Type U 23 was a class of U-boats built during World War I by the Kaiserliche Marine. Four Boats were ordered from Germaniawerft on 18 March 1911.[2]
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Operators |  Imperial German Navy |
| Preceded by | Type U 19 |
| Succeeded by | Type U 27 |
| Completed | 4 |
| Lost | 2 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 64.70 m (212.3 ft) |
| Beam | 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in) |
| Draught | 3.45 m (11 ft 4 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | about 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 31 men |
| Armament |
|
Design
editType U 23s had an overall length of 64.70 m (212 ft 3 in) The boats' beam was 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in), the draught was 3.45 m (11 ft 4 in). The boats displaced 669 tonnes (658 long tons) when surfaced and 864 t (850 long tons) when submerged.[1]
Type U 23s were fitted with two Germaniawerft 6-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines with a total of 1,800 metric horsepower (1,324 kW; 1,775 bhp) for use on the surface and two SSW double-acting electric motors with a total of 880 kW (1,196 PS; 1,180 shp) for underwater use. These engines powered two shafts, which gave the boats a top surface speed of 16.7 knots (30.9 km/h; 19.2 mph), and 10.3 knots (19.1 km/h; 11.9 mph) when submerged. Cruising range was 9,910 nautical miles (18,350 km; 11,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) on the surface and 85 nautical miles (157 km; 98 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 50 cm (20 in) torpedo tubes, two fitted in the bow and two in the stern, and carried six torpedoes. All boats received one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun. The boats' complement was 4 officers and 31 enlisted.[1]
Ships
edit| Name | Fate[1] |
|---|---|
| U-23 | Sunk on 20 July 1915 in the North Sea |
| U-24 | Surrendered on 22 November 1918, and scrapped 1921-22 at Swansea |
| U-25 | Surrendered on 23 February 1919, and scrapped 1921-22 at Cherbourg |
| U-26 | Sunk in September 1915 in the Baltic Sea |
Citations
edit- ^ a b c d e Möller & Brack 2004, p. 24.
- ^ Rössler 2001, p. 28.
Bibliography
edit- 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 (2001). The U-boat: The evolution and technical history of German submarines. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-36120-8.