SM UC-57


SM UC-57 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916, laid down on 14 March 1916, and was launched on 7 September 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 January 1917 as SM UC-57. In seven patrols UC-57 was credited with sinking 5 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid.
UC-57 disappeared in 1917 after landing a party of Finnish Jägers and 4 tons of munitions on the island of Hamnskär, circa from Loviisa, on 18 November. UC-57 was going to remain on the seabed overnight and then return to Germany but never arrived. She was probably sunk by a Russian mine.

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-57 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a length overall of, a beam of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing , two electric motors producing, and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of.
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a submerged speed of. When submerged, she could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. UC-57 was fitted with six mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three torpedo tubes, seven torpedoes, and one Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.

Summary of raiding history

Citations