SM U-81 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) in World War I. U-81 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.
U-81 had one 10.5 cm gun with 140–240 rounds. On 8 February 1917 she torpedoed off Fastnet, forcing her crew and passengers to abandon her. She then shelled the drifting hulk until being chased away by the sloop . Mantola sank the next day. HMS E54 sank U-81 by torpedo west of Ireland on 1 May 1917 at position . 31 of U-81s crew were killed; seven survived.
Design Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-81 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of , a pressure hull length of , a beam of , a height of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two engines for use while surfaced, and two engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, she could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . U-81 was fitted with four torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one SK L/45 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers).
Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageTonnages are in gross register tonsFate1 December 1916Douglas1,177Sunk19 December 1916Nystrand1,397Sunk2 February 1917Songdal2,090Sunk3 February 1917Port Adelaide8,181Sunk4 February 1917Maria992Sunk5 February 1917Wartenfels4,511Sunk7 February 1917Gravina1,242Sunk8 February 19178,253Sunk10 February 1917Netherlee4,227Sunk12 February 1917Hugo Hamilton2,577Sunk10 March 1917Algol988Sunk10 March 1917Skreien415Sunk13 March 1917Coronda2,733Sunk14 March 1917Paignton2,017Sunk18 March 1917Pola3,061Sunk18 March 1917Trevose3,112Sunk19 March 1917Alnwick Castle5,900Sunk19 March 1917Frinton4,194Sunk22 March 1917Attika2,306Sunk25 March 1917C. Sundt1,105Sunk25 March 1917Garant735Sunk25 March 1917Laly1,880Sunk24 April 1917Amulree1,145Sunk25 April 1917Glenesk1,369Sunk25 April 1917Heathfield1,643Sunk25 April 1917Invermay1,471Sunk27 April 1917Uranus3,978Sunk28 April 1917Jose De Larrinaga5,017Sunk28 April 1917Terence4,309Sunk30 April 1917Elisabeth217Damaged1 May 1917Dorie3,264Damaged1 May 1917San Urbano6,458Sunk
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