German submarines of the XXI series, without exaggeration, are the best ships of this class in the world of that era.
German submarines of the XXI series, without exaggeration, are the best ships of this class in the world of that era. In all the leading naval powers, they became a role model. What was revolutionary about them? The creation of submarines of the XXI series began in 1943. Then the tactics of "wolf packs", based on group night attacks of submarines that operated from the surface, ceased to bring results. Boats chasing convoys on the surface were detected by radar and subjected to preemptive counterattacks. Submarines, forced to operate from a surface position, as they were inferior to convoys in speed and had a limited supply of energy resources, were doomed to lose.
The device of the XXI series submarine:
a - longitudinal section; b - location of propulsion motors; c - deck plan.
1 - vertical steering wheel; 2 - fairing hydroacoustic station (GAS) "Sp-Anlage"; 3 - life raft containers; 4 - creeping electric motor; 5 - device for diesel operation under water ("snorkel"); 6 - diesel; 7 - living quarters; 8 - air supply shaft for diesel engines; 9 - fenders of the first shots; 10 - 20-mm artillery mount; 11 - gas exhaust shaft; 12 - retractable radio antenna mast; 13 - radar station antenna; 14.15 - commander's and navigational periscopes; 16 - fairing GAS "S-Basis"; 17 - torpedo loading hatch; 18 - spare torpedo; 19 - torpedo tube; 20 - fairing GAS "GHG-Anlage"; 21 - battery pits; 22 - propeller shaft gearbox; 23 - rowing motor; 24 - cabin hydroacoustics; 25 - radio room; 26 - central post; 27 - stabilizer; 28 - stern horizontal rudders
The solution to the problem lay in a radical improvement in the quality of the submarine, and precisely the quality of the submarine. And this could only be ensured by the creation of a powerful power plant and high-capacity energy sources that do not require atmospheric air. However, work on new gas turbine engines was slow, and then they made a compromise decision - to create a diesel-electric submarine, but focusing all efforts primarily on achieving the best performance of diving elements.
A feature of the new boat was the use of powerful electric motors (5 times more than the previous large submarines of the IX series, which had the same displacement) and batteries with a tripled number of element groups. It was assumed that the combination of these proven solutions and perfect hydrodynamics would provide the submarine with the necessary underwater qualities.
The submarine was originally equipped with an advanced device for diesel operation under water "snorkel". This allowed the boat, being under the periscope and sharply reducing its radar signature, to charge the battery, making transitions under diesel engines. The approach of anti-submarine ships leading the search was detected by a submarine using the antenna of the receiver of signals from operating radar stations installed on the "snorkel". The combination of these two devices on one retractable mast made it possible to warn divers in a timely manner about the appearance of the enemy and to evade him by diving into the depths.
The total weight of the battery installation was 225 tons, and its share in the displacement reached 14%. In addition, the capacity of the elements previously developed for the IX series submarines was increased by 24% in a two-hour discharge mode or by 18% in a twenty-hour discharge due to the use of thinner plates. However, at the same time, the battery life was halved - from 2-2.5 to 1-1.5 years, which approximately corresponded to the average "life expectancy" of submarines participating in hostilities. In this regard, the boats of the XXI series were considered by the designers as wartime ships, as a kind of "expendable weapon" with a relatively short life cycle, the same as a tank or aircraft. They did not have excess resources, typical for peacetime ships that have been in service for 25-30 years.
The placement of such a powerful battery became possible only thanks to the original shape of a durable case with cross sections in the form of a "eight". On boats of the XXI series, the battery pits occupied about a third of the length of the strong hull and were located in two tiers - in the lower segment of the "eight" and above it, with a central passage between the batteries.
The robust hull of the XXI series submarine was divided into 7 compartments. But, unlike the previous boats of the VII and IX series, it refused to allocate shelter compartments with spherical bulkheads of increased strength, which, as a rule, were the end compartments and the central post compartment. The experience of the war showed that in combat conditions the concept of rescuing submariners from shelter compartments is practically unrealizable, especially for boats in the ocean zone. The rejection of shelter compartments made it possible to avoid technological and layout costs associated with spherical bulkheads.
