In this note, I bring to your attention the firepower that the boats had. I again reviewed the topic briefly, without providing details and nuances, since a detailed coverage of this issue would require writing at least a large review article. To begin with, to make it clear how the Germans highlighted the issue of the need to have a gun on board and its use, I will give an excerpt from the “Manual for Submarine Commanders”, where the following is said about this:
"Section V Artillery weapons of submarines (submarine as a carrier of artillery)
271. The presence of artillery on a submarine is fraught with contradictions from the very beginning. The submarine is unstable, has a low-lying gun and surveillance platform, and is not equipped to conduct artillery fire.
All artillery installations on a submarine are poorly suited for an artillery duel, and in this respect the submarine is inferior to any surface ship.
In an artillery battle, a submarine, as opposed to a surface ship, must immediately bring all its forces into action, because even one hit in the strong hull of a submarine already makes it impossible for it to dive and leads to death. Therefore, the possibility of an artillery battle between a torpedo submarine and military surface ships is excluded.
272. For submarines used for torpedo attacks, artillery is, as it were, a conditional and auxiliary weapon, because the use of artillery over water contradicts the entire essence of a submarine, i.e., a sudden and covert underwater attack.
Based on this, it can be said that on a torpedo submarine, artillery is used only in the fight against merchant ships, for example, to delay steamships or to destroy unarmed or weakly armed ships (§ 305)."(With)
Deck artillery
Caliber, Type, Shooting, Rate of fire, Elevation angle , Effect. range, Calculation
105 mm SK C/32U - U-boot L C/32U Single 15 35° 12,000 m 6 persons
105 mm SK C/32U - Marine Pivot L Single 15 30° 12,000 m 6 persons
88 mm SK C/30U - U-boot L C/30U Single 15-18 30° 11,000 m 6 people
88 mm SK C/35 - U-boot L C/35U Single 15-18 30° 11,000 m 6 people
Of all types of German submarines designed and built from 1930 to 1945, boats of the I, VII, IX and X series were armed with deck artillery with a caliber of over 88 mm. At the same time, only the VII series carried an 88-mm caliber gun; the rest of the indicated series of boats had a 105-mm gun. The cannon was located directly on the upper deck in front of the wheelhouse; the ammunition was stored partly there in the superstructure of the boat, partly inside the durable hull. Deck artillery was in the department of the second watch officer, who performed the duties of a senior gunner on the boat.
On the "sevens" the gun was installed in the area of frame 54 on a pyramid specially reinforced in the superstructure, which was reinforced with longitudinal and transverse beams. In the area of the gun, the upper deck was expanded to 3.8 meters in length, thereby forming a place for artillery crews. The standard ammunition for the boat was 205 shells - 28 of which were in special containers in the superstructure next to the gun, 20 shells in the wheelhouse, and the rest in the "weapons room" inside the durable hull in the second compartment from the bow.
The 105 mm gun was also mounted on a pyramid, which was welded to the pressure hull. Depending on the type of boat, the ammunition for the gun ranged from 200 to 230 shells, of which 30-32 were stored in the superstructure next to the gun, remaining in the “weapons room” located in the central control room and galley.
The deck gun was protected from water by a waterproof plug on the barrel side, and by a special plug sleeve on the breech side. A well-thought-out lubrication system for the gun made it possible to keep the gun in working condition at different temperatures.
I mentioned various cases of using deck guns
And .
By the end of 1942, the command of the submarine forces came to the conclusion that the deck guns on boats that participated in the fighting in the Atlantic theater of operations should be dismantled. Thus, almost all “sevens” of type B and C lost such artillery. The guns were retained on Type IX submarine cruisers and Type VIID and X mines. But by the end of the war it was already difficult to find a German boat of any type that could carry deck artillery.
88 mm U29 and U95 guns. The waterproof plug is clearly visible.
Elevation angle of the 88 mm gun on the U46. It seems that it still exceeds those 30 and 35 degrees indicated in the technical characteristics. The gun had to be raised with its barrel up when loading torpedoes into the bow compartment. The photo below shows how this happened (U74 preparing to take a torpedo) 
105 mm gun on the U26 "one" 
105 mm guns U103 and U106 
General view of the 105 mm gun with its mounts. 
Gunners U53 and U35 prepare for practical shooting 
Artillery crew U123 is preparing to open fire. A tanker is visible straight ahead. The target will be sunk by artillery fire. Completion of Operation Paukenschlag, February 1942. 
But sometimes the tools were used for other purposes :-)
The pictures below show U107 and U156 
Flak
Caliber, Type, Shooting, Rate of fire, Elevation angle , Effect. range, Calculation
37 mm SK C/30U - Ubts. LC 39 Singles 12 85° 2,500 m 3/4 persons
37 mm M42 U - LM 43U Automatic (8 rounds) 40 80° 2,500 m 3/4 persons
37 mm Zwilling M 42U - LM 42 Automatic (8 charges) 80 80° 2,500 m 3/4 persons
30 mm Flak M 44 - LM 44 Automatic (exact characteristics unknown. For type XXI submarines)
20 mm MG C/30 - L 30 Automatic (20 rounds) 120 90° 1,500 m 2/4 persons
20 mm MG C/30 - L 30/37 Automatic (20 rounds) 120 90° 1,500 m 2/4 persons
20 mm Flak C/38 - L 30/37 Automatic (20 rounds) 220 90° 1,500 m 2/4 persons
20 mm Flak Zwilling C/38 II - M 43U Automatic (20 rounds) 440 90° 1,500 m 2/4 persons
20 mm Flak Vierling C38/43 - M 43U Automatic (20 rounds) 880 90° 1,500 m 2/4 persons
13.2 mm Breda 1931 Automatic (30 rounds) 400 85° 1,000 m 2/4 persons
Quad units are highlighted in red, dual units are highlighted in blue.
Of the fire weapons that the German submarines had, the most interesting were anti-aircraft weapons. If deck guns were obsolete by the end of the war, then the evolution of anti-aircraft fire among the Germans is clearly visible from the above table.
By the beginning of the war, German submarines had only a minimum of anti-aircraft guns, since it was believed that the threat from the air was clearly underestimated by the fleet command. As a result, the designers in the projects included no more than one anti-aircraft gun on the boat. But during the war the situation changed and reached the point that some submarines were literally studded with anti-aircraft guns, such as “anti-aircraft boats” (flakboats).
The main weapons of the boats were initially recognized as 20-mm 20-round anti-aircraft guns, which were installed on all types of boats with the exception of the II series. On the latter they were also provided, but were not included in the standard armament of the boats.
Initially, on the first "sevens" in pre-war time The 20-mm anti-aircraft machine gun type MG C/30 - L 30 was supposed to be installed on the upper deck behind the wheelhouse. This is clearly seen in the example of U49. Behind the open hatch you can see the anti-aircraft gun carriage. 
But already in wartime, the 20-mm anti-aircraft gun was moved to a site located behind the bridge. It is clearly visible in the photo. Alternately, anti-aircraft platforms U25, U38 (Karl Doenitz himself is on the bridge of the boat), U46 
Depending on the type and purpose of the boat, "Dvoyki" received anti-aircraft weapons, both pre-war and during the war. The gun was located in front of the wheelhouse. Either a carriage was installed for it, or it was installed there on a waterproof container (in the form of a barrel) in which the machine gun was stored in a disassembled state).
U23 before the war 
Waterproof "barrel", also known as a carriage on U9 (Black Sea) 
Same thing on U145 
And this is already in finished form. U24 (Black Sea) 
Option for installing an anti-aircraft gun on a carriage. U23 (Black Sea) 
The "Twos" operating in the Black Sea underwent some modification. In particular, the deckhouse was modified towards standard ocean-going boats by adding a platform for installing additional firepower. Boat armament of this type At the World Theater Championship, due to this, it increased to 2-3 barrels per submarine. The photo shows U19 in full armor. Anti-aircraft gun in front of the wheelhouse, twin guns on the platform behind the bridge. By the way, machine guns installed on the sides of the cabin are visible. 
