German submarine U-5 (1935)
 U-1, the first Type II boat | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany
| |
| Name: | U-5 |
| Ordered: | 2 February 1935 |
| Builder: | Deutsche Werke, Kiel |
| Laid down: | 11 February 1935 |
| Launched: | 14 August 1935 |
| Commissioned: | 31 August 1935 |
| Fate: | Sunk 19 March 1943, west of Pillau in a diving accident. 21 dead and 16 survivors |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | IIA coastal submarine |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: |
|
| Beam: |
|
| Height: | 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in) |
| Draught: | 3.83 m (12 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power: |
|
| Propulsion: |
|
| Range: |
|
| Test depth: | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Complement: | 3 officers, 22 men |
| Armament: |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Identification codes: | M 27 527 |
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: |
|
| Victories: | No ships sunk or damaged |
German submarine U-5 was a Type IIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. She was laid down on 11 February 1935, launched on 14 August and commissioned 31 August that year, under Oberleutnant zur See Rolf Dau.
U-5 served mostly as a training boat from 1935 to 1940, but did see two wartime patrols in 1940. She was transferred to the 21st U-boat Flotilla on 1 July 1940.
U-5 was sunk on 19 March 1943 in a diving accident west of Pillau[1] (now Baltiysk in Russia); 16 of the 37-man crew survived.
Design
German Type II submarines were based on the Finnish submarine Vesikko. U-5 had a displacement of 254 tonnes (250 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however.[2] The U-boat had a total length of 40.90 m (134 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 27.80 m (91 ft 2 in), a beam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in), and a draught of 3.83 m (12 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 360 metric horsepower (260 kW; 360 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 1,600 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-5 was fitted with three 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes at the bow, five torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of 25.[2]
References
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.
- 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.
- Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
- Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IIA boat U-5". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 5". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.
Coordinates: 54°40′N 19°45′E / 54.667°N 19.750°E
| ||||||||||||||||||||||