German submarine U-7 (1935)
 U-9, a typical Type IIB boat | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany
| |
| Name: | U-7 |
| Ordered: | 20 July 1934 |
| Builder: | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number: | 541 |
| Laid down: | 11 March 1935 |
| Launched: | 29 June 1935 |
| Commissioned: | 18 July 1935 |
| Fate: | Sunk 18 February 1944 west of Pillau. 29 dead |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | IIB |
| Type: | Coastal submarine |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: | 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in) |
| Beam: |
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| Draught: | 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Complement: | 3 officers, 22 men |
| Armament: |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: | |
| Identification codes: | M 16 723 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: | 6 |
| Victories: | |
German submarine U-7 was a Type IIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, based out of Kiel during World War II. It was one of the smaller versions, and was first launched on 29 June 1935 with a crew of 29. Its first commander was Kurt Freiwald. U-7 would have 16 commanders over the course of its service, the last being Günther Loeschcke.
During the war U-7 was responsible for sinking two vessels.
On 18 February 1944, west of Pillau, U-7 sank in what is believed to have been a malfunction during a diving manoeuvre. There were no survivors.[13]
Design
German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-7 had a displacement of 279 tonnes (275 long tons) when at the surface and 328 tonnes (323 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however.[14] The U-boat had a total length of 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in), a pressure hull length of 28.20 m (92 ft 6 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 3.90 m (12 ft 10 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 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 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).[14]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph).[14] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35–42 nautical miles (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-7 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 twentyfive.[14]
Service history
U-7 was ordered on 20 July 1934, i.e. in violation of the Versailles Treaty, which denied Germany possession of submarines. The U-boat was not laid down until 11 March 1935, and launched on 29 June 1935, within weeks of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, which granted Germany parity with the British Empire in submarines.
Commissioned on 18 July 1935 with Kapitänleutnant Kurt Freiwald in command, U-7 mainly served as a training boat except for two brief deployments during the Invasion of Poland in 1939 and Operation Weserübung in 1940.
On 18 February 1944, west of Pillau, U-7 sank in what is believed to have been a malfunction during a diving manoeuvre. There were no survivors.[13]
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[15] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 September 1939 | Akenside |  United Kingdom |
2,694 | Sunk |
| 29 September 1939 | Takstaas |  Norway |
1,830 | Total loss |
References
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Kurt Freiwald". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Otto Salman (German Cross in Gold)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Werner Heidel". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Karl Schrott". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Günther Reeder (German Cross in Gold)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ernst-Ulrich Brüller". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hans-Günther Kuhlmann". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Heinrich Schmid". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Siegfried Koitschka (Knight's Cross)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Otto Hübschen". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hans Schrenk". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Günther Loeschcke". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- 1 2 Kemp 1997, p. 170.
- 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 39–40.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-7". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
Bibliography
- 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.
- Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
- Neistlé, Axel (2014). German U-Boat Losses during World War II: Details of Destruction. (2 ed.). Havertown: Frontline Books (published 30 June 2014).
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IIB boat U-7". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 7". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 1 February 2015.
Coordinates: 54°52′00″N 19°29′08″E / 54.86667°N 19.48556°E
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