The growing threat from the air forced the Germans to take measures to increase anti-aircraft weapons. The boat received an additional platform for placing fire weapons, on which two pairs of 20-mm machine guns and one (or two) 37-mm machine guns could be placed. This site received the nickname "Winter Garden" (Wintergarten). Below are photos of boats that surrendered to the Allies U249, U621 and U234 
As the pinnacle of the evolution of anti-aircraft weapons on German boats, the quad anti-aircraft gun Flak Vierling C38/43 - M 43U, which was received by the so-called “anti-aircraft boats”. As an example U441.
In the Mediterranean, the "Seven" received additional weapons by installing Italian "Breda" machine guns in the form of twin-armed units. As an example U81 
A special word worth mentioning is such a “miracle” weapon as the 37 mm SK C/30U - Ubts anti-aircraft gun. LC 39, which fired single shots. This gun was installed on later types of submarine cruisers of type IX (B and C) and submarine tankers of type XIV. The "cash cows" carried two guns of this type on either side of the wheelhouse. "Nines" had one installed behind the wheelhouse. Below are examples of such a weapon on the U103. 
Since I did not set myself the task of conducting a complete and detailed description anti-aircraft weapons, I omit such nuances as ammunition and other characteristics of this type of weapon. I once mentioned the training of anti-aircraft gunners on submarines. Examples of confrontation between submarines and aircraft can be found if you look at the topics in my tag.
Firearms and signal weapons
Caliber, Type, Shooting, Rate of fire, Elevation angle , Effect. range, Calculation
7.92 mm MG15 Automatic (50/75 rounds) 800-900 90° 750 m 1-2
7.92 mm MG34 Automatic (50/75 rounds) 600-700 90° 750 m 1-2
7.92 mm MG81Z Automatic (Tape) 2.200 90° 750 m 1-2
In addition, the submarine’s crew had at their disposal 5-10 Mauser 7.65 mm pistols, 5-10 rifles, MP-40 assault rifles, hand grenades and two flare guns.
MG81Z on U33 
In general, I would like to note that German submarines had fire weapons that were quite modern at that time, which worked well during combat operations. In particular, the British noted after testing the artillery they captured U570 that, compared with the 3-inch gun of the 1917 model mounted on S-type boats, the 88-mm German gun was superior to the British one. The 20-mm anti-aircraft machine gun was recognized by them as an excellent and effective weapon, which, to their surprise, did not vibrate when fired and had a good magazine.
Photo resource used to illustrate the note http://www.subsim.com
As usual, Vladimir Nagirnyak pored over the analysis.
Submarines dictate the rules in naval war and force everyone to meekly follow the established order.
Those stubborn people who dare to ignore the rules of the game will face a quick and painful death in the cold water, among floating debris and oil stains. Boats, regardless of flag, remain the most dangerous combat vehicles, capable of crushing any enemy.
I bring to your attention a short story about the seven most successful submarine projects of the war years.
Boats type T (Triton-class), UK
The number of submarines built is 53.
Surface displacement - 1290 tons; underwater - 1560 tons.
Crew - 59...61 people.
Working immersion depth - 90 m (riveted hull), 106 m (welded hull).
Full speed on the surface - 15.5 knots; in underwater - 9 knots.
A fuel reserve of 131 tons provided a surface cruising range of 8,000 miles.
Weapons:
- 11 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber (on boats of subseries II and III), ammunition - 17 torpedoes;
- 1 x 102 mm universal gun, 1 x 20 mm anti-aircraft "Oerlikon".
HMS Traveler
A British underwater Terminator capable of knocking the crap out of any enemy's head with a bow-launched 8-torpedo salvo. The T-type boats had no equal in destructive power among all the submarines of the WWII period - this explains their ferocious appearance with a bizarre bow superstructure that housed additional torpedo tubes.
The notorious British conservatism is a thing of the past - the British were among the first to equip their boats with ASDIC sonars. Alas, despite their powerful weapons and modern detection means, the T-class high seas boats did not become the most effective among the British submarines of World War II. Nevertheless, they went through an exciting battle path and achieved a number of remarkable victories. “Tritons” were actively used in the Atlantic, in the Mediterranean Sea, destroyed Japanese communications in the Pacific Ocean, and were spotted several times in the frozen waters of the Arctic.
In August 1941, the submarines "Tygris" and "Trident" arrived in Murmansk. British submariners demonstrated a master class to their Soviet colleagues: in two trips, 4 enemy ships were sunk, incl. "Bahia Laura" and "Donau II" with thousands of soldiers of the 6th Mountain Division. Thus, the sailors prevented a third German offensive to Murmansk.
Other famous T-boat trophies include the German light cruiser Karlsruhe and the Japanese heavy cruiser Ashigara. The samurai were “lucky” to get acquainted with a full 8-torpedo salvo of the Trenchant submarine - having received 4 torpedoes on board (+ another from the stern tube), the cruiser quickly capsized and sank.
After the war, the powerful and sophisticated Tritons remained in service with the Royal Navy for another quarter of a century.
It is noteworthy that three boats of this type were acquired by Israel in the late 1960s - one of them, INS Dakar (formerly HMS Totem), was lost in 1968 in the Mediterranean Sea under unclear circumstances.
Boats of the "Cruising" type XIV series, Soviet Union
The number of submarines built is 11.
Surface displacement - 1500 tons; underwater - 2100 tons.
Crew - 62...65 people.
Full surface speed - 22.5 knots; in underwater - 10 knots.
Surface cruising range 16,500 miles (9 knots)
Submerged cruising range: 175 miles (3 knots)
Weapons:
— 2 x 100 mm universal guns, 2 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic guns;
- up to 20 minutes of barrage.
...On December 3, 1941, German hunters UJ-1708, UJ-1416 and UJ-1403 bombed a Soviet boat that tried to attack a convoy at Bustad Sund.
- Hans, can you hear this creature?
- Nain. After a series of explosions, the Russians lay low - I detected three impacts on the ground...
-Can you determine where they are now?
- Donnerwetter! They are blown away. They probably decided to surface and surrender.
The German sailors were wrong. From depths of the sea A MONSTER rose to the surface - the cruising submarine K-3 series XIV, unleashing a barrage of artillery fire on the enemy. From the fifth salvo Soviet sailors managed to sink U-1708. The second hunter, having received two direct hits, began to smoke and turned to the side - his 20 mm anti-aircraft guns could not compete with the “hundreds” of the secular submarine cruiser. Scattering the Germans like puppies, K-3 quickly disappeared over the horizon at 20 knots.
The Soviet Katyusha was a phenomenal boat for its time. Welded hull, powerful artillery and mine-torpedo weapons, powerful diesel engines (2 x 4200 hp!), high surface speed of 22-23 knots. Huge autonomy in terms of fuel reserves. Remote control ballast tank valves. A radio station capable of transmitting signals from the Baltic to the Far East. An exceptional level of comfort: shower cabins, refrigerated tanks, two seawater desalinators, an electric galley... Two boats (K-3 and K-22) were equipped with Lend-Lease ASDIC sonars.
But, strangely enough, neither high performance, nor the most powerful weapons made the Katyusha an effective weapon - in addition to the dark story of the K-21 attack on the Tirpitz, during the war years on boats XIV series accounted for only 5 successful torpedo attacks and 27 thousand brigades. reg. tons of sunk tonnage. Most of the victories were achieved with the help of mines. Moreover, its own losses amounted to five cruising boats.
K-21, Severomorsk, today
The reasons for the failures lie in the tactics of using Katyushas - the powerful submarine cruisers, created for the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, had to “tread water” in the shallow Baltic “puddle”. When operating at depths of 30-40 meters, a huge 97-meter boat could hit the ground with its bow while its stern was still sticking out on the surface. It was a little easier for the sailors from the North Sea - as practice has shown, the effectiveness combat use“Katyusha” was complicated by poor training of personnel and lack of initiative by the command.
It's a pity. These boats were designed for more.
“Baby”, Soviet Union
Series VI and VI bis - 50 built.
