Type UC III submarine

	UC-93 in Italy, 1918
Class overview
Builders	AG Weser, Bremen; Blohm & Voss, Hamburg; Vulcan, Hamburg; Germaniawerft, Kiel;
Operators	Imperial German Navy
Preceded by	UC II
Cost	3,303,000 German paper marks
Built	1917–1918
In commission	1918–1919
Planned	113
Building	59
Completed	25
Cancelled	54
Lost	1
General characteristics
Class and type	German Type UC III submarine
Displacement	491 t (483 long tons), surfaced; 571 t (562 long tons), submerged;
Length	56.51 m (185 ft 5 in) (o/a); 42.20 m (138 ft 5 in) (pressure hull);
Beam	5.54 m (18 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Draft	3.77 m (12 ft 4 in)
Propulsion	2 × propeller shafts; 2 × 6-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engines, 600 PS (440 kW; 590 bhp); 2 × electric motors, 770 PS (570 kW; 760 shp);
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph), surfaced; 6.6 knots (12.2 km/h; 7.6 mph), submerged;
Range	9,850 nautical miles (18,240 km; 11,340 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph), surfaced; 40 nmi (74 km; 46 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph), submerged;
Test depth	75 m (246 ft)
Complement	32
Armament	6 × 100 cm (39.4 in) mine tubes; 14 × UC 200 mines; 3 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (2 bow external; one stern); 7 × torpedoes; 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 or 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun;
Notes	15-second diving time

Type UC III minelaying submarines were used by the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. They displaced 474 tonnes (467 long tons) at the surface and 571 t (562 long tons) submerged, carried guns, 7 torpedoes and up to 14 mines. The ships were double-hulled with improved range and sea-keeping compared to the UC II type. The type had better seagoing, maneuvering and turning capabilities than its predecessor, while underwater stability was reduced.^[1]

A total of 113 Type UC III submarines were ordered by the Imperial German Navy, but only 25 U-boats were completed before the Armistice with Germany in 1918. Of those, 16 U-boats actually served in the war. 54 building orders were cancelled in 1918, while 34 U-boats were never completed and broken up in the ship yards.

Design

German Type UC III submarines had a displacement of 491 tonnes (483 long tons) when at the surface and 571 tonnes (562 long tons) while submerged. They had a length overall of 56.51 m (185 ft 5 in), a beam of 5.54 m (18 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.77 m (12 ft 4 in). The submarines were 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 770 metric horsepower (570 kW; 760 shp), and two propeller shafts. They had a dive time of 15 seconds and were capable of operating at a depth of 75 metres (246 ft).^[2]

The submarines were designed for a maximum surface speed of 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.6 knots (12.2 km/h; 7.6 mph). When submerged, they could operate for 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph); when surfaced, they could travel 9,850 nautical miles (18,240 km; 11,340 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC III-class boats were fitted with six 100-centimetre (39 in) mine tubes, fourteen UC 200 mines, three 50-centimetre (20 in) torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 or 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. Their complement was twenty-six crew members.^[2]

List of Type UC III submarines

Serving in World War I

There were 16 Type UC III submarines serving with the Imperial German Navy during World War I.

Completed after Armistice and surrendered to the Allies

Broken up at yard

References

Citations

^ Gröner 1991, p. 35.
^ ^a ^b Gröner 1991, pp. 34–35.

Bibliography

Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

[FOOTNOTEGröner199135-1] Gröner 1991, p. 35.

[FOOTNOTEGröner199134–35-2] Gröner 1991, pp. 34–35.

[1]

[2]

Type UC III submarines
Completed and commissioned	UC-90 UC-91 UC-92 UC-93 UC-94 UC-95 UC-96 UC-97 UC-98 UC-99 UC-100 UC-101 UC-102 UC-103 UC-104 UC-105
Completed but not commissioned	UC-106 UC-107 UC-108 UC-109 UC-110 UC-111 UC-112 UC-113 UC-114
Never completed	UC-80 UC-81 UC-82 UC-83 UC-84 UC-85 UC-86 UC-87 UC-88 UC-89
Preceded by: Type UC II Followed by: None List of U-boats of Germany

v t e German naval ship classes of World War I
Dreadnought battleships	Nassau Helgoland Kaiser König Bayern L 20e α^X
Pre-dreadnought battleships	Brandenburg Kaiser Friedrich III Wittelsbach Braunschweig Deutschland
Battlecruisers	SMS Von der Tann^S Moltke SMS Seydlitz^S Derfflinger Mackensen^X Ersatz Yorck^X
Armored cruisers	SMS Fürst Bismarck^S SMS Prinz Heinrich^S Prinz Adalbert Roon Scharnhorst SMS Blücher^S
Light cruisers	SMS Hela^S Gazelle Bremen Königsberg Dresden Nautilus Kolberg Magdeburg Karlsruhe Graudenz Pillau Wiesbaden Königsberg Brummer Cöln FK proposals^X
Protected cruisers	SMS Kaiserin Augusta^S Victoria Louise
Large torpedo boats	1898 1906 1911 1913 1914 G101^A V105^N 1916 1916M 1917 1918^X
Small / Coastal torpedo boats	S7 A
Aircraft carriers	"I"^X
Coastal defense ships	Siegfried Odin
U-boats	U 1 U 2 U 3 U 5 U 9 U 13 U 16 U 17 U 19 U 23 U 27 U 31 U 43 U 51 U 57 U 63 U 66 U 81 U 87 U 93 U 115^X U 127 U 131^X U 135 U 139 U 142 U 151 UA UB I UB II UB III UC I UC II UC III UD 1^X UE I UE II UF^X UG^X
S Single ship of class X Cancelled V Conversions A Building for Argentina when seized N Building for the Netherlands when seized See also: List of ships of the Imperial German Navy