SM UC-62

SM UC-62 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, laid down on 3 April 1916, and was launched on 9 December 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 8 January 1917 as SM UC-62.[Note 1] In nine patrols UC-62 was credited with sinking 11 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. On 19 March 1917, the submerged Royal Navy submarine HMS E50 suffered damage in a collision UC-62 in the North Sea off the North Hinder Light Vessel. UC-62 struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Zeebrugge, Belgium, on 14 October 1917.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-62.
History
German Empire
NameUC-62
Ordered12 January 1916[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen[2]
Yard number260[1]
Laid down3 April 1916[1]
Launched9 December 1916[1]
Commissioned8 January 1917[1]
FateSunk by mine, 14 October 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 422 t (415 long tons), surfaced
  • 504 t (496 long tons), submerged
Length
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
  • 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph), surfaced
  • 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph), submerged
Range
  • 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 59 nmi (109 km; 68 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
  • 26 March – 14 October 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Max Schmitz[4]
  • 8 January – 14 October 1917
Operations: 9 patrol
Victories:
  • 10 merchant ships sunk
    (16,488 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (247 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (2,935 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (122 GRT)

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-62 had a displacement of 422 tonnes (415 long tons) when at the surface and 504 tonnes (496 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 3.67 m (12 ft 0 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).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 59 nautical miles (109 km; 68 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-62 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]
5 April 1917 HMS Result  Royal Navy 122 Damaged
2 May 1917 Noordzee  Netherlands 136 Sunk
4 May 1917 Neptunus  Netherlands 160 Sunk
24 May 1917 Chicago City  United Kingdom 2,324 Damaged
30 May 1917 Lisbon  United Kingdom 1,203 Sunk
24 June 1917 HMT Taipo  Royal Navy 247 Sunk
26 June 1917 A. B. Sherman  United States 611 Damaged
28 June 1917 Neotsfield  United Kingdom 1,875 Sunk
28 June 1917 Don Arturo  United Kingdom 3,680 Sunk
25 July 1917 Vaarbud  Norway 362 Sunk
27 July 1917 Carmela  United States 1,379 Sunk
28 July 1917 Glenstrae  United Kingdom 4,718 Sunk
26 August 1917 Chacma  Norway 608 Sunk
15 October 1917 Hartburn  United Kingdom 2,367 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. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 62". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Max Schmitz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 62". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 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. 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.
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