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 U-1, a Type IIA submarine and lead ship of the class | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Type II Submarine |
| Builders |
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| Operators |
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| Preceded by | CV 707-type submarine |
| Succeeded by |
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| Built | 1934–1940 |
| In commission | 1935–1945 |
| Completed |
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| General characteristics[1] | |
| Type | |
| Displacement |
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| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height |
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| Draught |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Test depth | 150 m (490 ft) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 11 non-commissioned officers, 11 enlisted |
| Sensors & processing systems | Gruppenhorchgerät |
| Armament |
|
TheType II U-boat was designed byNazi Germany as acoastalU-boat, modeled after theCV-707 submarine, which was designed by theDutch front companyNV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw Den Haag (I.v.S) (set up by Germany afterWorld War I in order to maintain and develop Germansubmarine technology and to circumvent the limitations set by theTreaty of Versailles) and built in 1933 by the FinnishCrichton-Vulcan shipyard inTurku,Finland. It was too small to undertake sustained operations far away from the home support facilities. Its primary role was found to be in the training schools, preparing new German naval officers for command. It appeared in four sub-types.
Germany was stripped of its U-boats by theTreaty of Versailles at the end ofWorld War I, but in the late 1920s and early 1930s began to rebuild its armed forces. The pace of rearmament accelerated underAdolf Hitler, and the first Type II U-boat was laid down on 11 February 1935. Knowing that the world would see this step towards rearmament, Hitler reached anagreement with Britain to build a navy up to 35% of the size of theRoyal Navy in surface vessels, but equal to the British in number of submarines. This agreement was signed on 18 June 1935, andU-1 was commissioned 11 days later.
The defining characteristic of the Type II was the small size, its surfaced displacement being between half and one third that of theType VII, and one third to one fourth of theType IX's (depending on the variants used for comparison).
Known as theEinbaum ("dugout canoe"), it had some advantages over larger boats, chiefly its ability to work in shallow water, dive quickly, and increased stealth due to the lowconning tower. However, it had a shallower maximum depth, short range, cramped living conditions, and carried fewertorpedoes.
The boat had a single hull, with no watertight compartments. There were three torpedo tubes, all forward, with space for two spare torpedoes inside the pressure hull. Although the boats technically had a deck gun, it was a 20mm weapon best used for defense against aircraft.
Space inside was limited. The two spare torpedoes extended from just behind the torpedo tubes to just in front of the control room, and most of the 24-man crew lived in this forward area around the torpedoes, sharing 12 bunks. Four bunks were also provided aft of the engines for the engine room crew. Cooking and sanitary facilities were basic, and in this environment long patrols were very arduous.
Most Type IIs only saw operational service during the early years of the war, thereafter remaining in training bases. Six were stripped down to their hulls, transported by river and truck toLinz (on the Danube), and reassembled for use in theBlack Sea against theSoviet Union.
In contrast to other German submarine types, few Type IIs were lost. This reflects their use as training boats, although accidents accounted for several vessels.
These boats were a first step towards re-armament, intended to provide Germany with experience in submarine construction and operation and lay the foundation for larger boats to build upon. Only one of these submarines survive; the prototypeCV-707, renamedVesikko by theFinnish Navy which later bought it.
On 3 February 2008,The Telegraph reported thatU-20 had been discovered bySelçuk Kolay (a Turkishmarine engineer) in 80 feet (24 m) of water off the coast of the Turkish city ofZonguldak. According to the report, Kolay knows whereU-23 andU-19 are, scuttled in deeper water nearU-20.[2]
| Characteristic | CV-707 | Type IIAU1-U6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launched | 11 May 1933 | 1939–1940 | |
| Displacement (tonnes) | Surfaced | 254 | 254 |
| Submerged | 303 | 303 | |
| Total | 381 | 381 | |
| Size (metres) | Length | 40.90 | 40.90 |
| Beam | 4.10 | 4.10 | |
| Draft | 4.20 | 3.80 | |
| Speed (knots) | Surfaced | 13 | 13 |
| Submerged | 8 | 6.9 | |
| Range (nautical miles) | Surfaced | 1,350 nmi (2,500 km; 1,550 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) | 1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) |
| Submerged | 40 nmi (74 km; 46 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) | 35 nmi (65 km; 40 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) | |
| Propulsion | Engine | Diesel-electric | Diesel-electric |
| Diesel | 2 × MWM Diesel 700 PS (690 shp; 510 kW) | 2 × MWM Diesel 700 PS (690 shp; 510 kW) | |
| Electric | 2 × SSW Electric 360 PS (360 shp; 260 kW) | 2 × SSW Electric 402 PS (397 shp; 296 kW) | |
The Type IIA was a single hull, all welded boat with internal ballast tanks. Compared to the other variants, it had a smaller bridge and could carry the German G7a, G7e torpedoes as well as TM-type torpedo mines. There were serrated net cutters in the bow. The net cutters were adopted from theFirst World War boats but were quickly discontinued during theSecond World War.
Deutsche Werke AG ofKiel built six Type IIAs in 1934 and 1935.
The prototype, built in Finland: Finnish submarineVesikko
The Type IIB was a lengthened version of the Type IIA.[3] Three additional compartments were inserted amidships which were fitted with additional diesel tanks beneath the control room. The range was increased to 1,800 nautical miles at 12 knots. Diving time was also improved to 30 seconds.
Deutsche Werke AG of Kiel built four Type IIBs in 1935 and 1936;Germaniawerft of Kiel built fourteen in 1935 and 1936; andFlender Werke AG ofLübeck built two between 1938 and 1940. In total, twenty were built.
There were 20 Type IIB submarines commissioned.[4]
The Type IIC was a further lengthened version of the Type IIB with an additional two compartments inserted amidships to accommodate improved radio room facilities. The additional diesel tanks beneath the control room were further enlarged, extending the range to 1,900 nautical miles at 12 knots. Deutsche Werke AG of Kiel built eight Type IICs between 1937 and 1940.
There were eight Type IIC submarines commissioned.
The Type IID had additional saddle tanks fitted to the sides of the external hull. These saddle tanks were used to accommodate additional diesel storage tanks. The diesel oil would float atop the saddle tanks. As oil was consumed, water would gradually fill the tanks to compensate for the positive buoyancy. The range was nearly doubled to 3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and enabled the Type II to conduct longer operations around theBritish Isles. A further development was the propellers were fitted withKort nozzles, intended to improve propulsion efficiency. Deutsche Werke AG of Kiel built sixteen Type IIDs in 1939 and 1940.
There were 16 Type IID submarines commissioned.
Seelist of German Type II submarines for individual ship details.