The contours of the stern end, adopted to achieve high speed qualities, did not allow the placement of stern apparatus. But this did not affect the methods of using new submarines. It was assumed that, having discovered the convoy, she should take a position ahead of him, and then, approaching in a submerged position at the maximum possible speed, break through the guards and take a place under the ships inside the warrant ( relative position ships on the sea crossing and during the battle). Then, moving along with the convoy ships at a depth of 30-45 m and hiding behind them from anti-submarine ships, the boat, without floating up, carried out attacks with homing torpedoes. Having shot the ammunition, she went to great depths and, with a low noise move, dodged aft from the convoy.
Artillery weapons were intended only for air defense. Two twin 20-mm gun mounts were located in turrets, organically inscribed in the contours of the felling fence. Unlike the previous ships, the submarines of the XXI series were for the first time equipped with a fast-loading device, which made it possible to reload all torpedo tubes in 4-5 minutes. Thus, it became technically possible to fire with full ammunition (4 volleys) in less than half an hour. This became especially valuable when attacking convoys that required a large amount of ammunition. The depth of torpedo firing was increased to 30-45m, which was dictated by the requirements for ensuring safety from ramming and collisions when the boat was in the center of the warrant, and also corresponded to the optimal operating conditions for surveillance and target designation when performing non-periscope attacks.
The basis of the sonar armament was a direction-finding station, the antenna of which consisted of 144 hydrophones and was located under a drop-shaped fairing in the keel of the bow, and a sonar station with an antenna installed in the forward part of the wheelhouse fence (field of view up to 100 ° on each side). Primary target detection at distances up to 10 miles was carried out at a noise direction finding station, and accurate target designation for firing torpedo weapons was provided by sonar. This allowed the boats of the XXI series, unlike their predecessors, to carry out attacks from the supply according to hydroacoustics, without surfacing under the periscope for visual contact.
To detect the most dangerous opponents - anti-submarine aircraft - the boat was armed with a radar station (RLS), which was used only on the surface. Subsequently, on boats scheduled for delivery to the fleet in the summer of 1945, it was planned to install a new radar with an antenna on a retractable mast that rose in the periscope position.
Much attention was paid to the hydrodynamic qualities. The shape of the hull provided low resistance in a submerged position, but at the same time, it also made it possible to maintain good surface seaworthiness. The protruding parts were reduced to a minimum, they were given a streamlined shape. As a result, compared with the previous large submarines of the IXD / 42 series, the Admiralty coefficient, which characterizes the hydrodynamic qualities of the ship, for boats of the XXI series for a submerged position increased by more than 3 times (156 versus 49).
The increase in underwater speed required an increase in the stability of the submarine in vertical plane. For this, horizontal stabilizers were introduced into the composition of the stern plumage. The applied scheme of the stern plumage turned out to be very successful. In the post-war period, it became widespread and was used on a number of diesel, and then nuclear submarines first generation.
Hydrodynamic perfection favorably affected the underwater noise of the ship. As shown by post-war tests conducted by the US Navy, the noise of the XXI series boats when moving under the main electric motors at a speed of 15 knots was equivalent to the noise of American submarines traveling at a speed of 8 knots. When moving at a speed of 5.5 knots under the creeping electric motors, the noise of the German submarine was comparable to the noise of American boats at the slowest speed (about 2 knots). In the low-noise mode of movement, the boats of the XXI series were several times superior in the range of mutual sonar detection to the destroyers guarding the convoys.
Special measures were envisaged to significantly improve the habitability of new submarines. Realizing that in conditions of long-term cruising, the combat capability of a submarine largely depends on physical condition and the well-being of the crew, the designers applied such novelties as air conditioning and a water desalination plant. The system of "warm" beds was liquidated, and each submariner received his own individual sleeping place. Favorable conditions were created for the service and rest of the crew.
