SM U-54

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-54.

History
German Empire
NameU-54
Ordered23 August 1914
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number236
Laid down18 March 1915
Launched22 February 1916
Commissioned25 May 1916
Fate24 November 1918 - Surrendered to Italy. Broken up at Taranto in May 1919.[1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType U 51 submarine
Displacement
  • 715 t (704 long tons) surfaced
  • 902 t (888 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.44 m (21 ft 2 in) (oa)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height7.82 m (25 ft 8 in)
Draught3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 17.1 knots (31.7 km/h; 19.7 mph) surfaced
  • 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,400 nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement36
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • II Flotilla
  • 2 July 1916 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Freiherr Volkhard von Bothmer[3]
  • 16 May 1916 – 19 May 1917
  • Kptlt. Kurt Heeseler[4]
  • 20 May 1917 – 22 March 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Hellmuth von Ruckteschell[5]
  • 23 March – 11 November 1918
Operations: 12 patrols
Victories:
  • 26 merchant ships sunk
    (66,713 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (1,290 tons)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (15,362 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (2,485 GRT)

SM U-54 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-54 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 54". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  2. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Volkhard von Bothmer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Heeseler (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hellmuth von Ruckteschell (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 January 2015.