SM UB-63

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-63.
History
German Empire
Name	UB-63
Ordered	20 May 1916[2]
Builder	AG Vulcan, Hamburg
Cost	3,279,000 German Papiermark
Yard number	88
Launched	26 May 1917[1]
Commissioned	23 July 1917[1]
Fate	Sunk 28 January 1918 by British warships at 56°10′N 2°0′E / 56.167°N 2.000°E / 56.167; 2.000[1]
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	Type UB III submarine
Displacement	508 t (500 long tons) surfaced 639 t (629 long tons) submerged
Length	55.52 m (182 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Beam	5.76 m (18 ft 11 in)
Draught	3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion	2 × propeller shaft 2 × MAN four-stroke 6-cylinder diesel engines, 1,085 bhp (809 kW) 2 × Siemens-Schuckert electric motors, 780 shp (580 kW)
Speed	13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) surfaced 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) submerged
Range	8,420 nmi (15,590 km; 9,690 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	3 officers, 31 men[1]
Armament	5 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) 10 torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun
Service record
Part of:	II Flotilla 4 – 30 September 1917 V Flotilla 30 September 1917 – 28 January 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Rudolf Gebeschus[3] 23 July 1917 – 28 January 1918
Operations:	3 patrols
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk (4,481 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (1,113 GRT) 1 merchant ship taken as prize (3,290 GRT)

SM UB-63 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 23 July 1917 as SM UB-63.^{[Note 1]}

UB-63 was sunk on 28 January 1918 by British warships HMS W.S. Bailey and HMS Fort George at 56°10′N 2°0′E / 56.167°N 2.000°E / 56.167; 2.000 with depth charges. All 33 crew members perished in the attack.^[1]

UB-63 was ordered by the GIN on 20 May 1916.

She was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 26 May 1917. UB-63 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-63 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-63 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 8,420 nautical miles (15,590 km; 9,690 mi). UB-63 had a displacement of 508 t (500 long tons) while surfaced and 639 t (629 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) when surfaced and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) when submerged.

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage[Note 2]	Fate[4]
15 September 1917	Santaren	United Kingdom	4,256	Sunk
3 November 1917	Haelen	Belgium	3,290	Captured as prize
8 November 1917	Lindhardt	Denmark	225	Sunk
15 November 1917	Stargard	Norway	1,113	Damaged