For other ships named German submarine U-54, see German submarine U-54 (disambiguation).
UC-54
CountryGerman Empire
Ordered12 January 1916[1]
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel[2]
Yard number270[1]
Launched20 March 1917[1]
Commissioned10 May 1917[1]
FateScuttled at Trieste, 28 October 1918[1]
SM UC-54
ClassType 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
SM UC-54
Partof
  • Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer II Flotilla
  • 28 July 1917 – 28 October 1918
Commanders
  • Kptlt. Heinrich XXXVII Prinz Reuß zu Köstritz[3]
  • 10 May 1917 – 21 May 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Otto Loycke[4]
  • 22 May – 28 October 1918
Operations8 patrols
Victories
  • 16 merchant ships sunk
    ()
  • 2 auxiliary warships sunk
    ()
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    ()

SM UC-54 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 20 March 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 10 May 1917 as SM UC-54.[Note 1] In eight patrols UC-54 was credited with sinking 18 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-54 was scuttled at Trieste on 28 October 1918 on the surrender of Austria-Hungary.[1]

Design

A Type UC II submarine, UC-54 had a displacement of 434 tonnes (427 long tons) when at the surface and 511 tonnes (503 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 52.69 m (172 ft 10 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 290–300 metric horsepower (210–220 kW; 290–300 hp) (a total of 580–600 metric horsepower (430–440 kW; 570–590 hp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 hp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[5]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8820 to 9450 nmi at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-54 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.[5]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage[Note 2]Fate[6]
4 July 1917HurstsideUnited Kingdom3,149Sunk
12 July 1917MaijaRussian Empire164Sunk
13 July 1917LoandaPortugal141Sunk
26 July 1917Roberto Ivens281Sunk
7 September 1917MyrmidonUnited Kingdom4,965Damaged
29 January 1918Tosho MaruJapan3,038Sunk
2 February 1918EsterelKingdom of Italy238Sunk
2 February 1918IdaKingdom of Italy63Sunk
6 February 1918MV GlenartneyUnited Kingdom7,263Sunk
14 March 1918ArdandeargUnited Kingdom3,237Sunk
27 March 1918Carlo P.Kingdom of Italy61Sunk
3 April 1918SylvieFrance2,148Sunk
3 May 1918PancrasUnited Kingdom4,436Damaged
11 May 1918Sant Anna9,350Sunk
12 May 1918VimeiraUnited Kingdom5,884Sunk
16 May 1918Marie Frederique245Sunk
13 July 1918Ponta DelgadaPortugal3,381Sunk
19 July 1918AustralienFrance6,377Sunk
19 July 1918PolperroUnited Kingdom3,365Damaged
4 September 1918ArumUnited Kingdom3,681Sunk
23 September 1918EdlingtonUnited Kingdom3,864Sunk

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. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. ^ UC+54. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. ^ 250. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  4. ^ 186. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  5. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  6. ^ uc54. Retrieved 1 March 2015.

Bibliography

  • Bendert, Harald (2001). Die UC-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine 1914-1918. Minenkrieg mit U-Booten (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0758-7.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. German Warships 1815–1945. Translated by Thomas, Keith & Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. 1985. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8. OCLC 12119866
  • Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-764-7. OCLC 20338385