SM UC-73

For other ships of the same name, see German submarine U-73.
History
German Empire
Name: UC-73
Ordered: 12 January 1916[1]
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[2]
Yard number: 289[1]
Launched: 26 August 1916[1]
Commissioned: 24 December 1916[1]
Fate: surrendered, January 1919; broken up, 1919–20[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class & type: German 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
Draught: 3.64 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 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: 35-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Pola Flotilla
  • 6 June 1917 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Kurt Schapler[4]
  • 24 December 1916 – 26 November 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Walter Wiedemann[5]
  • 27 November 1917 – 29 May 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Otto Gerke[6]
  • 30 May – 14 July 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Franz Hagen[7]
  • 15 July – 2 December 1918
Operations: 10 patrols
Victories:
  • 16 merchant ships sunk (16,565 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged (5,796 GRT)

SM UC-73 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 26 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 24 December 1916 as SM UC-73.[Note 1] In ten patrols UC-73 was credited with sinking 9 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-73 was surrendered on 6 January 1919 and broken up at Brighton Ferry in 1919–20.[1]

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-73 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).[3]

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-73 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[8]
1 May 1917 Imberhorne  Finland 2,042 Sunk
3 May 1917 Mezly  France 1,568 Sunk
3 May 1917 Misurata  Kingdom of Italy 2,691 Sunk
26 May 1917 Agragas  Kingdom of Italy 850 Sunk
31 May 1917 Rosebank  United Kingdom 3,837 Sunk
28 August 1917 Saint Joseph  France 5,796 Damaged
7 October 1917 Georgios  Greece 560 Sunk
14 October 1917 Lido G.  Kingdom of Italy 1,003 Sunk
28 December 1917 Dauno  Kingdom of Italy 455 Sunk
29 March 1918 Unidentified sailing vessel (1 of 7)  Greece 18 Sunk
29 March 1918 Unidentified sailing vessel (2 of 7)  Greece 18 Sunk
29 March 1918 Unidentified sailing vessel (3 of 7)  Greece 18 Sunk
29 March 1918 Unidentified sailing vessel (4 of 7)  Greece 18 Sunk
29 March 1918 Unidentified sailing vessel (5 of 7)  Greece 5 Sunk
29 March 1918 Unidentified sailing vessel (6 of 7)  Greece 5 Sunk
29 March 1918 Unidentified sailing vessel (7 of 7)  Greece 5 Sunk
8 July 1918 Horta  Portugal 3,472 Sunk

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.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC-73". 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. "Kurt Schapler". German and Austrian U-Boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Walter Wiedemann". German and Austrian U-Boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Otto Gerke". German and Austrian U-Boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Franz Hagen". German and Austrian U-Boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC-73". German and Austrian U-Boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 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 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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