SM U-63 (Germany)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-63.

History
German Empire
NameU-63
Ordered17 May 1915
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number247
Laid down30 April 1915
Launched8 February 1916
Commissioned11 March 1916
FateSurrendered 16 January 1919. Broken up at Blyth in 1919-20
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeType U 63 submarine
Displacement
  • 810 t (800 long tons) surfaced
  • 927 t (912 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (oa)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height7.65 m (25 ft 1 in)
Draught4.04 m (13 ft 3 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,200 PS (1,618 kW; 2,170 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) surfaced
  • 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,170 nmi (16,980 km; 10,550 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 60 nmi (110 km; 69 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:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 2 May - 6 November 1916
  • Pola / Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer I Flotilla
  • 6 November 1916 - 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Otto Schultze[2]
  • 11 March 1916 – 27 August 1917 ,
  • 15 October – 24 December 1917
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Metzger[3]
  • 28 August – 14 October 1917
  • Kptlt. Kurt Hartwig[4]
  • 25 December 1917 – 11 November 1918
Operations: 12 patrols
Victories:
  • 69 merchant ships sunk
    (192,145 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (5,250 tons)
  • 3 auxiliary warships sunk
    (6,020 GRT)
  • 11 merchant ships damaged
    (47,700 GRT)
  • 2 warships damaged
    (2,540 tons)

SM U-63 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-63 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

  1. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Schultze". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Metzger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Hartwig". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.