SM UB-63

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-63.
History
German Empire
NameUB-63
Ordered20 May 1916[1]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg
Cost3,279,000 German Papiermark
Yard number88
Launched26 May 1917[2]
Commissioned23 July 1917[2]
FateSunk 28 January 1918 by British warships at 56°10′N 2°0′E / 56.167°N 2.000°E / 56.167; 2.000[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 508 t (500 long tons) surfaced
  • 639 t (629 long tons) submerged
Length55.52 m (182 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Beam5.76 m (18 ft 11 in)
Draught3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) surfaced
  • 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,420 nmi (15,590 km; 9,690 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[2]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • II Flotilla
  • 4 – 30 September 1917
  • V Flotilla
  • 30 September 1917 – 28 January 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Rudolf Gebeschus[3]
  • 23 July 1917 – 28 January 1918
Operations: 3 patrols
Victories:
  • 2 merchant ships sunk
    (4,481 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (1,113 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as prize
    (3,290 GRT)

SM UB-63 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 23 July 1917 as SM UB-63.[Note 1]

UB-63 was sunk on 28 January 1918 by British warships HMS W.S. Bailey and HMS Fort George at 56°10′N 2°0′E / 56.167°N 2.000°E / 56.167; 2.000 with depth charges. All 33 crew members perished in the attack.[2]

Construction

UB-63 was ordered by the GIN on 20 May 1916.

She was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 26 May 1917. UB-63 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-63 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-63 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 8,420 nautical miles (15,590 km; 9,690 mi). UB-63 had a displacement of 508 t (500 long tons) while surfaced and 639 t (629 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) when surfaced and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[4]
15 September 1917 Santaren  United Kingdom 4,256 Sunk
3 November 1917 Haelen  Belgium 3,290 Captured as prize
8 November 1917 Lindhardt  Denmark 225 Sunk
15 November 1917 Stargard  Norway 1,113 Damaged

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. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

  1. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 60.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Rudolf Gebeschus". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 63". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.

Bibliography