German submarine U-568

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History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-568
Ordered: 24 October 1939
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number: 544
Laid down: 27 April 1940
Launched: 6 March 1941
Commissioned: 1 May 1941
Fate: Sunk 29 May 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea NE of Tobruk in position Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found., by RN ships HMS Hero, Eridge and Hurworth.
General characteristics
Class & type: Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power:
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament:
Service record[1]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Joachim Preuss
  • 1 May 1941 – 29 May 1942
Operations:
  • 1st patrol: 3 August 1941 – 10 September 1941
  • 2nd patrol: 9 October – 7 November 1941
  • 3rd patrol: 4 December 1941 – 17 January 1942
  • 4th patrol: 2–30 March 1942
  • 5th patrol: 21–29 May 1942
Victories:
  • 1 merchant ship sunk (6,023 GRT)
  • 2 warships sunk (1,850 tons)
  • 1 warship damaged (1,630 tons)

German submarine U-568 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 27 April 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 544, launched on 6 March 1941 and commissioned on 1 May 1941 under Kptlt. Joachim Preuss.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-568 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-568 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history

The boat's service began on 1 May 1941 with training as part of the 3rd U-boat Flotilla. She transferred to the 29th Flotilla on 1 January 1942 for active service, in the Mediterranean.

In five patrols she sank one merchant ship, two warships and damaged one warship.

Wolfpacks

She took part in four wolfpacks, namely

  • Grönland (10 – 23 August 1941)
  • Kurfürst (23 August – 2 September 1941)
  • Seewolf (2 – 8 September 1941)
  • Reissewolf (21 – 31 October 1941)

Fate

U-568 was sunk on 29 May 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea NE of Tobruk in position Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found., by Royal Navy vessels, the destroyer HMS Hero, and escort destroyers HMS Eridge and HMS Hurworth. All 47 hands survived.[3]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[4]
12 August 1941 HMS Picotee  Royal Navy 925 Sunk
16 October 1941 Empire Heron  United Kingdom 6,023 Sunk
17 October 1941 USS Kearny  United States Navy 1,630 Damaged
24 December 1941 HMS Salvia  Royal Navy 925 Sunk

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
  3. ↑ Busch & Röll 1999.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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