SM U-55

	SM U-55 in Yokosuka
History
German Empire
Name	U-55
Ordered	23 August 1914
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	237
Laid down	28 December 1914
Launched	18 March 1916
Commissioned	8 June 1916
Renamed	O-3 in 1920; Auxiliary Vessel No. 2538 in 1923;
Fate	Surrendered to Japan on 26 November 1918; Served with them as O-3 between 1920 and 1921; Dismantled by June 1921; Briefly recommissioned in 1923 as Auxiliary Vessel No. 2538;
General characteristics
Class & type	Type U 51 submarine
Displacement	715 t (704 long tons) surfaced; 902 t (888 long tons) submerged;
Length	65.20 m (213 ft 11 in) (o/a); 52.51 m (172 ft 3 in) (pressure hull);
Beam	6.44 m (21 ft 2 in) (oa); 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull);
Height	7.82 m (25 ft 8 in)
Draught	3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Installed power	2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced; 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged;
Propulsion	2 shafts
Speed	17.1 knots (31.7 km/h; 19.7 mph) surfaced; 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged;
Range	9,400 nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced; 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged;
Test depth	50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement	36
Armament	4 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (two bow, two stern); 7 torpedoes; 2 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck guns;
Service record
Part of:	Imperial German Navy:; II Flotilla; 29 July 1916 – 11 November 1918;
Commanders:	Kptlt. Wilhelm Werner; 9 June 1916 – 9 August 1918; Kptlt. Alexander Weiß; 10 August – 14 September 1918; Oblt.z.S. Hans Friedrich; 15 September – 11 November 1918;
Operations:	14 patrols
Victories:	61 merchant ships sunk ; (126,010 GRT); 3 auxiliary warship sunk ; (7,732 GRT); 7 merchant ships damaged ; (26,161 GRT); 2 merchant ships taken as prize ; (3,466 GRT);

SM U-55 was one of the six Type U-51 U-boats of the Imperial German Navy during the First World War.

History
SM U-55 in Yokosuka
German Empire
Name	U-55
Ordered	23 August 1914
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	237
Laid down	28 December 1914
Launched	18 March 1916
Commissioned	8 June 1916
Renamed	O-3 in 1920 Auxiliary Vessel No. 2538 in 1923
Fate	Surrendered to Japan on 26 November 1918 Served with them as O-3 between 1920 and 1921 Dismantled by June 1921 Briefly recommissioned in 1923 as Auxiliary Vessel No. 2538
General characteristics
Class & type	Type U 51 submarine
Displacement	715 t (704 long tons) surfaced 902 t (888 long tons) submerged
Length	65.20 m (213 ft 11 in) (o/a) 52.51 m (172 ft 3 in) (pressure hull)
Beam	6.44 m (21 ft 2 in) (oa) 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height	7.82 m (25 ft 8 in)
Draught	3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Installed power	2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion	2 shafts
Speed	17.1 knots (31.7 km/h; 19.7 mph) surfaced 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range	9,400 nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth	50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement	36
Armament	4 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (two bow, two stern) 7 torpedoes 2 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck guns
Service record
Part of:	Imperial German Navy: II Flotilla 29 July 1916 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Wilhelm Werner 9 June 1916 – 9 August 1918 Kptlt. Alexander Weiß 10 August – 14 September 1918 Oblt.z.S. Hans Friedrich 15 September – 11 November 1918
Operations:	14 patrols
Victories:	61 merchant ships sunk (126,010 GRT) 3 auxiliary warship sunk (7,732 GRT) 7 merchant ships damaged (26,161 GRT) 2 merchant ships taken as prize (3,466 GRT)