Series XII - 46 built.
Series XV - 57 built (4 took part in combat operations).
Performance characteristics of boats type M series XII:
Surface displacement - 206 tons; underwater - 258 tons.
Autonomy - 10 days.
The working depth of immersion is 50 m, the maximum depth is 60 m.
Full surface speed - 14 knots; in underwater - 8 knots.
Cruising range on the surface is 3,380 miles (8.6 knots).
Submerged cruising range is 108 miles (3 knots).
Weapons:
— 2 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, ammunition — 2 torpedoes;
— 1 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic.
Baby!
Mini-submarine project to quickly strengthen the Pacific Fleet - main feature M-type boats now have the ability to be transported by rail in a fully assembled form.
In the pursuit of compactness, many had to be sacrificed - service on the Malyutka turned into a grueling and dangerous undertaking. Difficult living conditions, strong roughness - the waves mercilessly tossed the 200-ton “float”, risking breaking it into pieces. Shallow diving depth and weak weapons. But the main concern of the sailors was the reliability of the submarine - one shaft, one diesel engine, one electric motor - the tiny “Malyutka” left no chance for the careless crew, the slightest malfunction on board threatened death for the submarine.
The little ones quickly evolved - the performance characteristics of each new series were several times different from the previous project: the contours were improved, the electrical equipment and detection equipment were updated, the dive time was reduced, and the autonomy increased. The “babies” of the XV series no longer resembled their predecessors of the VI and XII series: one-and-a-half-hull design - the ballast tanks were moved outside the durable hull; The power plant received a standard two-shaft layout with two diesel engines and underwater electric motors. The number of torpedo tubes increased to four. Alas, Series XV appeared too late - the “Little Ones” of Series VI and XII bore the brunt of the war.
Despite their modest size and only 2 torpedoes on board, the tiny fish were simply distinguished by their terrifying “gluttony”: in just the years of World War II Soviet submarines type M sank 61 enemy ships with a total tonnage of 135.5 thousand gross tons, destroyed 10 warships, and also damaged 8 transports.
Babes originally intended only for action in coastal zone, learned to fight effectively in open sea areas. They, along with larger boats, cut enemy communications, patrolled at the exits of enemy bases and fjords, deftly overcame anti-submarine barriers and blew up transports right at the piers inside protected enemy harbors. It’s simply amazing how the Red Navy were able to fight on these flimsy ships! But they fought. And we won!
Boats of the “Medium” type, series IX-bis, Soviet Union
The number of submarines built is 41.
Surface displacement - 840 tons; underwater - 1070 tons.
Crew - 36...46 people.
The working depth of immersion is 80 m, the maximum depth is 100 m.
Full speed on the surface - 19.5 knots; submerged - 8.8 knots.
Surface cruising range 8,000 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 148 miles (3 knots).
“Six torpedo tubes and the same number of spare torpedoes on racks convenient for reloading. Two cannons with large ammunition, machine guns, explosive equipment... In a word, there is something to fight with. And 20 knots surface speed! It allows you to overtake almost any convoy and attack it again. The technique is good...”
- opinion of the S-56 commander, Hero Soviet Union G.I. Shchedrin
The Eskis were distinguished by their rational layout and balanced design, powerful armament, and excellent performance and seaworthiness. Initially a German project from the Deshimag company, modified to meet Soviet requirements. But don’t rush to clap your hands and remember the Mistral. After the start of serial construction of the IX series at Soviet shipyards, the German project was revised with the aim of a complete transition to Soviet equipment: 1D diesel engines, weapons, radio stations, a noise direction finder, a gyrocompass... - there was not a single one in the boats designated “series IX-bis”. foreign made bolt!
The problems with the combat use of "Medium" type boats, in general, were similar to the K-type cruising boats - locked in mine-infested shallow water, they were never able to realize their high combat qualities. Things were much better in the Northern Fleet - during the war, the S-56 boat under the command of G.I. Shchedrina made the transition across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, moving from Vladivostok to Polyarny, subsequently becoming the most productive boat of the USSR Navy.
No less fantastic story connected with the “bomb catcher” S-101 - during the war years, the Germans and Allies dropped over 1000 depth charges on the boat, but each time the S-101 returned safely to Polyarny.
Finally, it was on the S-13 that Alexander Marinesko achieved his famous victories.
S-56 torpedo compartment
“Cruel alterations in which the ship found itself, bombings and explosions, depths far exceeding the official limit. The boat protected us from everything..."
- from the memoirs of G.I. Shchedrin
Gato type boats, USA
The number of submarines built is 77.
Surface displacement - 1525 tons; underwater - 2420 tons.
Crew - 60 people.
Working depth of immersion - 90 m.
Full surface speed - 21 knots; submerged - 9 knots.
Cruising range on the surface is 11,000 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 96 miles (2 knots).
Weapons:
— 10 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, ammunition — 24 torpedoes;
— 1 x 76 mm universal gun, 1 x 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun, 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon;
- one of the boats, USS Barb, was equipped with a multiple launch rocket system for shelling the coast.
Ocean-going submarine cruisers of the Getou class appeared at the height of the war in the Pacific Ocean and became one of the most effective tools of the US Navy. They tightly blocked all strategic straits and approaches to the atolls, cut all supply lines, leaving Japanese garrisons without reinforcements, and Japanese industry without raw materials and oil. In battles with the Gatow, the Imperial Navy lost two heavy aircraft carriers, lost four cruisers and a damn dozen destroyers.
High speed, lethal torpedo weapons, the most modern radio equipment for detecting the enemy - radar, direction finder, sonar. The cruising range allows for combat patrols off the coast of Japan when operating from a base in Hawaii. Increased comfort on board. But most importantly - excellent preparation crews and the weakness of Japanese anti-submarine weapons. As a result, the "Getow" mercilessly destroyed everything - it was they who brought victory in the Pacific Ocean from the blue depths of the sea.
...One of the main achievements of the Getow boats, which changed the whole world, is considered to be the event of September 2, 1944. On that day, the Finback submarine detected a distress signal from a falling plane and, after many hours of searching, found a frightened and already desperate pilot in the ocean . The one who was saved was one George Herbert Bush.
The cabin of the submarine "Flasher", memorial in Groton.
The Flasher trophy list sounds like a naval joke: 9 tankers, 10 transports, 2 patrol ship with a total tonnage of 100,231 GRT! And for a snack, the boat grabbed a Japanese cruiser and a destroyer. Lucky damn thing!
Electric robots type XXI, Germany
By April 1945, the Germans managed to launch 118 submarines of the XXI series. However, only two of them were able to achieve operational readiness and go to sea in last days war.
Surface displacement - 1620 tons; underwater - 1820 tons.
Crew - 57 people.
Working depth of immersion is 135 m, maximum depth is 200+ meters.
Full speed in the surface position is 15.6 knots, in the submerged position - 17 knots.
Cruising range on the surface is 15,500 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 340 miles (5 knots).
Weapons:
— 6 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, ammunition — 17 torpedoes;
— 2 Flak anti-aircraft guns of 20 mm caliber.
U-2540 "Wilhelm Bauer" permanently moored in Bremerhaven, present day
Our allies were very lucky that all German forces were thrown at Eastern front— the Krauts did not have enough resources to release a flock of fantastic “Electric Boats” into the sea. If they appeared a year earlier, that would be it! Another turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic.
The Germans were the first to guess: everything that shipbuilders in other countries are proud of - large ammunition, powerful artillery, high surface speed of 20+ knots - is of little importance. Key parameters, which determine the combat effectiveness of a submarine, are its speed and cruising range in a submerged position.
Unlike its peers, “Electrobot” was focused on being constantly under water: a maximally streamlined body without heavy artillery, fences and platforms - all for the sake of minimizing underwater resistance. Snorkel, six groups of batteries (3 times more than on conventional boats!), powerful electric. engines full speed, quiet and economical electric. "sneak" engines.
