Name UC-13 Yard number 227 Commissioned 15 May 1915 Launched 11 May 1915 | Ordered 23 November 1914 Laid down 28 January 1915 Construction started 28 January 1915 Draft 3.06 m Part of Constantinople Flotilla | |
Fate ran aground, 29 November 1915 | ||
SM UC-13 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 was ordered on 23 November 1914, laid down on 28 January 1915, and was launched on 11 May 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 15 May 1915 as SM UC-13. Mines laid by UC-13 in her three patrols were credited with sinking 3 ships.
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Design
A German Type UC I submarine, UC-13 had a displacement of 168 tonnes (165 long tons) when at the surface and 182 tonnes (179 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 3.06 m (10 ft 0 in). The submarine was powered by one Benz six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing 80 metric horsepower (59 kW; 79 shp), an electric motor producing 175 metric horsepower (129 kW; 173 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 6.49 knots (12.02 km/h; 7.47 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.67 knots (10.50 km/h; 6.52 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 910 nautical miles (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UC-13 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 Weser Bremen and her complement was fourteen crew members.
Fate
UC-13 departed Constantinople on 12 November 1915 to operate in the Black Sea. On 29 November, while navigating using dead reckoning due to the adverse weather, she ran aground 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) east of the Bosphorous, near to the Melen River. The crew subsequently scuttled UC-13 using demolition charges before being picked up by Turkish vessels.