Type U 23 submarine

Last updated
Class overview
Builders Germaniawerft, Kiel
OperatorsWar Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg  Imperial German Navy
Preceded by Type U 19
Succeeded by Type U 27
Completed4
Lost2
General characteristics [1]
Displacement
  • 669  t (658 long tons) surfaced
  • 864 t (850 long tons) submerged
Length64.70 m (212.3 ft)
Beam6.32 m (20 ft 9 in)
Draught3.45 m (11 ft 4 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × Germania 6-cylinder two stroke diesel motors with 1,800 PS (1,320 kW; 1,780 shp)
  • 2 × SSW double Motordynamos with 1,200 PS (880 kW; 1,180 shp)
  • 450rpm surfaced
  • 330 rpm submerged
Speed
  • 16.7 knots (30.9 km/h; 19.2 mph) surfaced
  • 10.3 knots (19.1 km/h; 11.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,910  nmi (18,350 km; 11,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 85 nmi (157 km; 98 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depthabout 50 m (160 ft)
Complement4 officers, 31 men
Armament

Type U23 was a class of U-boats built during World War I by the Kaiserliche Marine. Four Boats were ordered from Germaniawerft on 18 March 1911. [2]

Contents

Design

Type U 23s had an overall length of 64.70 m (212 ft 3 in) The boats' beam was 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in), the draught was 3.45 m (11 ft 4 in). The boats displaced 669 tonnes (658 long tons) when surfaced and 864 t (850 long tons) when submerged. [1]

Type U 23s were fitted with two Germaniawerft 6-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines with a total of 1,800 metric horsepower (1,324  kW ; 1,775  bhp ) for use on the surface and two SSW double-acting electric motors with a total of 880 kW (1,196 PS; 1,180 shp) for underwater use. These engines powered two shafts, which gave the boats a top surface speed of 16.7 knots (30.9 km/h; 19.2 mph), and 10.3 knots (19.1 km/h; 11.9 mph) when submerged. Cruising range was 9,910 nautical miles (18,350 km; 11,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) on the surface and 85 nautical miles (157 km; 98 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged. [1] Diving depth was 50 m (164 ft 1 in).

The U-boats were armed with four 50 cm (20 in) torpedo tubes, two fitted in the bow and two in the stern, and carried six torpedoes. All boats received one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun. The boats' complement was 4 officers and 31 enlisted. [1]

Ships

Namelaunched [3] commissioned [3] merchant ships sunk
(nbr / GRT ) [3]
warships sunk
( nbr / tons ) [3]
Fate [1]
U-23 12 April 191311 September 19137 / 8.822noneSunk on 20 July 1915 in the North Sea
U-24 24 May 19136 December 191333 / 105.7321 / 15.250Surrendered on 22 November 1918, and scrapped 1921-22 at Swansea
U-25 12 July 19139 May 191421 / 14.126noneSurrendered on 23 February 1919, and scrapped 1921-22 at Cherbourg
U-26 19 Oktober 191320 May 19142 / 2.8493 / 10.936Sunk in September 1915 in the Baltic Sea

Citations

Bibliography