Traditionally, German designers paid great attention to ergonomic factors - the convenience of the crew, the most effective combat use of them technical means. The degree of thoughtfulness of these "details" is characterized by such an example. The flywheels on the valves of ship systems, depending on the purpose, had their own shape, different from others (for example, the flywheels of the valves on the overboard lines had handles with a ball end). Such, it would seem, a trifle allowed submariners in an emergency, even in complete darkness, to act unmistakably, by touch controlling the valves and blocking or starting up the necessary systems.
Before the end of World War II, German industry for 1944-1945. handed over to the fleet 121 submarines of the XXI series. However, on April 30, 1945, only one of them went on its first combat campaign. This is explained by the fact that after the release of the submarine from the factory, 3-month tests were envisaged, and then another 6-month course of combat training. Even the agony of the last months of the war could not break this rule.
The starting point in the history of the German submarine fleet was 1850, when the Brandtaucher double submarine, designed by engineer Wilhelm Bauer, was launched in the harbor of Kiel, which immediately sank when trying to dive.
The next significant event was the launch of the submarine U-1 (U-boat) in December 1906, which became the ancestor of a whole family of submarines, which fell to the hard times of the First World War. In total, until the end of the war, the German fleet received more than 340 boats. In connection with the defeat of Germany, 138 submarines remained unfinished.
Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was forbidden to build submarines. Everything changed in 1935 after the establishment of the Nazi regime and with the signing of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, in which submarines ... were recognized as obsolete weapons, which lifted all prohibitions on their production. In June, Hitler appointed Karl Dönitz as commander of all submarines of the future Third Reich.
Grand Admiral and his "wolf packs"
Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz is an outstanding figure. He began his career in 1910, enrolling in naval school in Kiel. Later, during the First World War, he showed himself to be a brave officer. From January 1917 until the defeat of the Third Reich, his life was connected with the German submarine fleet. He is credited with developing the concept of submarine warfare, which consisted of sustained groups of submarines called "wolf packs".
The main objects of the “hunting” of the “wolf packs” are enemy transport ships that provide supplies to the troops. The basic principle is to sink more ships than the enemy can build. Very soon, this tactic began to bear fruit. By the end of September 1939, the Allies had lost dozens of transports with a total displacement of about 180,000 tons, and in mid-October, the U-47 boat, slipping unnoticed into the Scapa Flow base, sent the Royal Oak battleship to the bottom. The Anglo-American convoys were especially hard hit. "Wolf packs" raged in a huge theater from the North Atlantic and the Arctic to South Africa and the Gulf of Mexico.
What did the Kriegsmarine fight on
The basis of the Kriegsmarine - the submarine fleet of the Third Reich - were submarines of several series - 1, 2, 7, 9, 14, 17, 21 and 23rd. At the same time, it is worth highlighting the boats of the 7th series, which were distinguished by their reliable design, good technical equipment, weapons, which allowed them to operate particularly successfully in the Central and North Atlantic. For the first time, a snorkel was installed on them - an air intake device that allows the boat to recharge batteries while submerged.Aces Kriegsmarine
German submariners were characterized by courage and high professionalism, so each victory over them came at a high price. Among the aces submariners of the Third Reich, the most famous were captains Otto Kretschmer, Wolfgang Luth (each with 47 sunk ships) and Erich Topp - 36.
Deadly duel
The huge losses of the allies at sea sharply intensified the search for effective means of combating the "wolf packs". Soon, patrol anti-submarine aircraft equipped with radars appeared in the sky, means of radio interception, detection and destruction of submarines were created - radars, sonar buoys, homing aircraft torpedoes and much more. Improved tactics, improved interaction.
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Kriegsmarine met the same fate as the Third Reich - a complete, crushing defeat. Of the 1153 submarines built during the war years, about 770 were sunk. Together with them, about 30,000 submariners, or almost 80% of the entire personnel of the submarine fleet, went to the bottom.
