9.1 kn. When submerged, she could operate for 56 nmi at 5 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 11220 nmi at 8 kn. U-82 was fitted with four 50 cm torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm SK L/45 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers).

Summary of raiding history

Citations