U-27 Class Submarine (Austria-Hungary) - Construction

Construction

With the plans purchased, the Austro-Hungarian Navy began the intricate political negotiations to assign the six boats—to be designated U-27 to U-32—between Austrian and Hungarian firms. Of the initial order of six boats, two were allocated to the Austrian firm of Cantiere Navale Triestino (CNT) operating out of the Pola Navy Yard, and the balance to the Hungarian firm of Ganz Danubius in Fiume. The Navy ordered the first six boats of the class on 12 October 1915.

The first six boats were all laid down between late 1915 and early 1916. Later in 1916, the seventh boat of the class, U-40, was laid down, after having been presented to the Navy as a gift by the Österreichischen Flottenverein, and an eighth, U-41, as a replacement for U-6, which had been lost in May. The seventh and eighth boats were constructed by CNT at the Pola Navy Yard. Shortages of labor and materials plagued subcontractors and, consequently, the delivery dates for the boats were not met. However, the first six boats had all entered service by the middle of 1917.

The first of the class to be launched was U-27 on 19 October 1916, followed closely behind by U-29 three days later. The final boat launched was U-41 on 11 November 1917. The U-27 class boats were the last domestically built submarines completed for the Austro-Hungarian Navy.