SM UC-53

History
German Empire
Name	UC-53
Ordered	12 January 1916
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	269
Launched	27 February 1917
Commissioned	5 April 1917
Fate	Scuttled at Pola, 28 October 1918
General characteristics
Class & type	Type UC II submarine
Displacement	434 t (427 long tons), surfaced; 511 t (503 long tons), submerged;
Length	52.69 m (172 ft 10 in) o/a; 40.96 m (134 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Beam	5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a; 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull;
Draught	3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Propulsion	2 × propeller shafts; 2 × 6-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engines, 580–600 PS (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp); 2 × electric motors, 620 PS (460 kW; 610 shp);
Speed	11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph), surfaced; 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph), submerged;
Range	8,820–9,450 nmi (16,330–17,500 km; 10,150–10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced; 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	26
Armament	6 × 100 cm (39.4 in) mine tubes; 18 × UC 200 mines; 3 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (2 bow/external; one stern); 7 × torpedoes; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun;
Notes	30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:	Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer II Flotilla; 24 June 1917 – 28 October 1918;
Commanders:	Kptlt. Kurt Albrecht; 5 April 1917 – 5 February 1918; Oblt.z.S. Adolf Ehrensberger; 6 February – 18 June 1918; Kptlt. Erich Gerth; 19 June – 28 October 1918;
Operations:	8 patrols
Victories:	47 merchant ships sunk ; (46,469 GRT); 11 merchant ships damaged ; (31,612 GRT); 1 auxiliary warship damaged ; (120 GRT);

SM UC-53 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 12 January 1916 and was launched on 27 February 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 5 April 1917 as SM UC-53. In eight patrols UC-53 was credited with sinking 47 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-53 was scuttled at Pola on 28 October 1918 on the surrender of Austria-Hungary.

History

German Empire
Name	UC-53
Ordered	12 January 1916
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	269
Launched	27 February 1917
Commissioned	5 April 1917
Fate	Scuttled at Pola, 28 October 1918
General characteristics
Class & type	Type UC II submarine
Displacement	434 t (427 long tons), surfaced 511 t (503 long tons), submerged
Length	52.69 m (172 ft 10 in) o/a 40.96 m (134 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Beam	5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught	3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Propulsion	2 × propeller shafts 2 × 6-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engines, 580–600 PS (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp) 2 × electric motors, 620 PS (460 kW; 610 shp)
Speed	11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph), surfaced 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph), submerged
Range	8,820–9,450 nmi (16,330–17,500 km; 10,150–10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	26
Armament	6 × 100 cm (39.4 in) mine tubes 18 × UC 200 mines 3 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (2 bow/external; one stern) 7 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun
Notes	30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:	Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer II Flotilla 24 June 1917 – 28 October 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Kurt Albrecht 5 April 1917 – 5 February 1918 Oblt.z.S. Adolf Ehrensberger 6 February – 18 June 1918 Kptlt. Erich Gerth 19 June – 28 October 1918
Operations:	8 patrols
Victories:	47 merchant ships sunk (46,469 GRT) 11 merchant ships damaged (31,612 GRT) 1 auxiliary warship damaged (120 GRT)