SM UC-63

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-63.
History
German Empire
Name: UC-63
Ordered: 12 January 1916[1]
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen[2]
Yard number: 261[1]
Laid down: 3 April 1916[1]
Launched: 6 January 1917[1]
Commissioned: 30 January 1917[1]
Fate: torpedoed and sunk by HMS E52 on 1 November 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type: German Type UC II submarine
Displacement:
  • 422 t (415 long tons), surfaced
  • 504 t (496 long tons), submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught: 3.67 m (12 ft 0 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph), surfaced
  • 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph), submerged
Range:
  • 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 59 nmi (109 km; 68 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 26
Armament:
  • 6 × 100 cm (39.4 in) mine tubes
  • 18 × UC 200 mines
  • 3 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (2 bow/external; one stern)
  • 7 × torpedoes
  • 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) Uk L/30 deck gun
Notes: 30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 27 April – 1 November 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Karsten von Heydebreck[4]
  • 30 January – 1 November 1917
Operations: 9 patrols
Victories:
  • 36 merchant ships sunk (35,900 GRT)
  • 4 merchant ships damaged (4,639 GRT)

SM UC-63 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, laid down on 3 April 1916, and was launched on 6 January 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 30 January 1917 as SM UC-63.[Note 1] In nine patrols UC-63 was credited with sinking 36 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-63 was torpedoed and sunk by HMS E52 off Goodwin Sands on 1 November 1917.[1]

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-63 had a displacement of 422 tonnes (415 long tons) when at the surface and 504 tonnes (496 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 51.85 m (170 ft 1 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.67 m (12 ft 0 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 1,000 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 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 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 59 nautical miles (109 km; 68 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-63 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 centimetres (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.[3]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)		 Fate[5]
26 April 1917 Amsteldjik  Netherlands 186 Sunk
10 May 1917 Gruno  Netherlands 171 Sunk
27 June 1917 Longbenton  United Kingdom 924 Sunk
28 June 1917 Frigate Bird  United Kingdom 20 Sunk
28 June 1917 Elsie  United Kingdom 20 Sunk
28 June 1917 Frances  United Kingdom 20 Sunk
28 June 1917 Glenelg  United Kingdom 32 Sunk
28 June 1917 Harbinger  United Kingdom 39 Sunk
28 June 1917 Rose of June  United Kingdom 20 Sunk
28 June 1917 William And Betsy  United Kingdom 21 Sunk
28 June 1917 Frank  United Kingdom 21 Damaged
28 June 1917 Diligence  United Kingdom 20 Damaged
30 June 1917 Markersdal  Denmark 1,640 Sunk
1 July 1917 Advance  United Kingdom 44 Sunk
1 July 1917 Gleam  United Kingdom 54 Sunk
1 July 1917 Radiance  United Kingdom 57 Sunk
31 July 1917 Empress  United Kingdom 2,914 Sunk
2 August 1917 Young Bert  United Kingdom 59 Sunk
6 August 1917 Alfred  France 107 Sunk
6 August 1917 Fane  Norway 1,119 Sunk
6 August 1917 Zamora  United Kingdom 3,639 Damaged
7 August 1917 Onesta  Kingdom of Italy 2,674 Sunk
8 August 1917 Marie Jesus Protegez Nous  France 46 Sunk
14 August 1917 Thames  United Kingdom 403 Sunk
14 August 1917 Costanza  Kingdom of Italy 2,545 Sunk
14 August 1917 Luna  Norway 959 Damaged
15 August 1917 Ethel And Millie  United Kingdom 58 Sunk
15 August 1917 G & E  United Kingdom 61 Sunk
15 August 1917 Alice  United Kingdom 25 Sunk
22 September 1917 Italia  France 627 Sunk
24 September 1917 Perseverance  France 2,873 Sunk
24 September 1917 Europe  France 2,839 Sunk
25 September 1917 Dinorah  France 4,208 Sunk
25 September 1917 HMT James Seckar  Royal Navy 255 Sunk
24 October 1917 Ulfsborg  Denmark 2,040 Sunk
28 October 1917 Baron Garioch  United Kingdom 1,831 Sunk
29 October 1917 Marne  France 979 Sunk
4 November 1917 Lyra  Norway 1,141 Sunk
25 November 1917 Oriflamme  United Kingdom 3,764 Sunk
4 December 1917 Brigitta  United Kingdom 2,084 Sunk

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "SM" stands for Seiner Majestäts (English: His Majesty's) and combined with "U" for Unterseeboot translates as "His Majesty's Submarine".

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 63". 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: Karsten von Heydebreck". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 63". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 March 2015.

Bibliography

  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-593-4. 
  • Gardiner, Robert, ed. (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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