German submarines made long-distance crossings on the surface of the water, plunging only when the enemy appeared. 33 submarines capable of entering Atlantic Ocean, sank 420 thousand tons of merchant tonnage. And this is just for the first four months since the beginning of the war. They stood in the way of the movement of enemy transports and waited for the target to appear, attacked and broke away from the convoy forces pursuing them.
Success in the first months of the war spurred Germany to build new submarines. And this brought even more losses to the merchant fleet anti-Hitler coalition. The peak of the submarine war was 1942, when the Germans sank 6.3 million tons of the merchant fleet. And during the entire war, the Allies lost 15 million tons.
The turning point occurred at the end of 1942, which caused panic among the fascist command. Their submarines disappeared without a trace one after another. The commanders of the miraculously returned submarines said that the planes were looking for them when they were on the surface in any weather: in fog, at night. And hit with bombs.
The reason for the increased losses of the Germans was the appearance of radar equipment on aircraft and ships. German submarines had to hide under water, and there they had insufficient sailing time. On the radar screen of an aircraft flying at an altitude of 9750 feet (3000 m), the surfaced submarine was visible at a distance of 80 miles (150 km).
After the start of the use of radar, Allied aircraft were able to constantly monitor the area of operation of German submarines. England alone had 1,500 anti-submarine patrol aircraft, and the total number of Allied aircraft was more than double that number.
If the plane was flying at a speed of 150 km/h, then he saw a submarine half an hour of flight to her, and she, depending on the weather, 5-7 mi-way under a clear sun and generally could not outline it in clouds and fog. In the best case for her, she managed to dive into the water, but often the dive took place under the bombs bursting nearby. The bombs damaged or sank the submarine.
When land-based aircraft with a range of at least 600 miles (1600 km) appeared, British coastal defense became enemy number one for German submarines.
In response to radar, the Germans invented a radar receiver that informed German submariners that a submarine had been detected by American radar, and in October 1942 they began installing these receivers on their submarines. This invention of the Germans reduced the effectiveness of American radars, since in some cases the submarine managed to submerge under water. However, German detector receivers (from the Latin "detextor" - "opener") turned out to be useless when changing the wavelength at which American radars began to operate.
The US Harvard Radio Laboratory has designed 14 radar installations operating on decimeter waves. They were urgently delivered by plane to the British for installation on English planes patrolling the Bay of Biscay. At the same time, the production of a similar series for aircraft was accelerated. naval aviation USA and models for army aviation.
German location receivers-detectors could not detect exposure to decimeter waves, and therefore the German submariners were completely unaware of how the Anglo-American aircraft detected them. The detector was silent, and air bombs rained down on the head.
Microwave radar allowed Anglo-American patrols in the spring and early summer of 1943 to detect and sink a large number of German submarines.
Hitler reacted with great irritation to the invention of the microwave radar, and in his New Year's address in 1944 to the German armed forces, he pointed to the "invention of our enemy" that caused such irreparable losses to his submarine fleet.
Even after the Germans discovered a decimeter radar on one American aircraft shot down over Germany, they were not able to detect the operation of these locators.
English and American convoys received "eyes" and "ears". The radar became the "eyes" of the fleet, the sonar added "ears", but this was not enough. There was another way to detect submarines: they were given out by radio. And the allies took advantage of it. German submarines, having surfaced on the surface of the water, were talking among themselves, with the headquarters of the submarine fleet, which was located in Paris, and received orders from the commander, Grand Admiral Doenitz. Radiograms were carried on the air from all points where German submarines were located.
If you intercept any radiogram from three points, determining in each direction from where the radio waves propagate, then, knowing the coordinates of the listening stations, you can find out from which point on the earth the German submarine went on the air, and therefore find out its coordinates: where it is now located.
