SM UC-53

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-53.
History
German Empire
NameUC-53
Ordered12 January 1916[1]
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel[2]
Yard number269[1]
Launched27 February 1917[1]
Commissioned5 April 1917[1]
FateScuttled at Pola, 28 October 1918[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:
  • Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer II Flotilla
  • 24 June 1917 – 28 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Kurt Albrecht[4]
  • 5 April 1917 – 5 February 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Adolf Ehrensberger[5]
  • 6 February – 18 June 1918
  • Kptlt. Erich Gerth[6]
  • 19 June – 28 October 1918
Operations: 8 patrols
Victories:
  • 47 merchant ships sunk
    (46,469 GRT)
  • 11 merchant ships damaged
    (31,612 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (120 GRT)

SM UC-53 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 27 February 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 5 April 1917 as SM UC-53.[Note 1] In eight patrols UC-53 was credited with sinking 47 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-53 was scuttled at Pola on 28 October 1918 on the surrender of Austria-Hungary.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 53". 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: Kurt Albrecht". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Adolf Ehrensberger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Gerth". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.


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