SM UC-92 was a German Type UC III minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I.

Design

A Type UC III submarine, UC-92 had a displacement of 491 t when at the surface and 571 t while submerged. She had a length overall of 56.51 m, a beam of 5.54 m, and a draught of 3.77 m. The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 300 PS (a total of 600 PS), two electric motors producing 770 PS, and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 15 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 75 m. The submarine was designed for a maximum surface speed of 11.5 kn and a submerged speed of 6.6 kn. When submerged, she could operate for 40 nmi at 4.5 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 9850 nmi at 7 kn. UC-92 was fitted with six 100 cm mine tubes, fourteen UC 200 mines, three 50 cm torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm SK L/45 or 8.8 cm Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.

Construction, career and demise

The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 19 January 1918. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 14 August 1918 as SM UC-92. As with the rest of the completed UC III boats, UC-92 conducted no war patrols and sank no ships. She was surrendered on 24 November 1918. After passing into British hands, UC-92 was exhibited at Bristol along with SMS U-86. Later, UC-92 was towed to Falmouth along with five other U-boats for use in a series of explosive test trials by the Royal Navy in Falmouth Bay, in order to find weaknesses in their design. Following her use on 7 March 1921, UC-92 was dumped on Castle Beach and sold to R. Roskelly & Rodgers on 19 April 1921 for scrap, and partially salvaged over the following decades, with some efforts noted as late as the 1960s. In 2013, Wessex Archaeology, assisted by local divers with knowledge of the site, conducted a survey of UC-92, along with the other submarines. The wreck was positively identified, as UC-92 was the only one of the submarines brought to Falmouth to have been a mine-laying vessel, and her six mine tubes were identified among the surviving wreck features. The lower parts of the vessel remain on the seabed just off shore, with parts of the structure breaking the surface during low water springs. Along with the remains of the other submarines brought to the bay, the site is a popular attraction for local divers.

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