SM UC-66
History | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Name | UC-66 |
Ordered | 12 January 1916[1] |
Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[3] |
Yard number | 282[1] |
Launched | 15 July 1916[1] |
Commissioned | 14 November 1916[1] |
Fate | Sunk by HM seaplane No. 8656 off the Isles of Scilly on 27 May 1917[2] |
General characteristics [4] | |
Class and type | Type UC II submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
|
Beam |
|
Draught | 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Range |
|
Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
Complement | 26 |
Armament |
|
Notes | 35-second diving time |
Service record | |
Part of: |
|
Commanders: |
|
Operations: | 5 patrols |
Victories: |
SM UC-66 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 15 July 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 14 November 1916 as SM UC-66.[Note 1] In five patrols UC-66 was credited with sinking 32 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-66 was sunk by HM seaplane No. 8656, a Curtiss Model H-12,[6] off the Isles of Scilly on 27 May 1917. The wreck was found by divers in 2009. This is a notable early aircraft success against a U-boat.[2]
Design
[edit]A Type UC II submarine, UC-66 had a displacement of 427 tonnes (420 long tons) when at the surface and 508 tonnes (500 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.35 m (165 ft 2 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 300 metric horsepower (220 kW; 300 shp) (a total of 600 metric horsepower (440 kW; 590 shp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 shp), 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).[4]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 52 nautical miles (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 10,420 nautical miles (19,300 km; 11,990 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-66 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.[4]
Summary of raiding history
[edit]Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[7] |
---|---|---|---|---|
11 February 1917 | Ada | ![]() | 187 | Sunk |
11 February 1917 | Vasilissa Olga | ![]() | 1,400 | Sunk |
11 February 1917 | Woodfield | ![]() | 4,300 | Damaged |
12 February 1917 | Afric | ![]() | 11,999 | Sunk |
12 February 1917 | Lucent | ![]() | 1,409 | Sunk |
15 February 1917 | Alma Jeanne | ![]() | 33 | Sunk |
15 February 1917 | Argos | ![]() | 26 | Sunk |
15 February 1917 | Desire Louise | ![]() | 31 | Sunk |
17 February 1917 | Driebergen | ![]() | 1,884 | Sunk |
17 February 1917 | Ootmarsum | ![]() | 2,313 | Sunk |
17 February 1917 | Trompenberg | ![]() | 1,608 | Sunk |
21 February 1917 | Energy | ![]() | 25 | Sunk |
21 February 1917 | K.L.M. | ![]() | 28 | Sunk |
21 February 1917 | Monarch | ![]() | 35 | Sunk |
22 February 1917 | Ambon | ![]() | 3,598 | Damaged |
11 March 1917 | HMS Bayard | ![]() | 220 | Damaged |
12 March 1917 | Einar Jarl | ![]() | 1,849 | Sunk |
12 March 1917 | Forget-Me-Not | ![]() | 40 | Sunk |
12 March 1917 | Glynymel | ![]() | 1,394 | Sunk |
12 March 1917 | Memnon | ![]() | 3,203 | Sunk |
12 March 1917 | Reindeer | ![]() | 52 | Sunk |
13 March 1917 | Try | ![]() | 34 | Sunk |
17 March 1917 | City of Memphis | ![]() | 5,252 | Sunk |
17 March 1917 | HMS Mignonette | ![]() | 1,250 | Sunk |
18 March 1917 | HMS Alyssum | ![]() | 1,250 | Sunk |
19 March 1917 | Armoricain | ![]() | 261 | Sunk |
20 March 1917 | HMHS Asturias | ![]() | 12,002 | Damaged |
20 March 1917 | Hazelpark | ![]() | 1,964 | Sunk |
21 March 1917 | Avance | ![]() | 57 | Sunk |
22 March 1917 | Efeu | ![]() | 569 | Sunk |
17 April 1917 | Clan Sutherland | ![]() | 2,820 | Damaged |
22 April 1917 | Arethusa | ![]() | 1,279 | Sunk |
23 April 1917 | HMT Rose II | ![]() | 213 | Sunk |
27 April 1917 | Quantock | ![]() | 4,470 | Damaged |
1 May 1917 | Bagdale | ![]() | 3,045 | Sunk |
1 May 1917 | John W. Pearn | ![]() | 76 | Sunk |
1 May 1917 | La Manche | ![]() | 335 | Sunk |
25 May 1917 | Sjaelland | ![]() | 1,405 | Sunk |
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
[edit]- ^ a b c d Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 66". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
- ^ a b Innes McCartney (2015). The Maritime Archaeology of a Modern Conflict: Comparing the Archaeology of German Submarine Wrecks to the Historical Text. New York: Routledge. pp. 114–117. ISBN 978-1138814356.
- ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
- ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Herbert Pustkuchen (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
- ^ "Air Committee Joint Numbering System (1912 to 1916)". UK Serials Resource Centre. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 66". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
Bibliography
[edit]- 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. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. 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.