German submarine U-217
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany
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| Name: | U-217 |
| Ordered: | 16 February 1940 |
| Builder: | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number: | 649 |
| Laid down: | 30 January 1941 |
| Launched: | 15 November 1941 |
| Commissioned: | 31 January 1942 |
| Fate: | Sunk, 5 June 1943, by US carrier-borne aircraft |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Type VIID submarine |
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| Height: | 9.70 m (31 ft 10 in) |
| Draught: | 5.01 m (16 ft 5 in) |
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| Crew: | 4 officers, 40 enlisted |
| Armament: |
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| Service record[1][2] | |
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| Victories: | 3 commercial ships sunk (10,651 GRT) |
German submarine U-217 was a Type VIID mine-laying U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Design
As one of the six German Type VIID submarines, U-217 had a displacement of 965 tonnes (950 long tons) when at the surface and 1,080 tonnes (1,060 long tons) while submerged.[3] She had a total length of 76.90 m (252 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 59.80 m (196 ft 2 in), a beam of 6.38 m (20 ft 11 in), a height of 9.70 m (31 ft 10 in), and a draught of 5.01 m (16 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 supercharged four-stroke, six-cylinder 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 AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 shaft horsepower (760 PS; 560 kW) 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 16–16.7 knots (29.6–30.9 km/h; 18.4–19.2 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 69 nautical miles (128 km; 79 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,200 nautical miles (20,700 km; 12,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-217 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), twelve torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun, in addition to five mine tubes with fifteen SMA mines. The boat had a complement of between forty-four.[3]
Service history
She was laid down on 30 January 1941, launched on 15 November and commissioned on 31 January 1942, U-217 served with the 5th U-boat Flotilla in a training capacity before moving on to the operational 9th flotilla on 1 August 1942 until she was sunk. U-217 completed three patrols and sank three ships totalling 10,651 gross register tons (GRT).
She was sunk on 5 June 1943 in the mid-Atlantic with all hands by depth charges dropped by Grumman TBF Avengers from the escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9). The wreck lies at 30°18′N 042°50′W / 30.300°N 42.833°WCoordinates: 30°18′N 042°50′W / 30.300°N 42.833°W, near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Wolfpacks
U-217 took part in two wolfpacks, namely.
- Pirat (30 July – 3 August 1942)
- Trutz (1–5 June 1943)
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 August 1942 | Sea Gull D |  United Kingdom |
75 | Sunk |
| 14 December 1942 | Etna |  Sweden |
2,619 | Sunk |
| 3 February 1943 | Rhexnor | United Kingdom |
7,181 | Sunk |
References
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIID boat U-217". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-217". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
- 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 66–67.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German) IV (Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler). ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Bishop, Chris (2006). Kriegsmarine U-Boats, 1939-45. London: Amber Books. ISBN 978-1-904687-96-2.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIID boat U-217". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 217". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.