The stern of U-2511, sunk at a depth of 68 meters
The Germans calculated everything - the entire Elektrobot campaign moved at periscope depth under the RDP, remaining difficult to detect for enemy anti-submarine weapons. At great depths, its advantage became even more shocking: 2-3 times greater range, at twice the speed of any wartime submarine! High stealth and impressive underwater skills, homing torpedoes, a set of the most advanced detection means... “Electrobots” opened a new milestone in the history of the submarine fleet, defining the vector of development of submarines in the post-war years.
The Allies were not prepared to face such a threat - as post-war tests showed, the “Electrobots” were several times superior in mutual hydroacoustic detection range to the American and British destroyers guarding the convoys.
Type VII boats, Germany
The number of submarines built is 703.
Surface displacement - 769 tons; underwater - 871 tons.
Crew - 45 people.
Working depth of immersion - 100 m, maximum - 220 meters
Full surface speed - 17.7 knots; submerged - 7.6 knots.
Cruising range on the surface is 8,500 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 80 miles (4 knots).
Weapons:
— 5 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, ammunition — 14 torpedoes;
— 1 x 88 mm universal gun (until 1942), eight options for superstructures with 20 and 37 mm anti-aircraft guns.
* the given performance characteristics correspond to boats of the VIIC subseries
The most effective warships of all who have ever plowed the world's oceans.
A relatively simple, cheap, mass-produced, but at the same time well-armed and deadly weapon for total underwater terror.
703 submarines. 10 MILLION tons of sunk tonnage! Battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers, destroyers, corvettes and enemy submarines, oil tankers, transports with aircraft, tanks, cars, rubber, ore, machine tools, ammunition, uniforms and food... Damage from actions German submariners exceeded all reasonable limits - if not for the inexhaustible industrial potential of the United States, capable of compensating for any losses of the allies, German U-bots had every chance to “strangle” Great Britain and change the course of world history.
U-995. Graceful underwater killer
The successes of the Sevens are often associated with the “prosperous times” of 1939-41. — supposedly, when the Allies acquired the convoy system and Asdik sonars, the successes of the German submariners ended. A completely populist statement based on a misinterpretation of “prosperous times.”
The situation was simple: at the beginning of the war, when for every German boat there was one Allied anti-submarine ship, the “sevens” felt like invulnerable masters of the Atlantic. That's when they appeared legendary aces, which sank 40 enemy ships. The Germans already held victory in their hands when the Allies suddenly deployed 10 anti-submarine ships and 10 aircraft for each active Kriegsmarine boat!
Beginning in the spring of 1943, the Yankees and British began to methodically overwhelm the Kriegsmarine with anti-submarine equipment and soon achieved an excellent loss ratio of 1:1. They fought like that until the end of the war. The Germans ran out of ships faster than their opponents.
The whole history of the German “sevens” is a formidable warning from the past: what threat does the submarine pose and how high are the costs of creating effective system countering the underwater threat.
A funny American poster of those years. "Hit the weak points! Come serve in the submarine fleet - we account for 77% of the sunk tonnage!" Comments, as they say, are unnecessary
Armament
- 5 × 355 mm torpedo tubes
- 1 × 88 mm SK C/35 gun
- 1 × 20 mm C30 anti-aircraft gun
- 26 TMA or 39 TMB mines
Same type ships
24 Type VIIB submarines:
U-45 - U-55
U-73 - U-76
U-83 - U-87
U-99 - U-102
The German Type VIIB submarine U-48 is the most productive Kriegsmarine submarine in World War II. Manufactured at the Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel in 1939, she completed 12 military campaigns, sinking 55 Allied ships with a total displacement of 321,000 tons. In 1941, U-48 was transferred to a training flotilla, where it served until the end of the war. She was scuttled by her crew on May 3, 1945 near Neustadt.
History of creation
Prerequisites for creation
The results of the First World War showed the offensive power of the submarine fleet, which practically “strangled” Great Britain with a naval blockade. Due to attacks by German submarines, the Entente lost 12 million tons of its fleet, not counting 153 warships. Therefore, the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty prohibited the development and construction of submarines in Germany. This circumstance forced the Reichsmarine to look for workarounds to revive its submarine fleet. German shipbuilding companies began to create overseas design bureaus, in which projects of new submarines were developed. To implement the ideas being developed, orders were needed, for which the bureaus agreed to set more attractive prices than their competitors. The losses were compensated by the finances of the Reichsmarine. One of the most valuable orders was from Finland, for which they built the small boat Vesikko and the medium Vetehinen, which became the prototype for submarines of the II and VII series.
Design
Description of design
Frame
The submarine U-48, like all boats of the VII series, had a one-and-a-half hull (the light hull was not located along the entire contour of the durable hull). The robust hull was a cylinder with a diameter of 4.7 m in the area of the central post, tapering towards the bow and stern. Also, from the center to the extremities, the thickness of the sheet of the durable body changed (18.5 and 16.0 mm, respectively). The design was designed for operating immersion up to 100-120 m, and it must be taken into account that the safety margin adopted for submarines in the German fleet was a factor of 2.3. In practice, Series VII boats dived to depths of up to 250 m.
The following were welded to the strong hull: bow and stern ends, side bulges, surge tanks, as well as a deck superstructure with a wheelhouse fencing. The space between the strong and light hulls was freely floodable. A ventilation system pipeline was laid under the deck superstructure, storage for the first shots for the deck gun and anti-aircraft gun, a lifeboat, spare torpedoes for the bow apparatus, as well as compressed air cylinders were equipped.
The interior of the boat was divided into six compartments that had different purposes. The compartments were separated from each other by light bulkheads designed for the surface position of the submarine in the event of an accident. The exception was the central post, which also served as a rescue compartment. Its bulkheads were made concave and designed for a pressure of 10 atmospheres. The compartments were numbered from stern to bow to clearly determine the location of various mechanisms and equipment relative to the sides of the ship.
| N | Purpose of the compartment | Equipment, devices, mechanisms |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stern torpedo and electric motors |
|
| 2 | Diesel |
|
| 3 | Stern residential (“Potsdamer Platz”) |
|
| 4 | Central post and conning tower |
|
| 5 | Bow living compartment |
|
| 6 | Bow torpedo compartment |
|
Directly on the bridge there were periscope guides and a stand for the optical fire control device (UZO), used when attacking from the surface, the main compass binnacle and the hatch leading down to the conning tower. On the wall of the cabin on the starboard side there was a slot for a retractable radio direction finder antenna. The rear part of the bridge was open and overlooked the aft platform, which had a fence in the form of handrails.
Power plant and driving performance
The U-48's power plant consisted of two types of engines: diesel engines for surface navigation and electric motors for submerged navigation.
Two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines of the F46 brand from Germaniawerft developed a power of 2800 hp, which made it possible to sail on the surface with a maximum speed of 17.9 knots. When pursuing a convoy, both diesel and electric motors were often used simultaneously, which gave an additional 0.5 knots of speed. The maximum fuel supply was 113.5 tons and provided a 10-knot cruising range of up to 9,700 miles. For fuel combustion, air was supplied to the diesel engines through a pipeline laid to the wheelhouse fence between a strong and light hull, and to remove exhaust gases, each diesel engine was equipped with exhaust pipes.
Underwater propulsion was provided by two AEG GU 460/8-276 electric motors with a total power of 750 hp. The engines were powered by a 27-MAK 800W battery, consisting of 124 cells. The maximum speed under water was 8 knots, the range in the submerged position was 90 miles at 4 knots and 130 miles at 2 knots. The battery was charged from running diesel engines, so the boat had to be on the surface.
The U-48 was submerged by filling ballast tanks with water, and ascent was accomplished by blowing them with compressed air and diesel exhaust gases. The urgent submersion time of the boat was 25-27 seconds with coordinated work of the crew.
Crew and habitability
The U-48 crew consisted of 44 people: 4 officers, 4 petty officers, 36 non-commissioned officers and sailors.
