SM UB-48

The SM UB-48 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. It was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 11 June 1917 as SM UB-48.

The submarine conducted nine patrols and sank 35 ships during the war for a total loss of and one destroyer. It operated as part of the Pola Flotilla and later the II Mediterranean U-boat Flotilla based in Cattaro. UB-48 was one of the most successful U-boats serving in the Mediterranean. The boat was assigned the number SMU U-79 (Austria-Hungary) in the Austro-Hungarian Navy. It was scuttled in Pola after the surrender of Austria-Hungary on 28 October 1918.

Construction
UB-48 was ordered by the GIN on 20 May 1916 and built by Blohm & Voss of Hamburg. Following less than a year of construction, it was launched at Hamburg on 6 January 1917. UB-48 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Wolfgang Steinbauer. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-48 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm deck gun. UB-48 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9090 nmi. UB-48 had a displacement of 516 t while surfaced and 651 t when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.6 kn when surfaced and 8 kn when submerged.