SM UC-52

Last updated
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUC-52
Ordered12 January 1916 [1]
Builder Germaniawerft, Kiel [2]
Yard number268 [1]
Launched23 January 1917 [1]
Commissioned15 March 1917 [1]
FateSurrendered, 16 January 1919; broken up [1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type German Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 434 t (427 long tons), surfaced
  • 511 t (503 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph), surfaced
  • 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph), submerged
Range
  • 8,820–9,450  nmi (16,330–17,500 km; 10,150–10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer II Flotilla
  • 8 July 1917 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Ludwig Karl Sahl [4]
  • 15 March – 27 September 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hellmuth von Doemming [5]
  • 28 September 1917 – 17 July 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Carl Heinrich Saß [6]
  • 18 July – 11 November 1918
Operations: 7 patrols
Victories:
  • 17 merchant ships sunk
    (17,217  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (1,013  GRT)
  • 4 merchant ships damaged
    (13,580  GRT)

SM UC-52 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German : Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 23 January 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 15 March 1917 as SM UC-52. [Note 1] In seven patrols UC-52 was credited with sinking 18 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. She notably sank the Italian troopship Verona, killing 880 soldiers. UC-52 was surrendered on 16 January 1919 and broken up at Morecambe. [1]

Contents

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-52 had a displacement of 434 tonnes (427 long tons) when at the surface and 511 tonnes (503 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 52.69 m (172 ft 10 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 290–300 metric horsepower (210–220 kW; 290–300 shp) (a total of 580–600 metric horsepower (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft). [3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,820 to 9,450 nautical miles (16,330 to 17,500 km; 10,150 to 10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-52 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members. [3]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [7]
13 September 1917 Arlequin Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 6Sunk
13 September 1917 Chere Rose Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 28Sunk
13 September 1917 Ortigia Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 17Sunk
13 September 1917 Vittoria Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 24Sunk
18 September 1917 Cachalot Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 17Sunk
31 March 1918 San Nicola Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 24Sunk
6 April 1918 Madonna delle Grazie B. Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 105Sunk
9 April 1918 Sunik Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,017Damaged
10 April 1918 Airedale Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,044Damaged
11 May 1918 Gigilla Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 120Sunk
11 May 1918 Verona Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 8,261Sunk
14 May 1918 Woolston Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,986Sunk
17 May 1918 Pietro Brizzolari Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 445Sunk
18 May 1918 HMS Chesterfield Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 1,013Sunk
18 May 1918 Ninetta Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 17Sunk
22 June 1918 Metamorphosis Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece 130Sunk
24 June 1918 Maria Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece 25Sunk
24 June 1918 Sofia Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece 24Sunk
4 July 1918 Cordova Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 4,933Sunk
7 July 1918 Vergine Di Lourdes Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 55Sunk
7 July 1918 Stalheim Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,469Damaged
23 October 1918 Ischia Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 4,050Damaged

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SM <i>UC-56</i>

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References

Notes

  1. ↑ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. ↑ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 52". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. ↑ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. 1 2 3 Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ludwig Karl Sahl". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hellmuth von Doemming". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Carl Heinrich Saß". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 52". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.

Bibliography

  • Bendert, Harald (2001). Die UC-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine 1914-1918. Minenkrieg mit U-Booten (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN   3-8132-0758-7.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   0-85177-593-4.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   978-0-87021-907-8. OCLC   12119866.
  • Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   978-0-87021-764-7. OCLC   20338385.
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