The officer corps included a boat commander, two watch commanders and a chief engineer. The first watch commander performed the functions of the first mate and replaced the commander in the event of his death or injury. In addition, he was responsible for the operation of all combat systems of the submarine and supervised torpedo firing on the surface. The second watch commander was responsible for the lookouts on the bridge and controlled artillery and anti-aircraft fire. He was also responsible for the work of radio operators. The chief mechanic was responsible for controlling the movement of the submarine and the operation of all its non-combat mechanisms. In addition, he was responsible for installing demolition charges when the boat was flooded.
Four foremen performed the functions of navigator, boatswain, diesel operator and electric motor control.
The personnel of non-commissioned officers and sailors were divided into teams according to various specializations: helmsmen, torpedo operators, engine crew, radio operators, acousticians, etc.
The habitability of the U-48, as well as all VII series submarines, was one of the worst compared to submarines of other navies. The internal structure was aimed at maximizing the use of the boat's tonnage for its combat use. In particular, the number of beds barely exceeded half the number of the crew, one of the two available latrines was almost always used as a food storage, the captain's cabin was a corner separated from the passage by an ordinary screen.
It is characteristic that the aft living compartment, where the non-commissioned officers were located, was nicknamed “Potsdamer Platz” because of the constant noise from working diesel engines, conversations and commands at the central post and the running of the crew.
Armament
Mine and torpedo weapons
The U-48's main weapon was torpedoes. The boat was equipped with 4 bow and 1 stern 533-mm torpedo tubes. The supply of torpedoes was 14: 5 in the tubes, 6 in the bow torpedo compartment, 1 in the aft torpedo compartment and 2 outside the pressure hull in special containers. The TA was fired not with compressed air, but with the help of a pneumatic piston, which did not unmask the boat when launching torpedoes.
The U-48 used two types of torpedoes: the steam-gas G7a and the electric G7e. Both torpedoes carried the same warhead weighing 280 kg. The fundamental difference was in the engine. The steam-gas torpedo was driven by compressed air and left a clearly visible bubble trail on the surface. The electric torpedo was driven by a battery and was free of this drawback. In turn, the steam-gas torpedo had better dynamic characteristics. Its maximum range was 5500, 7500 and 12500 m at 44, 40 and 30 knots, respectively. The range of the G7e model was only 5000 m at 30 knots.
Torpedo firing was carried out using a TorpedoVorhalterechner calculating device (SRP) installed in the conning tower. The commander and boatswain entered into the SRP a number of data about the boat and the target being attacked, and within a few seconds the device generated settings for a torpedo shot and transmitted them to the compartments. The torpedo operators entered data into the torpedo, after which the commander fired. In the event of an attack from the surface, a pedestal of surface sighting optics UZO (UberwasserZielOptik) mounted on the bridge of the boat was also used.
The design of the torpedo tubes made it possible to use them for mine laying. The boat could take on board two types of proximity mines: 24 TMC or 36 TMB.
Auxiliary/anti-aircraft artillery
The U-48's artillery armament consisted of an 88 mm SK C35/L45 gun mounted on the deck in front of the wheelhouse fence. First-feed shells were stored under the deck deck; the main ammunition was located in the forward living compartment. The gun's ammunition capacity was 220 shells.
To protect against aircraft, a 20-mm Flak30 anti-aircraft gun was installed on the upper platform of the wheelhouse fence.
Communications, detection, auxiliary equipment
Zeiss binoculars with multiple magnification were used as observation tools on the U-48 when the boat was on the surface or in a positional position. The watch officer's binoculars were also used as part of the UZO during a surface torpedo attack. In a submerged position, commander or anti-aircraft periscopes were used.
To communicate with headquarters and other submarines, radio equipment operating on short, medium and ultra-long waves was used. The main one was shortwave communication, which was provided by the E-437-S receiver, two transmitters, as well as a retractable antenna in the left wing of the bridge fence. The medium-wave equipment intended for communication between boats consisted of an E-381-S receiver, a Spez-2113-S transmitter and a small retractable antenna with a round vibrator in the right wing of the bridge fence. The same antenna played the role of a direction finder.
In addition to optics, the submarine used acoustic equipment and radar to detect the enemy. Noise direction finding was provided by 11 hydrophones installed in the bow of the light hull. Radar reconnaissance was carried out using FuMO 29. The detection range of a large ship was 6-8 km, an aircraft - 15 km, direction determination accuracy - 5°.
The acoustician and radio operator posts were located next to the captain’s “cabin” so that the commander could be the first to receive information about the changed situation at any time.
Service history
Death
Commanders
- 22 April 1939 - 20 May 1940 Lieutenant Commander Herbert Schultze (Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves)
- 21 May 1940 - 3 September 1940 Korvetten-Kaptain Hans Rudolf Rösing (Knight's Cross)
- 4 September 1940 - 16 December 1940 Lieutenant Commander Heinrich Bleichrodt (Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves)
- 17 December 1940 - 27 July 1941 Lieutenant Commander Herbert Schultze (Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves)
- August, 1941 - September, 1942 Oberleutnant zur See Siegfried Atzinger
- 26 September 1942 - October 1943 Oberleutnant zur See Diether Todenhagen
see also
Awards
Notes
Literature and sources of information
Image gallery
Kriegsmarine
| Commanders | Erich Raeder Karl Dönitz Hans Georg von Friedeburg Walter Warzecha |
| Main forces of the fleet | |
| Battleships | Germany type: Schlesien Schleswig-Holstein Scharnhorst type: Scharnhorst Gneisenau Bismarck type: Bismarck Tirpitz Type H: - Type O: - |
| Aircraft carriers | Graf Zeppelin type: Graf Zeppelin Flugzeugträger B |
| Escort carriers | Jade type: Jade Elbe Hilfsflugzeugträger I Hilfsflugzeugträger II Weser |
| Heavy cruisers | Germany type: Germany Admiral Graf Spee Admiral Scheer Admiral Hipper type: Admiral Hipper Blucher Prinz Eugen Seydlitz Lützow Type D: - Type P: - |
| Light cruisers | Emden Königsberg type: Königsberg Karlsruhe Köln Leipzig type: Leipzig Nürnberg Type M: - Type SP: - |
| Additional fleet forces | |
| Auxiliary cruisers | Orion Atlantis Widder Thor Pinguin Stier Komet Kormoran Michel Coronel Hansa |
| Destroyers | Type 1934: Z-1 Leberecht Maass Z-2 Georg Thiele Z-3 Max Schulz Z-4 Richard Beitzen Type 1934A: Z-5 Paul Jacobi Z-6 Theodor Riedel Z-7 Hermann Schoemann Z-8 Bruno Heinemann Z-9 Wolfgang Zenker Z-10 Hans Lody Z-11 Bernd von Arnim Z-12 Erich Giese Z-13 Erich Koellner Z-15 Erich Steinbrinck Z-16 Friedrich Eckoldt Type 1936: Z-17 Diether von Roeder Z-18 Hans Lüdemann Z-19 Hermann Künne Z-20 Karl Galster Z-21 Wilhelm Heidkamp Z-22 Anton Schmitt Type 1936A: Z-23 Z-24 Z-25 Z-26 Z-27 Z-28 Z-29 Z-30 |
Large submarines of the 1st series “U-25” and “U-26” were built at the Deschimag shipyard and commissioned in 1936. Both boats were lost in 1940. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 862 tons, underwater - 983 t.; length – 72.4 m, width – 6.2 m; height – 9.2 m; draft – 4.3 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 3.1/1 thousand hp; speed - 18.6 knots; fuel reserve - 96 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 7.9 thousand miles; crew - 43 people. Armament: 1x1 - 105 mm gun; 1x1 – 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; 4-6– 533 mm torpedo tubes; 14 torpedoes or 42 mines.
The series of large ocean-going submarines of the IX-A type consisted of 8 units (U-37 - U-44), built at the Deschimag shipyard and commissioned in 1938-1939. All boats were lost during the war. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 1 thousand tons, underwater displacement - 1.2 thousand tons; length – 76.5 m, width – 6.5 m; draft – 4.7 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 4.4/1 thousand hp; speed – 18 knots; fuel reserve - 154 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 10.5 thousand miles; crew - 48 people. Armament: 1x1 - 105 mm gun, 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; 6 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 22 torpedoes or 66 min.
