SM U-1

SM "U-1" was the first U-boat produced by the German Empire to their Kaiserliche Marine. She was a unique submarine of the type sometimes called German Type U 1 submarine. "U-1" was constructed by Germaniawerft in Kiel and commissioned on December 14 1906. When World War I began in 1914, the boat was deemed obsolete and was used only as a training boat until February 19 1919, when it was struck by another vessel while on a training exercise.

Construction on "U-1" began in the autumn of 1904. The gasoline-powered boat's design was based on the Karp class submarine & the submarine "Forelle", of which four were sold to Russia. "U-1" had a slightly larger pressure hull than the "Forelle" and an improved external hull, which prevented oil leakage from the external tanks. The boat began its trials in August 1906, a year later than originally planned.

After suffering damage from a collision while on a training exercise in 1919, "U-1" was sold to the Germaniawerft foundation at the Deutsches Museum in Munich where it was restored and can be viewed on display

References

*cite web | title= U-boat.net| work= List of all U-Boats – U 1| url=http://www.uboat.net/wwi/boats/index.html?boat=1| accessdate=August 3| accessyear=2006
*Robert C. Stern. "Battle Beneath the Waves: U-boats at War", Cassell Military Paperbacks, 2002. ISBN 0-304-36228-X

See Also

*List of U-boats