SM UC-97

SM UC-97 was a German Type UC III minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-97.

UC-97 at Toronto, 1919
History
German Empire
Name: UC-97
Ordered: 12 January 1916[1]
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[2]
Yard number: 331[1]
Launched: 17 March 1918[1]
Commissioned: 3 September 1918[1]
Fate: surrendered, November 1918; sunk as target in Lake Michigan, June 1921[1]
General characteristics
Class and type: German Type UC III submarine
Displacement:
  • 491 t (483 long tons), surfaced
  • 571 t (562 long tons), submerged
Length:
Beam: 5.54 m (18 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Draft: 3.77 m (12 ft 4 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph), surfaced
  • 6.6 knots (12.2 km/h; 7.6 mph), submerged
Range:
  • 9,850 nautical miles (18,240 km; 11,340 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph), surfaced
  • 40 nmi (74 km; 46 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph), submerged
Test depth: 75 m (246 ft)
Complement: 32
Armament:
Notes: 15-second diving time

Design

A German Type UC III submarine, UC-97 had a displacement of 491 tonnes (483 long tons) when at the surface and 571 tonnes (562 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 56.51 m (185 ft 5 in), a beam of 5.54 m (18 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.77 m (12 ft 4 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 770 metric horsepower (570 kW; 760 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 15 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 75 metres (246 ft).[3]

The submarine was designed for a maximum surface speed of 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.6 knots (12.2 km/h; 7.6 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,850 nautical miles (18,240 km; 11,340 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-97 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, fourteen UC 200 mines, three 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 or 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun . Her complement was twenty-six crew members.[3]

Construction and career

The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 17 March 1918. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 3 September 1918 as SM UC-97.[Note 1]

As with the rest of the completed UC III boats, UC-97 conducted no war patrols and sank no ships. She was surrendered on 22 November 1918 to the United States. She was exhibited to raise money for Liberty Bonds in the United States and the Great Lakes and was sunk as a target by the USS Wilmette on Lake Michigan 20 nautical miles (37 km) off the coast of Highland Park, Illinois on 7 June 1921.[1][4] The wreck of UC-97 has been definitively located. It has been reported in a 2013 Toronto Star article that the U-boat was found in 1992 by the Chicago-based company A and T Recovery.[5][4]

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.

Citations
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 97". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. Tarrant, p. 174.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 34-35.
  4. "WWI submarine has underwater Lake Michigan grave".
  5. Ellison, Mark (26 June 2013). "Warf a reminder of Toronto's transformed shoreline". Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on 26 June 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.

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. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • 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.CS1 maint: extra text: 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.
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