SM U-105

U-105 in Cherbourg around 1920
History
German Empire
Name:	U-105
Ordered:	5 May 1916
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number:	274
Launched:	16 May 1917
Commissioned:	4 July 1917
Fate:	Surrendered to France 20 November 1918
France
Name:	Jean Autric
Namesake:	Jean Autric
Acquired:	1918
Struck:	27 January 1937
Fate:	Sold for scrap, 1938
General characteristics
Class and type:	German Type U 93 submarine
Displacement:	798 t (785 long tons) surfaced 1,000 t (980 long tons) submerged
Length:	71.55 m (234 ft 9 in) (o/a) 56.05 m (183 ft 11 in) (pressure hull)
Beam:	6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (o/a) 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught:	3.90 m (12 ft 10 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, 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers
Speed:	16.4 knots (30.4 km/h; 18.9 mph) surfaced 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h; 9.7 mph) submerged
Range:	9,280 nmi (17,190 km; 10,680 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth:	50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement:	4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament:	6 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) 12-16 torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun
Service record
Part of:	Imperial German Navy IV Flotilla 3 September 1917 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Friedrich Strackerjan 4 July 1917 – 11 November 1918
Operations:	6 patrols
Victories:	19 merchant ships sunk (55,834 GRT) 2 merchant ships damaged (unknown GRT)

SM U-105 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-105 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. After the war she was ceded to France, where the unit served as Jean Autric until being scrapped in 1938.

On 17 October 1917, SM U-105 met Antilles, an American troop transport, during the return leg of a voyage to Europe.Antilles was torpedoed by the submerged U-boat and went down just five minutes after being hit. A total of 67 persons were killed in the sinking, making the destruction of Antilles the event costing the single greatest number of American lives in the war to that date.

German Type U 93 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 87 submarines. U-105 had a displacement of 798 tonnes (785 long tons) when at the surface and 1,000 tonnes (980 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 71.55 m (234 ft 9 in), a pressure hull length of 56.05 m (183 ft 11 in), a beam of 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in), a height of 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in), and a draught of 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. The boat had two propeller shafts and two 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.4 knots (30.4 km/h; 18.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h; 9.7 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,280 nautical miles (17,190 km; 10,680 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-105 was fitted with six 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (four at the bow and two at the stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-six (thirty-two crew members and four officers).