SM UC-46
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UC-46 |
| Ordered | 20 November 1915[1] |
| Builder | AG Weser, Bremen[2] |
| Yard number | 256[1] |
| Laid down | 1 February 1916[1] |
| Launched | 8 August 1916[1] |
| Commissioned | 15 September 1916[1] |
| Fate | rammed by HMS Liberty southeast of Goodwin Sands, 8 February 1917[1] |
| General characteristics [3] | |
| Class and type | Type UC II submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 3.67 m (12 ft 0 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 26 |
| Armament |
|
| Notes | 30-second diving time |
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: | 4 patrols |
| Victories: | |
SM UC-46 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 20 November 1915, laid down on 1 February 1916, and was launched on 8 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 15 September 1916 as SM UC-46.[Note 1] In four patrols UC-46 was credited with sinking 10 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-46 was rammed and sunk southeast of Goodwin Sands by the British destroyer Liberty on 8 February 1917.[1]
Design
A German Type UC II submarine, UC-46 had a displacement of 420 tonnes (410 long tons) when at the surface and 502 tonnes (494 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 51.85 m (170 ft 1 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.68 m (12 ft 1 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 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 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 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.7 to 7.4 knots (12.4 to 13.7 km/h; 7.7 to 8.5 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 54 nautical miles (100 km; 62 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-46 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] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 December 1916 | Modig |  Norway
|
1,704 | Sunk |
| 23 December 1916 | William Middleton |  United Kingdom
|
2,543 | Damaged |
| 24 December 1916 | Paul Paix | United Kingdom
|
4,196 | Damaged |
| 26 December 1916 | Agnes | United Kingdom
|
99 | Sunk |
| 26 December 1916 | Neptune |  Belgium
|
199 | Sunk |
| 26 December 1916 | Saint Louis |  France
|
184 | Sunk |
| 30 December 1916 | Sappho |  Greece
|
2,087 | Sunk |
| 1 January 1917 | Goosebridge |  Sweden
|
1,886 | Sunk |
| 1 February 1917 | Gamma |  Netherlands
|
2,115 | Sunk |
| 2 February 1917 | Isle of Arran | United Kingdom
|
1,918 | Sunk |
| 4 February 1917 | Marthe | France
|
154 | Sunk |
| 5 February 1917 | Argyllshire | United Kingdom
|
12,097 | Damaged |
| 6 February 1917 | HMT Longset |  Royal Navy
|
275 | Sunk |
References
Notes
- ^ "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
- ^ a b c d e f g Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 46". 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: Friedrich Moecke". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 46". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 February 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.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|last-author-amp=(help) - Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8. OCLC 12119866.
{{cite book}}:|first=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-764-7. OCLC 20338385.
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in February 1917 | |
|---|---|
| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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- Ships built in Hamburg
- German Type UC II submarines
- U-boats commissioned in 1916
- Maritime incidents in 1917
- U-boats sunk by British warships
- U-boats sunk in 1917
- World War I minelayers of Germany
- World War I shipwrecks in the English Channel
- World War I submarines of Germany
- 1916 ships
- Ships lost with all hands
- U-boats sunk in collisions
- 1917 disasters in the United Kingdom