| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | U-599 |
| Ordered | 22 May 1940 |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss,Hamburg |
| Yard number | 575 |
| Laid down | 27 January 1941 |
| Launched | 15 October 1941 |
| Commissioned | 4 December 1941 |
| Fate | Sunk northwest of theAzores by a British aircraft on 24 October 1942[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIICsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | |
| Test depth |
|
| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record[2] | |
| Part of |
|
| Identification codes | M 43 302 |
| Commanders |
|
| Operations |
|
| Victories | None |
German submarineU-599 was aType VIICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II.
She was a member of fourwolfpacks, carried out one patrol and sank no ships.
She was sunk northwest of theAzores by a British aircraft on 24 October 1942.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-599 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] 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, twoBrown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8double-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).[3]
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).[3] 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-599 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 a2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]
The submarine waslaid down on 27 January 1941 atBlohm & Voss,Hamburg as yard number 575,launched on 15 October andcommissioned on 4 December under the command ofKapitänleutnant Wolfgang Breithaupt.
She served with the8th U-boat Flotilla from 4 December 1941 for training and the1st flotilla from 1 September 1942 for operations.
U-599 departedKiel on 27 August 1942 and headed for the Atlantic Ocean. Her route took her through thegap between Iceland and theFaroe Islands. She then patrolled the area southeast ofGreenland and east ofLabrador.
She was sunk on 24 October northwest of the Azores bydepth charges dropped by a BritishB-24 Liberator ofNo. 224 Squadron RAF.
Forty-four men died inU-599; there were no survivors.
U-599 took part in fourwolfpacks, namely: