SM UC-39

Coordinates: 53°56′N 0°6′E / 53.933°N 0.100°E / 53.933; 0.100
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-39.
History
German Empire
NameUC-39
Ordered20 November 1915[1]
Builder
Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[2]
Yard number280[1]
Launched25 June 1916[1]
Commissioned31 October 1916[1]
FateSunk by gunfire from HMS Thrasher, 8 February 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeType UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 427 t (420 long tons), surfaced
  • 509 t (501 long tons), submerged
Length
  • 50.35 m (165 ft 2 in)
    o/a
  • 40.30 m (132 ft 3 in)
    pressure hull
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.65 m (12 ft)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph), surfaced
  • 6.8 knots (12.6 km/h; 7.8 mph), submerged
Range
  • 10,180 nmi (18,850 km; 11,710 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 54 nmi (100 km; 62 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes35-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 3 – 8 February 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Otto Heinrich Tornow[4]
  • 29 October 1916 – 31 January 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Otto Ehrentraut[5]
  • 1 – 8 February 1917
Operations: 1 patrol
Victories: 3 merchant ships sunk
(5,150 GRT)

SM UC-39 was a German

mines laid. UC-39 was forced to the surface by a depth charge attack and then sunk by gunfire from the British destroyer Thrasher off Flamborough Head on 8 February 1917. Seven crew members died while 17 survived.[1]

Design

A

propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 35 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.6 knots (12.2 km/h; 7.6 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 54 nautical miles (100 km; 62 mi) at 6.8 knots (12.6 km/h; 7.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 10,180 nautical miles (18,850 km; 11,710 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-39 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.[3]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
7 February 1917 Hans Kinck  Norway 2,667 Sunk
8 February 1917 Hanna Larsen  United Kingdom 1,311 Sunk
8 February 1917 Ida  Norway 1,172 Sunk

References

Notes

  1. ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement
    .

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 39". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Heinrich Tornow". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Ehrentraut". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 39". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.

Bibliography

53°56′N 0°6′E / 53.933°N 0.100°E / 53.933; 0.100

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