The series of large ocean-going submarines of the "IX-B" type consisted of 14 units ("U-64" - "U-65", "U-103" - "U-124"), built at the Deschimag shipyard and accepted into service. construction in 1939-1940 All boats were lost during the war. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 1.1 thousand tons, underwater displacement - 1.2 thousand tons; length – 76.5 m, width – 6.8 m; draft – 4.7 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 4.4/1 thousand hp; speed – 18 knots; fuel reserve – 165 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 12 thousand miles; crew - 48 people. Armament: 1x1 - 105 mm gun, 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; 6 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 22 torpedoes or 66 min.
The series of medium-sized submarines of the "IX-C" type consisted of 54 units ("U-66" - "U-68", "U-125" - "U-131", "U-153" - "U-166" , “U-171” - “U-176”, “U-501” - “U-524”), built at the Deschimag shipyard and commissioned in 1941-1942. 48 boats were lost during the war, 3 were sunk by their crews, the rest capitulated. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 1.1 thousand tons, underwater displacement - 1.2 thousand tons; length – 76.8 m, width – 6.8 m; draft – 4.7 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 4.4/1 thousand hp; speed – 18 knots; fuel reserve - 208 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 13.5 thousand miles; crew - 48 people. Armament: before 1944, 1x1 - 105 mm, 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; after 1944 - 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x4 or 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 6 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 22 torpedoes or 66 min.
The series of medium submarines of the IX-C/40 type consisted of 87 units (“U-167” - “U-170”, “U-183” - “U-194”, “U-525” - “U- 550", "U-801" - "U-806", "U-841" - "U-846", "U-853" - "U-858", "U-865" - "U-870" , “U-881” - “U-887”, “U-889”, “U-1221” - “U-1235”), built at the Deschimag and Deutsche Werft shipyards and commissioned in 1942- 1944 During the war, 64 boats were lost, 3 were sunk by their crews, 17 capitulated, the rest were damaged and were not repaired. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 1.1 thousand tons, underwater displacement - 1.3 thousand tons; length – 76.8 m, width – 6.9 m; draft – 4.7 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 4.4/1 thousand hp; speed – 18 knots; fuel reserve - 214 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 13.9 thousand miles; crew - 48 people. Armament: 1x1 - 105 mm gun, 1x1 - 37 mm and 2x1 and 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; 6 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 22 torpedoes or 66 min.
The medium submarines “U-180” and “U-195” belonged to the “IX-D” type - high-speed submarines. They were built at the Deschimag shipyard and commissioned in 1942. Since 1944, the boats have been converted into underwater transports. They transported 252 tons of diesel fuel. The U-180 boat was lost in 1944, and the U-195 was captured by Japanese troops in 1945 and served under the designation I-506. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 1.6 thousand tons, underwater displacement - 1.8 thousand tons; length – 87.6 m, height – 10.2 m; width – 7.5 m; draft - 5.4 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 6 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 9/1.1 thousand hp; speed - 21 knots; fuel reserve - 390 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 9.5 thousand miles; crew - 57 people. Armament before 1944: 1x1 - 105 mm gun, 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; 6 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 24 torpedoes or 72 minutes; after 1944 - 1x1 - 37 mm and 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns.
The series of medium-sized submarines of the IXD-2 type consisted of 28 units (“U-177” - “U-179”, “U-181” - “U-182”, “U-196” - “U-200” , "U-847" - "U-852", "U-859" - "U-864", "U-871" - "U-876"), built at the Deschimag shipyard and commissioned in 1942 -1943 The boats were intended for operation in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean. 21 boats were lost during the war, 1 was sunk by the crews, 7 capitulated. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 1.6 thousand tons, underwater displacement - 1.8 thousand tons; length – 87.6 m, width – 7.5 m; draft - 5.4 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 main diesel engines, 2 auxiliary diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 4.4+1.2/1 thousand hp; speed - 19 knots; fuel reserve - 390 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 31.5 thousand miles; crew - 57 people. Armament: 1x1 - 37 mm and 2x1 and 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; 6 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 24 torpedoes or 72 mines. In 1943-1944, some boats were equipped with a towed FA-330 gyroplane.
Of the series of large submarines of the IX-D/42 type, only one submarine, U-883, was built at the Deschimag shipyard and commissioned in 1945. In the same year, the boat capitulated. During the construction process, it was repurposed for transport. The boat carried 252 tons of diesel fuel. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 1.6 thousand tons, underwater displacement - 1.8 thousand tons; length – 87.6 m, width – 7.5 m; draft - 5.4 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 main diesel engines, 2 auxiliary diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 4.4+1.2/1 thousand hp; speed - 19 knots; fuel reserve - 390 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 31.5 thousand miles; crew - 57 people. Armament: 1x1 - 37 mm and 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 2 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 5 torpedoes.
The series of large submarines of type "XXI" consisted of 125 units ("U-2501" - "U-2531", "U-2533" - "U-2548", "U-2551", "U-2552", " U-3001" - "U-3044", "U-3047", "U-3501" - "U-3530") built at the shipyards "Blohm & Voss", "Deschimag" and commissioned in 1944-1945 . During the war, 21 boats were lost, 88 were sunk by their crews, and the rest capitulated to the Allies. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 1.6 thousand tons, underwater displacement - 1.8 thousand tons; length – 76.7 m, width – 8 m; draft – 6.3 m; diving depth – 135 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines, 2 main electric motors and 2 silent electric motors; power – 4/4.4 thousand hp + 226 hp; fuel reserve - 253 tons of diesel fuel; speed - 15.6 knots; cruising range - 15.5 thousand miles; crew - 57 people. Armament: 2x2 – 20 mm or 30 mm anti-aircraft gun; 6 - 533 mm torpedo tubes; 23 torpedoes or 29 min.
The series of medium submarines of the "VII-A" type consisted of 10 units ("U-27" - "U-36"), built at the Deschimag and Germaniawerf shipyards and commissioned in 1936. During the war, 7 boats were killed, 2 were sunk by their crews, 1 capitulated. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement – 626 tons, underwater displacement – 915 tons; length – 64.5 m, width – 5.9 m; draft - 4.4 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 2.1-2.3/0.8 thousand hp; speed - 17 knots; fuel reserve - 67 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 6.2 thousand miles; crew - 44 people. Armament: before 1942, 1x1 - 88 mm gun and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; after 1942 - 1x2 and 2x1-20 mm or 37 mm anti-aircraft guns; 5 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 11 torpedoes or 24-36 mines.
The series of medium submarines of the "VII-B" type consisted of 24 units ("U45" - "U55", "U73 - U76", "U-83" - "U-87", "U-99" - "U- 102"), built at the shipyards "Vulcan", "Flenderwerft", "Germaniawerf" and commissioned in 1938-1941. During the war, 22 boats were lost, 2 were sunk by their crews. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement – 0.8 thousand tons, underwater – 1 thousand tons; length – 66.5 m, width – 6.2 m; draft – 4.7 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 2.8-3.2/0.8 thousand hp; speed – 17-18 knots; fuel reserve - 100 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 8.7 thousand miles; crew - 44 people. Armament: before 1942 - 1x1 - 88 mm gun and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; after 1942 - 1x2 and 2x1-20 mm and 1x1 - 37 mm anti-aircraft guns; 5 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 6 torpedoes or 24-36 mines.
