SM U-121

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-121.

SM U-121^{[Note 1]} was a Type UE II long-range minelaying U-boat of the Imperial German Navy intended for service in the Mediterranean. The Austro-Hungarian Navy allocated her the number SM U-84. She was built at Hamburg, Germany, by Aktiengesellschaft Vulcan and launched on 20 September 1918. Incomplete at the Armistice she was never commissioned in the Imperial German Navy but surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 9 March 1919. Handed over to France, she was sunk as a gunnery target off Cherbourg on 1 July 1921.^[2]

History
German Empire
Name	U-121
Builder	AG Vulcan, Hamburg
Cost	6,177,000 Goldmark
Yard number	95
Launched	20 September 1918
In service	9 March 1919
Fate	Surrendered on 9 March 1919 to France Sunk as target off Cherbourg, 1 July 1921
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	Type UE II submarine
Type	Coastal minelaying submarine
Displacement	1,164 t (1,146 long tons) surfaced 1,512 t (1,488 long tons) submerged
Length	81.52 m (267 ft 5 in) (o/a)
Beam	7.42 m (24 ft 4 in)
Height	10.16 m (33 ft 4 in)
Draught	4.22 m (13 ft 10 in)
Installed power	2 × diesel engines, 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) 2 × electric motors, 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp)
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2 × 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) propellers
Speed	14.7 knots (27.2 km/h; 16.9 mph) surfaced 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
Range	13,900 nmi (25,700 km; 16,000 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 35 nmi (65 km; 40 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph) submerged
Test depth	75 m (246 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 36 enlisted
Armament	4 × 50 cm (19.7 in) bow torpedo tubes 14 torpedoes 2 × 100 cm (39 in) stern mine chutes 42 mines 1 × 15 cm (5.9 in) SK L/45 deck gun 494 rounds

References

Notes

1. "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.

Citations

1. Gröner 1991, p. 15.
2. Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. p. 125. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.

Bibliography

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