This method was first used by the British Navy to combat enemy submarines. To do this, high-frequency radio direction finders were installed along the English coast. It was they who determined the place of the enemy submarine, which was negotiating with other submarines and superiors. The direction-finding transmission itself revealed the secret of the submarine's coordinates.
The received bearings were sent by coast stations to the Admiralty, where specialists mapped the location and course of the German submarine in the Atlantic. Sometimes, during the operation of the radio station of the German submarine, up to 30 bearings could be obtained.
The radio direction finder system on the African and American coasts, as well as in the British Isles, was called "huff-duff". How it worked can be seen from the episode where Lieutenant Schroeder sank a German submarine.
On June 30, 1942, at about noon, high-frequency radio direction finders in Bermuda, Hart Land Point, Kingston, and Georgetown registered the operation of the submarine's radio station. Naval base operators plotted bearings on the map and found the submarine to be at 33°N, 67°30W, about 130 miles from St. George.
Lieutenant Richard Schroeder was patrolling in his Mariner aircraft in the Bermuda area 50 miles (90 km) from the discovered submarine. Heading to the place indicated to him, he found the U-158 submarine 10 miles (18 km) from the indicated coordinates. The boat was on the surface, and 50 members of her crew basked in the sun. Schroeder dropped two high-explosive bombs and missed, but two depth charges hit the target. One depth charge fell close to the hull of the boat, but the second landed directly on the superstructure and exploded at the moment when the submarine went to dive. The boat sank along with the entire crew.
Convinced of the effectiveness of the huff-duff devices, they equipped the ships of the convoy. If the high-frequency radio direction finder "huff-duff" was only on one ship of the convoy, then it turned into a search ship and went at the tail of the middle column.
The Germans did not know for a long time, and then they ignored the ship's huff-duff instruments. Their submarines continued to “talk” among themselves and, when approaching the convoy, exchange information with Grand Admiral Doenitz, thereby revealing their location.
This valuable system, whose name "huff-duff" is untranslatable, served a good service in the fight against German submarines.
In total, during the years of the Second World War, 1118 Nazi submarines took part in the hostilities. Of these, 725 (61%) were destroyed by the Allies. 53 died for various reasons, 224 were sunk by the Nazi crews after the surrender of Germany and 184 capitulated.
Fascist submariners for the Second world war sank 2 battleships, 5 aircraft carriers, 6 cruisers, 88 other surface ships and about 15 million tons of Allied merchant tonnage.
"Wolf Packs" in World War II. Legendary submarines of the Third Reich Gromov Alex
The performance characteristics of the most common types of submarines
The armament and equipment of German submarines, which had many flaws and often malfunctioned in the first year of the war, was constantly improved, in addition to creating new, more reliable modifications. This was a "response" to the advent of the enemy's new anti-submarine defense and methods of detecting submarines.
Boats type II-B("Einbaum" - "canoe") were adopted in 1935.
20 submarines were built: U-7 - U-24, U-120 and U-121. Crews consisted of 25-27 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 42.7 x 4.1 x 3.8 m.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 283/334 tons
Maximum speed on the surface - 13 knots, underwater - 7 knots.
Surface range - 1800 miles.
They were armed with 5–6 torpedoes and one 20 mm gun.
Boats type II-C entered service in 1938.
8 submarines were built: U-56 - U-63.
The crew consisted of 25 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 43.9 x 4.1 x 3.8 m.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 291/341 tons
Maximum speed on the surface - 12 knots, underwater - 7 knots.
Surface range - 3800 miles.
They were armed with torpedoes and one 20 mm gun.
Boats type II-D commissioned in June 1940
16 submarines were built: U-137 - U-152.
The crew consisted of 25 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 44.0 x 4.9 x 3.9 m.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 314/364 tons
The maximum speed in the surface position is 12.7 knots, in the underwater position - 7.4 knots.
Surface range - 5650 miles.
They were armed with 6 torpedoes and one 20-mm gun.
Immersion depth (maximum operating / limit): 80/120 m.