The series of medium submarines of the "VII-C" type consisted of 663 units (the designation was within the framework of "U-69" - "U-1310") and was built in 1940-1945. at the shipyards "Neptun Werft", "Deschimag", "Germaniawerft", "Flender Werke", "Danziger Werft", "Blohm + Voss", "Kriegsmarinewerft", "Nordseewerke", "F. Schichau, Howaldtswerke AG. There are two known modifications of the boat: “VIIC/41” and “U-Flak”. Type "VIIC/41" had an increased body thickness from 18 to 21.5 mm. This made it possible to increase the working depth of immersion from 100 to 120 meters, and the calculated depth of destruction of the hull - from 250 to almost 300 meters. A total of 91 boats were built (“U-292” - “U-300”, “U-317” - “U-328”, “U-410”, “U-455”, “U-827”, “U” -828", "U-929", "U-930", "U-995", "U-997" - "U-1010", "U-1013" - "U-1025", "U-1063" " - "U-1065", "U-1103" - "U-1110", "U-1163" - "U-1172", "U-1271" - "U-1279", "U-1301" - "U-1308"). One of the modifications of the "VII-C" type were air defense boats, which were designated as "U-Flak". 4 boats were converted: “U-441”, “U-256”, “U-621” and “U-951”. The modernization consisted of installing a new wheelhouse with two quad 20 mm and one 37 mm anti-aircraft guns. All boats were returned to their original condition by 1944. In 1944-1945 many boats were equipped with a snorkel. The boats "U-72", "U-78", "U-80", "U-554" and "U-555" have only two bow torpedo tubes, and "U-203", "U-331", " U-35", "U-401", "U-431" and "U-651" did not have feed apparatus. During the war, 478 boats were lost, 12 were damaged and were not repaired; 114 – sunk by crews; 11 boats were transferred to Italy in 1943, the remaining boats capitulated in 1945 and almost all were sunk at the end of the year. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement – 0.8 thousand tons, underwater – 1.1 thousand tons; length – 67.1 m, width – 6.2 m; draft - 4.7 - 4.8 m; immersion depth – 100 – 120 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 2.8-3.2/0.8 thousand hp; speed - 17 - 18 knots; fuel reserve - 114 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 8.5 thousand miles; crew - 44 - 56 people. Armament: before 1942 - 1x1 - 88 mm gun and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; after 1942 - 1x2 and 2x1-20 mm and 1x1 - 37 mm anti-aircraft guns; 5 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 6 torpedoes or 14-36 mines.
The series of underwater minelayers of the “X-B” type consisted of 8 units (“U-116” – “U-119”, “U-219”, “U-220”, U-233”, U-234”), built at the Germaniawerf shipyard and commissioned in 1941-1944. To place the mines, 30 vertical pipes were provided. Boats were mostly used as transport. The U-219 and U-234 boats capitulated in 1945, the rest were lost in 1942–1944. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement – 1.7 thousand tons, underwater – 2.2 thousand tons; length – 89.8 m, width – 9.2 m; draft – 4.7 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 4.2-4.8/1.1 thousand hp; speed - 16 - 17 knots; fuel reserve – 338 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 18.5 thousand miles; crew - 52 people. Armament: 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 or 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; 2 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 15 torpedoes; 66 min.
The series of underwater minelayers of the "VII-D" type consisted of 6 units ("U-213" - "U-218"), built at the Germaniawerf shipyard and put into operation in 1941-1942. The U-218 boat capitulated in 1945, the rest were lost in 1942–1944. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 1 thousand tons, underwater displacement - 1.1 thousand tons; length – 77 m, width – 6.4 m; draft – 5 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 2.8-3.2/0.8 thousand hp; speed - 17 knots; fuel reserve - 155 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 11.2 thousand miles; crew - 46 people. Armament: 1x1 – 88 mm gun; 1x1 - 37 mm and 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 5 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 26 - 39 min.
The series of transport submarines of the "VII-F" type consisted of 4 units ("U-1059" - "U-1062"), built at the Germaniawerf shipyard and commissioned in 1943. The boats were intended to transport 26 torpedoes and transfer them at sea to other submarines. However, the submarines were not used for their intended purpose, but served to transport goods. The U-1061 boat capitulated in 1945, the rest died in 1944. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 1.1 thousand tons, underwater - 1.2 thousand tons; length – 77.6 m, width – 7.3 m; draft - 4.9 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 2.8-3.2/0.8 thousand hp; speed - 17 knots; fuel reserve - 198 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 14.7 thousand miles; crew - 46 people. Armament: 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; 5 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 14 torpedoes or 36 min.
The XIV type transport submarine series consisted of 10 units (“U-459” - “U-464”, “U-487” - “U-490”), built at the Deutsche Werke shipyard and commissioned in 1941-1943 The boats carried 423 tons of diesel fuel and 4 torpedoes. All boats were lost in 1942–1944. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement – 1.7 thousand tons, underwater – 1.9 thousand tons; length – 67.1 m, width – 9.4 m; draft – 6.5 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 3.2/0.8 thousand hp; speed – 15 knots; fuel reserve - 203 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 12.4 thousand miles; crew - 53 people. Armament: 2x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun or 1x1 - 37 mm and 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun.
The boat "Batiray" was built at the Germaniawerft shipyard by order of Turkey, but was requisitioned by German troops and in 1939 was accepted into the Navy under the designation "UA". The submarine was lost in 1945. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 1.1 thousand tons, underwater - 1.4 thousand tons; length – 86.7 m, width – 6.8 m; draft – 4.1 m; immersion depth – 100 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 4.6/1.3 thousand hp; speed – 18 knots; fuel reserve – 250 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 13.1 thousand miles; crew - 45 people. Armament: 1x1 - 105 mm guns; 2x1-20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 6 – 533 mm torpedo tubes; 12 torpedoes or 36 min.
A series of small (coastal) submarines of type “II-A” consisted of 6 units (“U-1” - “U-6”), built at the Deutsche Werke shipyard and commissioned in 1935. In 1938-1939 . the boats were re-equipped. The boats "U-1" and "U-2" were lost in 1940 and 1944, "U-3", "U-4" and "U6" were sunk by their crews in 1944, and "U-5" - capitulated in 1943. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement - 254 tons, underwater - 303 tons; length – 40.9 m, width – 4.1 m; draft – 3.8 m; immersion depth – 80 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 700/360 hp; fuel reserve - 12 tons of diesel fuel; speed – 13 knots; cruising range - 1.6 thousand miles; crew - 22 people. Armament: 1x1 – 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; 3 - 533 mm torpedo tubes; 5 torpedoes or 18 min.
The series of small (coastal) submarines of type "II-B" consisted of 20 units ("U-7" - "U-24", "U-120", "U-121") built at the Germaniawerft shipyards, " Deutsche Werke", "Flenderwerft" and the system adopted in 1935-1940. During the war, 7 boats were lost, the rest were sunk by their crews. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement – 279 tons, underwater displacement – 328 tons; length – 42.7 m, width – 4.1 m; draft - 3.9 m; immersion depth – 80 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 700/360 hp; fuel reserve - 21 tons of diesel fuel; speed – 13 knots; cruising range - 3.1 thousand miles; crew - 22 people. Armament: 1x1 – 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; 3 - 533 mm torpedo tubes; 5 torpedoes or 18 min.
The series of small (coastal) submarines of type "II-C" consisted of 8 units ("U-56" - "U-63") built at the Deutsche Werke shipyard and commissioned in 1938-1940. During the war, 2 boats were lost, the rest were sunk by the crews.
The series of small (coastal) submarines of the II-D type consisted of 16 units (U-137 - U-152) built at the Deutsche Werke shipyard and commissioned in 1940-1941. During the war, 3 boats were lost, 4 capitulated in 1945, the rest were sunk by their crews. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement – 314 tons, underwater displacement – 364 tons; length – 44 m, width – 4.9 m; draft - 3.9 m; immersion depth – 80 m; power plants – 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power – 700/410 hp; fuel reserve - 38 tons of diesel fuel; speed - 12.7 knots; cruising range - 5.6 thousand miles; crew - 22 people. Armament: 1x1 – 20 mm anti-aircraft gun; 3 - 533 mm torpedo tubes; 5 torpedoes or 18 min.
