Type U 13 was a class of U-boats built during World War I by the Kaiserliche Marine.

Class overview
BuildersKaiserliche Werft Danzig
Operators Imperial German Navy
Preceded byType U 9
Succeeded byU-16
Completed3
Lost3
General characteristics
TypeSubmarine
Displacement
  • 516 t (508 long tons) surfaced
  • 644 t (634 long tons) submerged
Length57.88 m (189 ft 11 in)
Beam6 m (19 ft 8 in)
Draught3.44 m (11 ft 3 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × Körting 6-cylinder and 2 × Körting 8-cylinder two stroke paraffin motors with 900 PS (660 kW; 890 shp)
  • 2 × SSW electric motors with 1,040 PS (760 kW; 1,030 shp)
Speed
  • 14.8 knots (27.4 km/h; 17.0 mph) surfaced
  • 10.7 knots (19.8 km/h; 12.3 mph) submerged
Range
  • 2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 14 kn surfaced
  • 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 5 kn submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement4 officers, 25 men
Armament4 × 45 cm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes (2 each bow and stern) with 6 torpedoes

Design

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Type U 13s had an overall length of 57.88 m (189 ft 11 in) The boats' beam was 6.00 m (19 ft 8 in), the draught was 3.44 m (11 ft 3 in). The boats displaced 516 tonnes (508 long tons) when surfaced and 644 t (634 long tons) when submerged.[1]

Type U 13s were fitted with two Körting 6-cylinder and two 8-cylinder two-stroke paraffin engines with a total of 1,200 metric horsepower (883 kW; 1,184 bhp) for use on the surface and two SSW double-acting electric motors with a total of 760 kW (1,033 PS; 1,019 shp) for underwater use. These engines powered two shafts, which gave the boats a top surface speed of 14.8 knots (27.4 km/h; 17.0 mph), and 10.7 knots (19.8 km/h; 12.3 mph) when submerged. Cruising range was 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) on the surface and 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged.[1] Diving depth was 50 m (164 ft 1 in).

The U-boats were armed with four 45 cm (18 in) torpedo tubes, two fitted in the bow and two in the stern, and carried six torpedoes. The boats' complement was 4 officers and 25 enlisted.[1]

Ships

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Name Fate[1]
U-13 Sunk on 12 August 1914 in the North Sea.
U-14 Sunk on 5 June 1915 in the North Sea.
U-15 Sunk on 9 August 1914 in the North Sea.

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d Möller & Brack 2004, p. 22.

Bibliography

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  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Möller, Eberhard; Brack, Werner (2004). The Encyclopedia of U-Boats. London: Chatham. ISBN 1-85367-623-3.
  • Rössler, Eberhard (1981). The U-boat: The evolution and technical history of German submarines. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-36120-8.