Type VII-A boats entered service in 1936. 10 submarines were built: U-27 - U-36. The crew consisted of 42-46 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 64 x 8 x 4.4 m.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 626/745 tons
Maximum speed on the surface - 17 knots, underwater - 8 knots.
Surface range - 4300 miles.
They were armed with 11 torpedoes, one 88 mm and one anti-aircraft 20 mm gun.
Immersion depth (maximum operating / limit): 220/250 m.
Type VII-B boats were more advanced than type VII-A boats.
24 submarines were built: U-45 - U-55, U-73, U-74, U-75, U-76, U-83, U-84, U-85, U-86, U-87, U -99, U-100, U-101, U-102, among them the legendary U-47, U-48, U-99, U-100. The crew consisted of 44-48 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 66.5 x 6.2 x 4 m.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 753/857 tons
Maximum surface speed - 17.9 knots, underwater - 8 knots.
They were armed with 14 torpedoes, one 88 mm and one 20 mm gun.
Type VII-C boats were the most common.
568 submarines were built, including: U-69 - U-72, U-77 - U-82, U-88 - U-98, U-132 - U-136, U-201 - U-206, U -1057, U-1058, U-1101, U-1102, U-1131, U-1132, U-1161, U-1162, U-1191 - U-1210…
The crew consisted of 44-52 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 67.1 x 6.2 x 4.8 m.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 769/871 tons
The maximum speed in the surface position is 17.7 knots, in the underwater position - 7.6 knots.
Surface range - 12,040 miles.
They were armed with 14 torpedoes, one 88-mm gun, the number of anti-aircraft guns varied.
Boats type IX-A were a further development of the less advanced type of submarine I-A.
8 submarines were built: U-37 - U-44.
The crew consisted of 48 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 76.6 x 6.51 x 4.7 m.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 1032/1152 tons
The maximum speed in the surface position is 18.2 knots, in the underwater position - 7.7 knots.
Surface range - 10,500 miles.
They were armed with 22 torpedoes or 66 mines, a 105-mm deck gun, one 37-mm anti-aircraft gun, one 20-mm anti-aircraft gun.
Immersion depth (maximum operating / limit): 230/295 m.
Boats type IX-B were in many respects identical to the type IX-A submarines, differing primarily in b O a large supply of fuel and, accordingly, a cruising range on the surface.
14 submarines were built: U-64, U-65, U-103 - U-111, U-122 - U-124.
The crew consisted of 48 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 76.5 x 6.8 x 4.7 m.
The maximum speed in the surface position is 18.2 knots, in the underwater position - 7.3 knots.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 1058/1178 tons (or 1054/1159 tons).
Surface range - 8700 miles.
In service were 22 torpedoes or 66 mines, one deck 105-mm gun, one anti-aircraft 37-mm gun, one anti-aircraft 20-mm gun.
Immersion depth (maximum operating / limit): 230/295 m.
Boats type IX-C would have O Longer length compared to previous modifications.
54 submarines were built: U-66 - U-68, U-125 - U-131, U-153 - U-166, U-171 - U-176, U-501 - U-524. The crew consisted of 48 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 76.76 x 6.78 x 4.7 m.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 1138/1232 tons (often 1120/1232 tons).
The maximum speed in the surface position is 18.3 knots, in the underwater position - 7.3 knots.
Surface range - 11,000 miles.
They were armed with 22 torpedoes or 66 mines, one deck 105-mm gun, one anti-aircraft 37-mm gun, one 20-mm gun.
Immersion depth (maximum operating / limit): 230/295 m.
Boats type IX-D2 possessed the largest cruising range in the fleet of the Third Reich.
28 submarines were built: U-177 - U-179, U-181, U-182, U-196 - U-199, U-200, U-847 - U-852, U-859 - U-864, U -871 - U-876.
The crew consisted of 55 people (in long hikes - 61).
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 87.6 x 7.5 x 5.35 m.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 1616/1804 tons
The maximum speed in the surface position is 19.2 knots, in the underwater position - 6.9 knots.