The series of small submarines of the XXIII type consisted of 60 units (U-2321 - U-2371, U-4701-U-4712), built at the Deutsche Werft, Germaniawerft shipyards and commissioned in 1944 -1945 During the war, 7 boats were lost, 32 were sunk by their crews, and the rest surrendered to the allies. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement – 234 tons, underwater displacement – 258 tons; length – 34.7 m, width – 3 m; draft – 3.7 m; immersion depth – 80 m; power plants – diesel engine and electric motor; power – 580-630/35 hp; fuel reserve - 20 tons of diesel fuel; speed – 10 knots; cruising range - 4.5 thousand miles; crew - 14 people. Armament: 2 - 533 mm torpedo tubes; 2 torpedoes.
In 1944, at the Deschimag A.G. shipyard. Weser built 324 Biber-class midget submarines. The British boat Welman was taken as the basis for the design. Performance characteristics of the boat: full underwater displacement – 6.5 tons; length – 9 m, width – 1.6 m; draft – 1.4 m; immersion depth – 20 m; power plants – gasoline engine and electric motor; power – 32/13 hp; speed – 6.5 knots; fuel reserve – 110 kg; cruising range - 100 miles; crew – 1 person. Armament: 2 - 533 mm torpedoes or mines.
The series of ultra-small submarines of the Hecht type consisted of 53 units: U-2111 - U-2113, U-2251 - U-2300. The boats were built at the Germaniawerft and CRDA shipyards in 1944 based on the captured British midget submarine Welman. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement – 11.8 tons, underwater displacement – 17.2 tons; length – 10.5 m, width – 1.3 m; draft – 1.4 m; immersion depth – 50 m; power plants - electric motor; power – 12 hp; speed – 6 knots; cruising range - 78 miles; crew – 2 people. Armament: 533 mm torpedo or mine.
In 1944-1945 At the Deschimag and AG Weser shipyards, 390 single-seater boats were built, representing an enlarged electric torpedo. Boat performance characteristics: surface displacement standard underwater – 11 tons; length – 10.8 m, width – 1.8 m; draft – 1.8 m; immersion depth – 30 m; power plants - electric motor; power – 14 hp; speed – 5 knots; cruising range - 60 miles; crew – 1 person. Armament: 2 – 533 mm torpedoes.
In 1944-1945 At the shipyards Howaldtswerke, Germaniawerft, Schichau, Klöckner and CRDA, 285 midget submarines of the Seehund type (XXVII-B) were assembled, of which 137 units (U-5001 - U- 5003", "U-5004" - "U-5118", "U-5221" - "U-5269") was adopted for service. The boats were equipped with a diesel automobile engine for surface travel. They were assembled at shipyards from three ready-made sections. During the war, 35 boats were lost. Performance characteristics of the boat: total surface displacement – 14.9 tons, underwater displacement – 17 tons; length – 12 m, width – 1.7 m; draft – 1.5 m; immersion depth – 50 m; power plants - diesel engine and electric motor; power – 60/25 hp; speed - 7.7 knots; fuel reserve - 0.5 tons of diesel fuel; cruising range - 300 miles; crew – 2 people. Armament: 2 – 533 mm torpedoes.
The outcome of any war depends on many factors, among which, of course, weapons are of considerable importance. Despite the fact that absolutely all German weapons were very powerful, since Adolf Hitler personally considered them the most important weapon and paid considerable attention to the development of this industry, they failed to inflict damage on their opponents that would significantly influence the course of the war. Why did it happen? Who is at the origins of the creation of a submarine army? Were the German submarines of World War II really that invincible? Why were such prudent Nazis unable to defeat the Red Army? You will find the answer to these and other questions in the review.
general information
Collectively, all equipment in service with the Third Reich during World War II was called the Kriegsmarine, and submarines made up a significant part of the arsenal. Underwater equipment became a separate industry on November 1, 1934, and the fleet was disbanded after the war ended, i.e., having existed for less than a dozen years. In such a short period of time, the German submarines of World War II brought a lot of fear into the souls of their opponents, leaving their huge mark on bloody pages history of the Third Reich. Thousands of dead, hundreds of sunk ships, all this remained on the conscience of the surviving Nazis and their subordinates.
Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine
During World War II, one of the most famous Nazis, Karl Doenitz, was at the helm of the Kriegsmarine. The Germans certainly played a role in World War II important role, but without this person this would not have happened. He was personally involved in creating plans to attack opponents, participated in attacks on many ships and achieved success in this path, for which he was awarded one of the most significant awards Nazi Germany. Doenitz was an admirer of Hitler and was his successor, which did a lot of harm to him during Nuremberg trials, because after the death of the Fuhrer he was considered the commander-in-chief of the Third Reich.
Specifications
It is easy to guess that Karl Doenitz was responsible for the condition of the submarine army. German submarines in World War II, photos of which prove their power, had impressive parameters.
In general, the Kriegsmarine was armed with 21 types of submarines. They had the following characteristics:
- displacement: from 275 to 2710 tons;
- surface speed: from 9.7 to 19.2 knots;
- underwater speed: from 6.9 to 17.2;
- diving depth: from 150 to 280 meters.
This proves that the German submarines of World War II were not just powerful, they were the most powerful among the weapons of the countries that fought with Germany.
Composition of the Kriegsmarine
The warships of the German fleet included 1,154 submarines. It is noteworthy that until September 1939 there were only 57 submarines, the rest were built specifically to participate in the war. Some of them were trophies. Thus, there were 5 Dutch, 4 Italian, 2 Norwegian and one English and French submarines. All of them were also in service with the Third Reich.
Achievements of the Navy
The Kriegsmarine inflicted considerable damage on its opponents throughout the war. For example, the most effective captain Otto Kretschmer sank almost fifty enemy ships. There are also record holders among ships. For example, the German submarine U-48 sank 52 ships.
Throughout World War II, 63 destroyers, 9 cruisers, 7 aircraft carriers and even 2 battleships were destroyed. The largest and most notable victory for the German army among them can be considered the sinking of the battleship Royal Oak, whose crew consisted of a thousand people and its displacement was 31,200 tons.
Plan Z
Since Hitler considered his fleet extremely important for the triumph of Germany over other countries and felt exclusively for it positive feelings, then he paid considerable attention to it and did not limit funding. In 1939, a plan was developed for the development of the Kriegsmarine for the next 10 years, which, fortunately, never came to fruition. According to this plan, several hundred more of the most powerful battleships, cruisers and submarines were to be built.
Powerful German submarines of World War II
Photos of some surviving German submarine technology give an idea of the power of the Third Reich, but only weakly reflect how strong this army was. The majority of the German fleet consisted of Type VII submarines; they had optimal seaworthiness, were of medium size, and most importantly, their construction was relatively inexpensive, which is important in
They could dive to a depth of 320 meters with a displacement of up to 769 tons, the crew ranged from 42 to 52 employees. Despite the fact that the “sevens” were quite high-quality boats, over time, Germany’s enemy countries improved their weapons, so the Germans also had to work on modernizing their brainchild. As a result of this, the boat received several more modifications. The most popular of these was the VIIC model, which not only became the personification of Germany's military power during the attack on the Atlantic, but was also much more convenient than previous versions. The impressive dimensions made it possible to install more powerful diesel engines, and subsequent modifications also featured durable hulls, which made it possible to dive deeper.
German submarines of the Second World War were subject to constant, as they would say now, upgrades. One of the most innovative models is considered to be type XXI. This submarine had an air conditioning system and optional equipment, which was intended for a longer stay of the team under water. A total of 118 boats of this type were built.
Kriegsmarine performance results
German submarines of the Second World War, photos of which can often be found in books about military equipment, played a very important role in the offensive of the Third Reich. Their power cannot be underestimated, but it is worth considering that even with such patronage from the bloodiest Fuhrer in world history, the German fleet did not manage to bring its power closer to victory. Probably, it is not enough just to have good equipment and strong army, for Germany’s victory, the ingenuity and courage that the brave soldiers of the Soviet Union possessed was not enough. Everyone knows that the Nazis were incredibly bloodthirsty and did not disdain much on their way, but neither an incredibly equipped army nor a lack of principles helped them. Armored vehicles, a huge amount of ammunition and the latest developments did not bring the expected results to the Third Reich.