SM UC-3

"UC-3" redirects here. For other uses, see UC3 (disambiguation).
For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-3.
History
German Empire
Name UC-3
Ordered November 1914
Builder AG Vulcan, Hamburg
Yard number 47
Launched 28 May 1915
Commissioned 1 June 1915
Fate
  • Sunk 23 April 1916
  • Sunk 27 May 1916
General characteristics
Class and type German Type UC I submarine
Displacement
  • 168 t (165 long tons), surfaced
  • 183 t (180 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)
Draft 3.04 m (10 ft)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 6.20 knots (11.48 km/h; 7.13 mph), surfaced
  • 5.22 knots (9.67 km/h; 6.01 mph), submerged
Range
  • 780 nmi (1,440 km; 900 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth 50 m (160 ft)
Complement 14
Armament
  • 6 × 100 cm (39 in) mine tubes
  • 12 × UC 120 mines
  • 1 × 8 mm (0.31 in) machine gun
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 30 June 1915 – 23 April / 27 May 1916
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Erwin Weisbach
  • 1 June – 26 September 1915
  • Oblt.z.S. Erwin Waßner
  • 27 September 1915 – 12 May 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Günther Kreysern
  • 13 – 27 May 1916
Operations: 29 patrols
Victories:
  • 16 merchant ships sunk
    (28,483 GRT)
  • 6 auxiliary warships sunk
    (2,109 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (1,909 GRT)

SM UC-3 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat had been ordered by November 1914 and was launched on 28 May 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 1 June 1915 as UC-3. Mines laid by UC-3 in her 29 patrols were credited with sinking 22 ships and damaging 2 others. UC-3 was caught in a net, detected by hydrophone, and sunk on 23 April 1916 or mined and sunk on 27 May 1916.

Design

A German Type UC I submarine, UC-3 had a displacement of 168 tonnes (165 long tons) when at the surface and 183 tonnes (180 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 33.99 m (111 ft 6 in), a beam of 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.04 m (10 ft). The submarine was powered by one Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing 90 metric horsepower (66 kW; 89 shp), an electric motor producing 175 metric horsepower (129 kW; 173 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 6.20 knots (11.48 km/h; 7.13 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.22 knots (9.67 km/h; 6.01 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 780 nautical miles (1,440 km; 900 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UC-3 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, twelve UC 120 mines, and one 8 millimetres (0.31 in) machine gun. She was built by AG Vulcan Stettin and her complement was fourteen crew members.

Fate

UC-3 was the first submarine to be detected and sunk using a hydrophone. UC-3's fate have different version: One is on 23 April 1916 she was detected using a hydrophone, trapped in a net, and then quickly sunk after a large explosion. The ship that sank her was the anti-submarine trawler Cheerio, captained by Thomson. Another is on 27 May 1916, she got mined and sunk.

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage Fate
5 July 1915 Peik Norway 1,168 Sunk
14 July 1915 Vivid Belgium 150 Sunk
20 July 1915 HMY Rhiannon Royal Navy 137 Sunk
21 July 1915 HMT Briton Royal Navy 196 Sunk
12 September 1915 Ashmore United Kingdom 2,519 Sunk
14 October 1915 Salerno United Kingdom 2,071 Sunk
16 October 1915 Volscian United Kingdom 570 Damaged
17 October 1915 HMT Javelin Royal Navy 205 Sunk
25 October 1915 Selma Norway 1,654 Sunk
6 November 1915 Alastair United Kingdom 366 Sunk
11 November 1915 Rhineland United Kingdom 1,501 Sunk
17 November 1915 Ulriken Norway 2,379 Sunk
29 November 1915 HMS Duchess of Hamilton Royal Navy 553 Sunk
10 December 1915 Nereus Norway 742 Sunk
11 December 1915 Pinegrove United Kingdom 2,847 Sunk
18 December 1915 Nico Norway 712 Sunk
21 December 1915 HMS Lady Ismay Royal Navy 495 Sunk
27 December 1915 Hadley United Kingdom 1,777 Sunk
14 January 1916 Breslau United Kingdom 1,339 Damaged
18 January 1916 Auvergne French Navy 523 Sunk
8 February 1916 Argo United Kingdom 1,720 Sunk
28 February 1916 Thornaby United Kingdom 1,782 Sunk
26 May 1916 Denewood United Kingdom 1,221 Sunk
3 June 1916 Golconda United Kingdom 5,874 Sunk