Surface range - 23,700 miles.
It was armed with 24 torpedoes or 72 mines, one 105 mm deck gun, one 37 mm anti-aircraft gun, and two twin 20 mm guns.
Immersion depth (maximum operating / limit): 230/295 m.
Boats type XIV(“Milchkuh” - “cash cow”) - a further development of the IX-D type, were able to carry over 423 tons of additional fuel, as well as 4 torpedoes and a rather large supply of food, including even a bakery on board the submarines.
10 submarines were built: U-459 - U-464, U-487 - U-490.
The crew consisted of 53-60 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 67.1 x 9.35 x 6.5 m.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 1668/1932 tons
The maximum speed in the surface position is 14.9 knots, in the underwater position - 6.2 knots.
Surface range - 12,350 miles.
Only two 37 mm anti-aircraft guns and one 20 mm anti-aircraft gun were in service, they did not have torpedoes.
Immersion depth (maximum operating / limit): 230/295 m.
Type XXI boats were the first ultra-modern submarines, in the serial production of which ready-made modules were used. These submarines were equipped with air conditioning and waste disposal systems.
118 submarines were built: U-2501 - U-2536, U-2538 - U-2546, U-2548, U-2551, U-2552, U-3001 - U-3035, U-3037 - U-3041, U -3044, U-3501 - U-3530. At the end of the war, there were 4 boats of this type in combat readiness.
The crew consisted of 57-58 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 76.7 x 7.7 x 6.68 m.
Displacement (in the surface / underwater position): 1621/1819 tons, fully loaded - 1621/2114 tons.
The maximum speed in the surface position is 15.6 knots, in the underwater position - 17.2 knots. For the first time, such a high speed of the boat was achieved in a submerged position.
Surface range - 15,500 miles.
It was armed with 23 torpedoes and two twin 20mm cannons.
Type XXIII boats("Elektroboot" - "electric boats") were focused on being constantly under water, thus becoming the first project of not diving, but really submarines. They were the last full-size submarines built by the Third Reich during World War II. Their design is maximally simplified and functional.
Launched 61 submarines: U-2321 - U-2371, U-4701 - U-4707, U-4709 - U-4712. Of these, only 6 (U-2321, U-2322, U-2324, U-2326, U-2329 and U-2336) took part in the hostilities.
The crew consisted of 14-18 people.
Boat dimensions (length / maximum width / draft): 34.7 x 3.0 x 3.6 m.
Displacement (surface/submerged): 258/275 tons (or 234/254 tons).
The maximum speed in the surface position is 9.7 knots, in the underwater position - 12.5 knots.
Surface range - 2600 miles.
Armed with 2 torpedoes.
Immersion depth (maximum operating / limit): 180/220 m.
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From the book Kalashnikov assault rifle. Symbol of Russia author Buta Elizaveta MikhailovnaSPEECH CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ZODIAC October 22, 1969, Oakland Police Department - the voice of an obviously middle-aged man. July 5, 1969, 0.40, Vallejo Police Department (conversation with Nancy Slover) - speech without accent; the impression that the text is read from a piece of paper or rehearsed.
From the book Maximalisms [collection] author Armalinsky MikhailThe first victims of German submarines More and more German boats sank other people's transports. In the world, Kaiser's Germany acquired the image of an "evil aggressor", but was never able to take control of enemy sea communications. May 7, 1915 on the Liverpool - New York line
From Alan Turing's Universe by Andrew HodgesGerman Spare Parts for Soviet Submarines It should be clarified that in the 1920s and 1930s, Germany not only ordered components for its submarines, but also sold them abroad, in particular, to the USSR. So, the military historian A. B. Shirokorad (“Russia and Germany. History
From the author's bookThe tasks of German submarines They were formulated by K. Dönitz on the eve of his assumption of the post of commander of the first Weddigen submarine flotilla at the end of September 1935. A few years before the start of unlimited submarine warfare, he foresaw its possibility:
From the author's bookThe Role of German Submarines in the Norwegian Operation
From the author's book From the author's bookCharacteristics
From the author's bookThe Germans are sinking British ships: Deciphering the call signs of German submarines The surrender at Stalingrad marked the beginning of the end for Germany. The course of the war was reversed. Although in the south and west the successes of the Allies still did not look convincing enough. in African
The rusty skeletons of submarines of the Third Reich are still found in the sea. The German submarines of World War II are no longer on which the fate of Europe once depended. However, these huge piles of metal are still shrouded in secrets and haunt historians, divers and adventure lovers.
