SM UC-66

Last updated

History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUC-66
Ordered12 January 1916 [1]
Builder Blohm & Voss, Hamburg [2]
Yard number282 [1]
Launched15 July 1916 [1]
Commissioned14 November 1916 [1]
FateSunk on 27 May 1917 [3]
General characteristics [4]
Class & type Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 427  t (420 long tons), surfaced
  • 508 t (500 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
  • 12.0 knots (22.2 km/h; 13.8 mph), surfaced
  • 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph), submerged
Range
  • 10,420  nmi (19,300 km; 11,990 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 52 nmi (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes35-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 3 February – 27 May 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Herbert Pustkuchen [5]
  • 18 November 1916 – 27 May 1917
Operations: 5 patrols
Victories:
  • 29 merchant ships sunk
    (41,793  GRT)
  • 2 warships sunk
    (2,500 tons)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (213  GRT)
  • 4 merchant ships damaged
    (15,188  GRT)
  • 2 auxiliary warships damaged
    (12,222  GRT)

SM UC-66 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 15 July 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 14 November 1916 as SM UC-66. [Note 1] In five patrols UC-66 was credited with sinking 32 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-66 was sunk by HM seaplane No. 8656, a Curtiss Model H-12, [6] off the Isles of Scilly on 27 May 1917. The wreck was found by divers in 2009. This is a notable early aircraft success against a U-boat. [3]

Contents

Design

A Type UC II submarine, UC-66 had a displacement of 427 tonnes (420 long tons) when at the surface and 508 tonnes (500 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.35 m (165 ft 2 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 300 metric horsepower (220 kW; 300 shp) (a total of 600 metric horsepower (440 kW; 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). [4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 52 nautical miles (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 10,420 nautical miles (19,300 km; 11,990 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-66 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. [4]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [7]
11 February 1917 Ada Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 187Sunk
11 February 1917 Vasilissa Olga Flag of Greece.svg Greece 1,400Sunk
11 February 1917 Woodfield Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 4,300Damaged
12 February 1917 Afric Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 11,999Sunk
12 February 1917 Lucent Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 1,409Sunk
15 February 1917 Alma Jeanne Flag of France.svg France 33Sunk
15 February 1917 Argos Flag of France.svg France 26Sunk
15 February 1917 Desire Louise Flag of France.svg France 31Sunk
17 February 1917 Driebergen Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands 1,884Sunk
17 February 1917 Ootmarsum Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands 2,313Sunk
17 February 1917 Trompenberg Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands 1,608Sunk
21 February 1917 Energy Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 25Sunk
21 February 1917 K.L.M. Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 28Sunk
21 February 1917 Monarch Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 35Sunk
22 February 1917AmbonFlag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands 3,598Damaged
11 March 1917HMS BayardNaval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 220Damaged
12 March 1917 Einar Jarl Flag of Norway.svg Norway 1,849Sunk
12 March 1917 Forget-Me-Not Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 40Sunk
12 March 1917 Glynymel Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 1,394Sunk
12 March 1917 Memnon Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 3,203Sunk
12 March 1917 Reindeer Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 52Sunk
13 March 1917 Try Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 34Sunk
17 March 1917 City of Memphis Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States 5,252Sunk
17 March 1917 HMS Mignonette Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 1,250Sunk
18 March 1917 HMS Alyssum Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 1,250Sunk
19 March 1917 Armoricain Flag of France.svg France 261Sunk
20 March 1917 HMHS Asturias Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 12,002Damaged
20 March 1917 Hazelpark Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 1,964Sunk
21 March 1917 Avance Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 57Sunk
22 March 1917 Efeu Flag of Norway.svg Norway 569Sunk
17 April 1917Clan SutherlandCivil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 2,820Damaged
22 April 1917 Arethusa Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 1,279Sunk
23 April 1917 HMT Rose II Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 213Sunk
27 April 1917QuantockCivil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 4,470Damaged
1 May 1917 Bagdale Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 3,045Sunk
1 May 1917 John W. Pearn Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 76Sunk
1 May 1917 La Manche Flag of France.svg France 335Sunk
25 May 1917 Sjaelland Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 1,405Sunk

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 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 66". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. 1 2 Innes McCartney (2015). The Maritime Archaeology of a Modern Conflict: Comparing the Archaeology of German Submarine Wrecks to the Historical Text. New York: Routledge. pp. 114–117. ISBN   978-1138814356.
  4. 1 2 3 Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Herbert Pustkuchen (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  6. "Air Committee Joint Numbering System (1912 to 1916)". UK Serials Resource Centre. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 66". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 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.

50°31′N0°27′E / 50.517°N 0.450°E / 50.517; 0.450