| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | U-252 |
| Ordered | 23 September 1939 |
| Builder | Vegesacker Werft,Bremen |
| Yard number | 17 |
| Laid down | 1 November 1940 |
| Launched | 14 August 1941 |
| Commissioned | 4 October 1941 |
| Fate | Sunk, 14 April 1942[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIICsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Test depth |
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| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record[2][3] | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 32 853 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | 1 merchant ship sunk (1,355 GRT) |
German submarineU-252 was aType VIICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II. The submarine waslaid down on 1 November 1940 at theVegesacker Werft atBremen as yard number 17,launched on 14 August 1941 andcommissioned on 4 October under the command ofKapitänleutnant Gunter Schiebusch.
Schiebusch was replaced byKapitänleutnant Kai Lerchen on 21 December 1941. After training with the6th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel,U-252 was deemed to be ready for front-line service and sailed on her first patrol on 1 April 1942.
On 6 April 1942,U-252 landed espionage agent Ib Riis in Iceland.[4]
U-252 is thought to have sunk the 1,355 GRT NorwegianFanefield on 9 April.[5] Five days later she encounteredconvoy OG 82, and was attacked and sunk by depth charges from the sloopHMS Stork and the corvetteHMS Vetch on 14 April 1942.[1][6]
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-252 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[7] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), apressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylindersuperchargeddiesel 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, twoAEG GU 460/8-276double-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).[7]
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).[7] 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-252 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes, one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft guns. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty.[7]
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate[8] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 April 1942 | Fanefjeld | 1,355 | Sunk |