SM U-140

History
German Empire
Name:	U-140
Ordered:	1 August 1916
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number:	301
Launched:	4 November 1917
Commissioned:	28 March 1918
In service:	28 March 1918 – 11 November 1918
Fate:	Surrendered 23 February 1919 Sunk as target 22 July 1921
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:	German Type U 139 submarine
Displacement:	1,930 t (1,900 long tons) surfaced 2,483 t (2,444 long tons) submerged
Length:	92.00 m (301 ft 10 in) (o/a) 71.50 m (234 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Beam:	9.12 m (29 ft 11 in) (o/a) 5.75 m (18 ft 10 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	5.27 m (17 ft 3 in)
Draught:	11.20 m (36 ft 9 in)
Installed power:	2 × 3,500 PS (2,574 kW; 3,452 shp) 2 × 450 PS (331 kW; 444 shp) surfaced 2 × 1,780 PS (1,309 kW; 1,756 shp) submerged
Propulsion:	2 shafts, 2 × 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) propellers
Speed:	15.8 knots (29.3 km/h; 18.2 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:	17,750 nmi (32,870 km; 20,430 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 53 nmi (98 km; 61 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph) submerged
Test depth:	75 m (246 ft 1 in)
Complement:	6 (1) officers, 56 (20) enlisted – (prize crew)
Armament:	6 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) 19-24 torpedoes 2 × 15 cm (5.9 in) deck guns 2 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck guns
Service record[2]
Part of:	U-Kreuzer Flotilla unknown start – 11 November 1918
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Waldemar Kophamel 28 March – 11 November 1918
Operations:	1 patrol
Victories:	7 merchant ships sunk (30,004 GRT) 1 Coast Guard ship sunk (590 tons)

SM U-140 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-140 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. ^[2]

After the end of World War I, U-140 surrendered to the United States, which used her for testing. Finally, the United States Navy destroyer USS Dickerson (DD-157) sank her as a target in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Charles, Virginia, on 22 July 1921.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage[Note 1]	Fate[3]
27 July 1918	Porto	Portugal	1,079	Sunk
2 August 1918	Tokuyama Maru	Japan	7,029	Sunk
4 August 1918	O. B. Jennings	United States	10,289	Sunk
5 August 1918	Stanley M. Seaman	United States	1,060	Sunk
6 August 1918	Diamond Shoals LV71	United States Coast Guard	590	Sunk
6 August 1918	Merak	United States	3,024	Sunk
21 August 1918	Diomed	United Kingdom	7,523	Sunk

References

Notes

1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

1. Gröner 1991, pp. 19-21.
2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 140". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 140". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.

Bibliography

• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.