German submarineU-551
History | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Name | U-551 |
Ordered | 25 September 1939 |
Builder | Blohm & Voss,Hamburg |
Yard number | 527 |
Laid down | 21 November 1939 |
Launched | 14 September 1940 |
Commissioned | 7 November 1940 |
Fate | Sunk on 23 March 1941[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIICsubmarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
|
Beam |
|
Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Range | |
Test depth |
|
Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
|
Service record[2][3] | |
Part of: |
|
Identification codes: | M 26 026 |
Commanders: |
|
Operations: |
|
Victories: | None |
German submarineU-551was aType VIICU-boatofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarineduringWorld War II.The submarine waslaid downon 21 November 1939 at theBlohm & Vossyard inHamburgas yard number 527,launchedon 14 September 1940, andcommissionedon 7 November 1940 under the command ofKapitänleutnantKarl Schrott.[2]
Design
[edit]German Type VIIC submarineswere preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-551had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[4]She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), apressure hulllength of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeamof 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraughtof 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerftF46 four-stroke, six-cylindersuperchargeddiesel enginesproducing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, twoBBCGG UB 720/8double-acting electric motorsproducing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft)propellers.The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[4]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[4]When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).U-551was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes(four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes,one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun,220 rounds, and a2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplementof between forty-four and sixty.[4]
Service history
[edit]Attached to the7th U-boat Flotilla,she first sailed fromKiel,Germany toBergen,Norway, before commencing her first and only war patrol on 18 March 1941.[3]She sailed to the waters south ofIceland,[5]and there on 23 March, in position62°37′N16°47′W/ 62.617°N 16.783°W,she was sunk by depth charges from the British anti-submarine warfaretrawlerHMTVisenda.All 45 hands were lost.[2]
References
[edit]- ^Kemp 1997,p. 69.
- ^abcHelgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-551".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved9 February2010.
- ^abHelgason, Guðmundur."War Patrols by German U-boat U-551".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved9 February2010.
- ^abcdGröner 1991,pp. 43–46.
- ^Helgason, Guðmundur."Patrol of U-boat U-551 from 18 Mar 1941 to 23 Mar 1941".U-boat patrols - uboat.net.Retrieved9 February2010.
Bibliography
[edit]- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999).German U-boat commanders of World War II: a biographical dictionary.Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press.ISBN1-55750-186-6.
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999).Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945[German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler.ISBN3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991).U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels.German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press.ISBN0-85177-593-4.
- Kemp, Paul (1997).U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars.Arms & Armour.ISBN1-85409-515-3.
External links
[edit]- Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-551".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved28 December2014.
- World War II submarines of Germany
- German Type VIIC submarines
- U-boats commissioned in 1940
- U-boats sunk in 1941
- U-boats sunk by depth charges
- 1940 ships
- World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
- Ships built in Hamburg
- U-boats sunk by British warships
- Submarines lost with all hands
- Maritime incidents in March 1941