Forbidden building
The fleet of Nazi Germany was called the Kriegsmarine. A significant part of the Nazi arsenal were submarines. By the beginning of the war, the army was equipped with 57 submarines. Then another 1113 submarines were gradually involved, 10 of which were captured. During the war, 753 submarines were destroyed, but they managed to sink enough ships and have an impressive impact on the whole world.
After the First World War, Germany could not build submarines under the terms Treaty of Versailles. But when Hitler came to power, he removed all prohibitions, declaring that he considered himself free from the shackles of Versailles. He signed the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, which gave Germany the right to a submarine force equal to that of the British. Later, Hitler announced the denunciation of the agreement, which completely untied his hands.
Germany developed 21 types of submarines, but basically they came down to three types:
- The small Type II boat was designed for training and patrolling in the Baltic and North Seas.
- The Type IX submarine was used for long voyages in the Atlantic.
- Medium submarine type VII was intended for long-distance crossings. These models had optimal seaworthiness, and the funds for its production were minimal. Therefore, such submarines were built most of all.
The German submarine fleet had the following parameters:
- displacement: from 275 to 2710 tons;
- surface speed: from 9.7 to 19.2 knots;
- underwater speed: from 6.9 to 17.2 knots;
- diving depth: from 150 to 280 meters.
Such characteristics indicate that Hitler's submarines were the most powerful among all the enemy countries of Germany.
"Wolf Packs"
Karl Doenitz was appointed commander of the submarines. He developed a spearfishing strategy for the German fleet, which was called "wolf packs". According to this tactic, the submarines attacked the ships in large groups, depriving them of any chance of survival. German submarines hunted mainly transport ships that supplied enemy troops. The point of this was to sink more boats than the enemy could build.
This tactic quickly paid off. The "wolf packs" operated over a vast territory, sinking hundreds of enemy ships. U-48 alone was able to destroy 52 ships. Moreover, Hitler was not going to be limited to the results achieved. He planned to develop the Kringsmarine and build hundreds more cruisers, battleships and submarines.
Submarines of the Third Reich almost brought Great Britain to its knees, driving it into a blockade ring. This forced the allies to urgently develop countermeasures against the German "wolves", including massively building their own submarines.
The fight against the German "wolves"
In addition to the allied submarines, radar-equipped aircraft began to hunt for the "wolf packs". Also, in the fight against German underwater vehicles, sonar buoys, radio interception tools, homing torpedoes and much more were used.
The turning point came in 1943. Then each sunken Allied ship cost the German fleet one submarine. In June 1944 they went on the offensive. Their goal was to protect their own ships and attack German submarines. By the end of 1944, Germany had finally lost the battle for the Atlantic. In 1945, a crushing defeat awaited the Kringsmarine.
The army of German submariners resisted to the last torpedo. The last operation of Karl Dönitz was the evacuation of some of the naval admirals of the Third Reich in latin america. Before his suicide, Hitler appointed Dennitsa head of the Third Reich. However, there are legends that the Fuhrer did not kill himself at all, but was transported by submarines from Germany to Argentina.
According to another legend, the values of the Third Reich, including the Holy Grail, were transported by submarine U-530 to Antarctica to a secret military base. These stories have never been officially confirmed, but they suggest that the German submarines of the Second World War will haunt archaeologists and military lovers for a long time to come.
