SM U-72

History
German Empire
NameU-72
Ordered6 January 1915
BuilderAG Vulkan, Hamburg
Yard number56
Launched31 October 1915
Commissioned26 January 1916
Fate1 November 1918 - Scuttled during the evacuation of Cattaro in position 42°30′N 18°41′E / 42.500°N 18.683°E / 42.500; 18.683
General characteristics
Class & typeType UE I submarine
Displacement
  • 755 t (743 long tons) surfaced
  • 832 t (819 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.90 m (19 ft 4 in) (o/a)
  • 5.00 m (16 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught4.86 m (15 ft 11 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 900 PS (662 kW; 888 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 900 PS (662 kW; 888 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts, 2× 1.38 m (4 ft 6 in) propellers
Speed
  • 10.6 knots (19.6 km/h; 12.2 mph) surfaced
  • 7.9 knots (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,880 nmi (14,590 km; 9,070 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 83 nmi (154 km; 96 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement4 officers, 28 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 11 April – 17 September 1916
  • Pola / Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer II Flotilla
  • 17 September 1916 – 1 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Ernst Krafft
  • 28 January 1916 – 17 July 1917
  • Kptlt. Johannes Feldkirchner
  • 18 July – 5 November 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Schulze
  • 6 November – 31 December 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hermann Bohm
  • 1 January – 31 October 1918
Operations: 4 patrols
Victories:
  • 18 merchant ships sunk
    (38,570 GRT)
  • 3 warships sunk
    (26 tons)
  • 4 merchant ships damaged
    (21,513 GRT)
  • 1 warship damaged
    (Unknown tons)

SM U-72 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-72 was engaged in the commerce war in First Battle of the Atlantic.