History
German Empire
NameUC-43
Ordered20 November 1915[1]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg[2]
Yard number76[1]
Launched5 October 1916[1]
Commissioned25 October 1916[1]
FateTorpedoed and sunk by HMS G13 on 10 March 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeType UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 400 t (390 long tons), surfaced
  • 480 t (470 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.68 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph), surfaced
  • 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 mph), submerged
Range
  • 9,410 nmi (17,430 km; 10,830 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes48-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 25 December 1916 – 10 March 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Erwin Sebelin[4]
  • 25 October 1916 – 10 March 1917
Operations: 2 patrols
Victories:
  • 13 merchant ships sunk
    (24,684 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as prize
    (539 GRT)

SM UC-43[Note 1] 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 and was launched on 5 October 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 25 October 1916 as SM UC-43. In two patrols UC-43 was credited with sinking 13 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-43 was torpedoed and sunk by HMS G13 north of Muckle Flugga on 10 March 1917.[1]

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-43 had a displacement of 400 tonnes (390 long tons) when at the surface and 480 tonnes (470 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 49.45 m (162 ft 3 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 260 metric horsepower (190 kW; 260 shp) (a total of 520 metric horsepower (380 kW; 510 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 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,410 nautical miles (17,430 km; 10,830 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-43 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]
31 December 1916 Lupus  Norway 539 Captured as prize
12 January 1917 Brentwood  United Kingdom 1,192 Sunk
15 January 1917 Brabant  Norway 1,492 Sunk
15 January 1917 Graafjeld  Norway 728 Sunk
20 January 1917 Planudes  United Kingdom 542 Sunk
27 February 1917 Marie Madeleine  France 45 Sunk
1 March 1917 Mabella  Norway 1,637 Sunk
1 March 1917 Storenes  Norway 1,870 Sunk
6 March 1917 Cornelia  United Kingdom 903 Sunk
6 March 1917 Sawa Maru  Japan 2,578 Sunk
7 March 1917 Baron Wemyss  United Kingdom 1,605 Sunk
9 March 1917 Laurits  Denmark 183 Sunk
13 March 1917 Norwegian  United Kingdom 6,237 Sunk
22 March 1917 Malmanger  Norway 5,672 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. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 43". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erwin Sebelin". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 43". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 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.
  • 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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