SM UC-51

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-51.

History
German Empire
NameUC-51
Ordered12 January 1916[1]
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel[2]
Yard number267[1]
Launched5 December 1916[1]
Commissioned6 January 1917[1]
FateSunk by mine, 17 November 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeType UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 434 t (427 long tons), surfaced
  • 511 t (503 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph), surfaced
  • 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph), submerged
Range
  • 8,820–9,450 nmi (16,330–17,500 km; 10,150–10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 8 April – 20 August 1917
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 20 August 1917 – 17 November 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Wilhelm Schröder[4]
  • 6 January – 28 April 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Galster[5]
  • 29 April – 17 November 1917
Operations: 7 patrols
Victories:
  • 27 merchant ships sunk
    (31,756 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (81 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (5,855 GRT)

SM UC-51 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 20 November 1915 and was launched on 5 December 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 6 January 1917 as SM UC-51.[Note 1] In seven patrols UC-51 was credited with sinking 28 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-51 was mined and sunk in the English Channel on 17 November 1917.[1]

The wreck was located and identified by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney close to the official sinking position in 2001.

  1. ^ a b c d e f Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 51". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Schröder". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Galster". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 27 February 2015.


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