SM UC-46

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

History
German Empire
NameUC-46
Ordered20 November 1915[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen[2]
Yard number256[1]
Laid down1 February 1916[1]
Launched8 August 1916[1]
Commissioned15 September 1916[1]
FateRammed by HMS Liberty southeast of Goodwin Sands, 8 February 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeType UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 420 t (410 long tons), surfaced
  • 502 t (494 long tons), submerged
Length
  • 51.85 m (170 ft 1 in)
    o/a
  • 39.70 m (130 ft 3 in)
    pressure hull
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.67 m (12 ft 0 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph), surfaced
  • 6.74 knots (12.48 km/h; 7.76 mph), submerged
Range
  • 7,280 nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 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
Notes30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 29 November 1916 – 8 February 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Friedrich Moecke[4]
  • 15 September 1916 – 8 February 1917
Operations: 4 patrols
Victories:
  • 9 merchant ships sunk
    (10,346 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (275 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (18,836 GRT)

SM UC-46 was a German

mines laid. UC-46 was rammed and sunk southeast of Goodwin Sands by the British destroyer HMS Liberty on 8 February 1917.[1]

Design

A

propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.7 to 7.4 knots (12.4 to 13.7 km/h; 7.7 to 8.5 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 54 nautical miles (100 km; 62 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-46 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[5]
21 December 1916 Modig  Norway 1,704 Sunk
23 December 1916 William Middleton  United Kingdom 2,543 Damaged
24 December 1916 Paul Paix  United Kingdom 4,196 Damaged
26 December 1916 Agnes  United Kingdom 99 Sunk
26 December 1916 Neptune  Belgium 199 Sunk
26 December 1916 Saint Louis  France 184 Sunk
30 December 1916 Sappho  Greece 2,087 Sunk
1 January 1917 Goosebridge  Sweden 1,886 Sunk
1 February 1917 Gamma  Netherlands 2,115 Sunk
2 February 1917 Isle of Arran  United Kingdom 1,918 Sunk
4 February 1917 Marthe  France 154 Sunk
5 February 1917 Argyllshire  United Kingdom 12,097 Damaged
6 February 1917 HMT Longset  Royal Navy 275 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 g Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 46". 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: Friedrich Moecke". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 46". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 February 2015.

Bibliography