SM UC-51

History
German Empire
Name	UC-51
Ordered	12 January 1916
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	267
Launched	5 December 1916
Commissioned	6 January 1917
Fate	Sunk by mine, 17 November 1917
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:	I Flotilla; 8 April – 20 August 1917; Flandern Flotilla; 20 August 1917 – 17 November 1917;
Commanders:	Kptlt. Wilhelm Schröder; 6 January – 28 April 1917; Oblt.z.S. Hans Galster; 29 April – 17 November 1917;
Operations:	7 patrols
Victories:	27 merchant ships sunk ; (31,756 GRT); 1 auxiliary warship sunk ; (81 GRT); 2 merchant ships damaged ; (5,855 GRT);

SM UC-51 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 December 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 6 January 1917 as SM UC-51. In seven patrols UC-51 was credited with sinking 28 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-51 was mined and sunk in the English Channel on 17 November 1917.

The wreck was located and identified by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney close to the official sinking position in 2001.

History

German Empire
Name	UC-51
Ordered	12 January 1916
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	267
Launched	5 December 1916
Commissioned	6 January 1917
Fate	Sunk by mine, 17 November 1917
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:	I Flotilla 8 April – 20 August 1917 Flandern Flotilla 20 August 1917 – 17 November 1917
Commanders:	Kptlt. Wilhelm Schröder 6 January – 28 April 1917 Oblt.z.S. Hans Galster 29 April – 17 November 1917
Operations:	7 patrols
Victories:	27 merchant ships sunk (31,756 GRT) 1 auxiliary warship sunk (81 GRT) 2 merchant ships damaged (5,855 GRT)