SM UC-79 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I.
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UC-79 |
| Ordered | 12 January 1916[1] |
| Builder | AG Vulcan, Hamburg[2] |
| Yard number | 84[1] |
| Launched | 19 December 1916[1] |
| Commissioned | 22 January 1917[1] |
| Fate | Sunk by mine off Cap Gris Nez, March – April 1918[1] |
| General characteristics [3] | |
| Class and type | Type UC II submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 3.65 m (12 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 26 |
| Armament |
|
| Notes | 30-second diving time |
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | 11 patrols |
| Victories: | |
Design
editA Type UC II submarine, UC-79 had a displacement of 410 tonnes (400 long tons) when at the surface and 493 tonnes (485 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.45 m (165 ft 6 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.65 m (12 ft). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 290–300 metric horsepower (210–220 kW; 290–300 shp) (a total of 580–600 metric horsepower (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 30 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 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 8,660 to 10,230 nautical miles (16,040 to 18,950 km; 9,970 to 11,770 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-79 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]
History
editUC-79 was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 19 December 1916. She was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 22 January 1917 as SM UC-79.[Note 1] In eleven patrols UC-79 was credited with sinking 10 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid.[1] On 28 April 1917, she captured the Danish coaster Laura in the Skagerrak.[7] UC-79 was sunk by a mine off Cap Gris Nez, France in late March or early April 1918. Royal Navy divers located the wreck in that area in August 1918.[1]
Summary of raiding history
edit| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[8] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 April 1917 | Ydun | 645 | Captured as prize | |
| 24 April 1917 | Harald Haarfager | 475 | Captured as prize | |
| 28 April 1917 | Laura | 787 | Captured as prize | |
| 28 April 1917 | Storebelt | 599 | Captured as prize | |
| 15 May 1917 | Ellen | 786 | Captured as prize | |
| 16 May 1917 | Thorunn | 990 | Captured as prize | |
| 17 May 1917 | Alexander Shukoff | 1,652 | Captured as prize | |
| 18 May 1917 | Magnus | 1,297 | Captured as prize | |
| 20 May 1917 | Otto | 152 | Captured as prize | |
| 20 May 1917 | Pomona | 789 | Captured as prize | |
| 6 July 1917 | Rhone | 1,050 | Captured as prize | |
| 8 July 1917 | Eos | 838 | Captured as prize | |
| 8 July 1917 | Nyhamn | 302 | Captured as prize | |
| 8 July 1917 | Storebelt | 599 | Captured as prize | |
| 13 August 1917 | Emilie Galline | 1,944 | Sunk | |
| 15 October 1917 | Garthclyde | 2,124 | Sunk | |
| 17 October 1917 | HMT Ruby | 251 | Sunk | |
| 19 October 1917 | Renard | 285 | Sunk | |
| 19 October 1917 | Cupica | 1,240 | Sunk | |
| 21 October 1917 | Tom Roper | 120 | Sunk | |
| 19 November 1917 | Jutland | 2,824 | Sunk | |
| 24 November 1917 | Pomone | 2,911 | Sunk | |
| 31 January 1918 | Elephant | 286 | Sunk | |
| 2 February 1918 | HMT Remindo | 256 | Sunk |
References
editNotes
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 e f g Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 79". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
- ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
- ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Haecker". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Werner Löwe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Alfred Krameyer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Laura". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 79". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 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.