German Type UC II submarine

Last updated
SM U 35 Hafen.jpg
Two Type UC II submarines alongside Austro-Hungarian depot ship Amphitrite at Gjenovic, Bocche di Cattaro, in the Adriatic Sea
Class overview
Builders
OperatorsWar Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg  Imperial German Navy
Preceded by UC I
Succeeded by UC III
Cost1,729,0002,141,000 German Mark
Built19161918
In commission19161918
Planned64
Building64
Completed64
Lost46
General characteristics
TypeCoastal minelaying submarine
Displacement
  • 400–434  t (394–427 long tons) surfaced
  • 480–511 t (472–503 long tons) submerged
Length49.35–53.15 m (161 ft 11 in – 174 ft 5 in) o/a
Beam5.22 m (17 ft 2 in)
Draught3.65 m (12 ft)
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 6-cylinder diesel engines, 500–600 PS (370–440 kW; 490–590 shp)
  • Siemens-Schuckert electric motors, 460–620 PS (340–460 kW; 450–610 shp)
Speed
  • 11.6–12 knots (21.5–22.2 km/h; 13.3–13.8 mph) surfaced
  • 6.7–7.4 knots (12.4–13.7 km/h; 7.7–8.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,280–10,040 mi (11,720–16,160 km) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 52–60 mi (84–97 km) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 23 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
1 periscope
Armament

Type UC II minelaying submarines were used by the Imperial German Navy during World War I. They displaced 417 tons, carried guns, 7 torpedoes and up to 18 mines. The ships were double-hulled with improved range and seakeeping compared to the UC I type.

Contents

If judged only by the numbers of enemy vessels destroyed, the UC II is the most successful submarine design in history: According to modern estimates, they sank more than 1800 enemy vessels. [1]

List of Type UC II submarines

There were 64 Type UC II submarines commissioned into the Imperial German Navy.

See also

Related Research Articles

SM UC-16 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 1 February 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 June 1916 as SM UC-16. In 13 patrols UC-16 was credited with sinking 43 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-16 disappeared in October 1917. A postwar German study concluded that UC-16 probably sank after striking a mine off Zeebrugge

SM UC-17 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She was ordered on 29 August 1915 and launched on 29 February 1916. She was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 21 July 1916 as SM UC-17.

SM UC-19 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 15 March 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 21 August 1916 as SM UC-19. In three patrols UC-19 was credited with sinking four ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-19 was sunk by depth charges from HMS Leeuwenhoek in the English Channel on 6 December 1916.

SM UC-23 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 29 February 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 July 1916 as SM UC-23. In 17 patrols UC-23 was credited with sinking 46 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-23 was surrendered at Sevastopol on 25 November 1918 and broken up at Bizerta in August 1921.

SM UC-25 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 10 June 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 28 June 1916 as SM UC-25. In 13 patrols UC-25 was credited with sinking 21 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. From March to September 1918, she was commanded by Karl Dönitz, later grand admiral in charge of all U-boats in World War II. UC-25 was scuttled at Pola on 28 October 1918 on the surrender of Austria-Hungary.

SM UC-26 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 22 June 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 July 1916 as SM UC-26. In nine patrols UC-26 was credited with sinking 39 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-26 was rammed and sunk by HMS Milne off Calais on 8 May 1917.

SM UC-33 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 26 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 25 September 1916 as SM UC-33. In seven patrols UC-33 was credited with sinking 36 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-33 was shelled and then rammed by patrol boat PC61 captained by Frank Worsley at position 51°55′N6°14′W in St. George's Channel on 26 September 1917.

SM UC-34 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 6 May 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 25 September 1916 as SM UC-34. In nine patrols UC-34 was credited with sinking 21 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid.

SM UC-35 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 6 May 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 2 October 1916 as SM UC-35. In eleven patrols UC-35 was credited with sinking 48 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-35 was sunk by gunfire from the French torpedo boat Aigli southwest of Sardinia on 16 May 1918 at 39°48′N7°42′E.

SM UC-36 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 5 June 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 10 October 1916 as SM UC-36. In five patrols UC-36 was credited with sinking 24 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-36 was rammed and sunk by the French steamer Molière off Ushant on 21 May 1917.

SM UC-37 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 5 June 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 October 1916 as SM UC-37. In 13 patrols UC-37 was credited with sinking 66 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-37 was surrendered at Sevastopol on 25 November 1918 and broken up at Bizerta in August 1921.

SM UC-44 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 10 October 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 4 November 1916 as SM UC-44. In 6 patrols UC-44 was credited with sinking 28 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-44 was sunk by the detonation of one of her own mines off the Irish coast at position 52°07′N6°59′W on 4 August 1917; its commander, Kurt Teppenjohanns, was the only survivor. UC-44's wreck was raised by the Royal Navy in September 1917 and later broken up.

SM UC-48 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915, laid down on 1 February 1916, and was launched on 27 September 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 6 November 1916 as SM UC-48. In 13 patrols UC-48 was credited with sinking 35 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-48 was severely damaged by a depth charge attack by HMS Loyal on 20 March 1918 that ruptured the fuel tanks. Unable to return to Zeebrugge, the boat was steered to Ferrol, Spain, where she and her crew were interned for the rest of the war. The Spanish authorities removed UC-48's propellers to prevent any attempts at leaving port.

SM UC-54 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 20 March 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 10 May 1917 as SM UC-54. In eight patrols UC-54 was credited with sinking 18 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-54 was scuttled at Trieste on 28 October 1918 on the surrender of Austria-Hungary.

SM UC-60 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916, laid down on 31 March 1916, and was launched on 8 November 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 25 June 1917 as SM UC-60. In one patrols UC-60 was credited with sinking one ship, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-60 was surrendered on 23 February 1919 and was broken up at Rainham in 1921.

SM UC-62 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916, laid down on 3 April 1916, and was launched on 9 December 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 8 January 1917 as SM UC-62. In nine patrols UC-62 was credited with sinking 11 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. On 19 March 1917, the submerged Royal Navy submarine HMS E50 suffered damage in a collision UC-62 in the North Sea off the North Hinder Light Vessel. UC-62 struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Zeebrugge, Belgium, on 14 October 1917.

SM UC-64 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916, laid down on 3 April 1916, and was launched on 23 January 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 February 1917 as SM UC-64. In 15 patrols UC-64 was credited with sinking 26 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-64 was mined and sunk in the Dover Strait on 20 June 1918.

SM UC-68 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 12 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 December 1916 as SM UC-68. In two patrols UC-68 was credited with sinking two ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-68 was sunk by the detonation of one of her own mines at Start Point on 13 March 1917.

SM UC-69 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 7 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 December 1916 as SM UC-69. In nine patrols UC-69 was credited with sinking 54 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-69 was sunk after being accidentally rammed by U-96 near Barfleur on 6 December 1917. The wreck was accidentally discovered in November 2017 by the Dutch naval mine sweeper Zr.Ms. Makkum which was mapping the sea-bed off the French Normandy coast.

SM UC-79 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I.

References

Citations

  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-boat War in World War One". Uboat.net.

Bibliography

  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   0-85177-593-4.
  • Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921