History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name: | U-568 |
Ordered: | 24 October 1939 |
Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
Yard number: | 544 |
Laid down: | 27 April 1940 |
Launched: | 6 March 1941 |
Commissioned: | 1 May 1941 |
Fate: | Sunk 29 May 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea NE of Tobruk in position 32°42′N 24°53′E / 32.700°N 24.883°E, by RN ships HMS Hero, Eridge and Hurworth. |
General characteristics [1] | |
Class & type: | Type VIIC submarine |
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Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draft: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
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Propulsion: |
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Speed: |
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Range: | |
Test depth: |
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Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament: |
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German submarine U-568 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 27 April 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 544, launched on 6 March 1941 and commissioned on 1 May 1941 under Kptlt. Joachim Preuss.
Contents
Service record[2] | |
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Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-568 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[1] It had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged 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 BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. It had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. It was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[1]
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).[1] When submerged, it could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, it could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-568 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at its bow and one at its stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. It had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[1]
Service history
The boat's service began on 1 May 1941 with training as part of the 3rd U-boat Flotilla. She transferred to the 29th Flotilla on 1 January 1942 for active service, in the Mediterranean.
In five patrols she sank one merchant ship, two warships and damaged one warship.
Wolfpacks
She took part in four wolfpacks, namely
- Grönland (10 – 23 August 1941)
- Kurfürst (23 August – 2 September 1941)
- Seewolf (2 – 8 September 1941)
- Reissewolf (21 – 31 October 1941)
Fate
U-568 was sunk on 29 May 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea NE of Tobruk in position 32°42′N 24°53′E / 32.700°N 24.883°E, by Royal Navy vessels, the destroyer HMS Hero, and escort destroyers HMS Eridge and HMS Hurworth. All 47 hands survived.[3]
Summary of raiding career
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[4] |
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12 August 1941 | HMS Picotee | Royal Navy | 925 | Sunk |
16 October 1941 | Empire Heron | United Kingdom | 6,023 | Sunk |
17 October 1941 | USS Kearny | United States Navy | 1,630 | Damaged |
24 December 1941 | HMS Salvia | Royal Navy | 925 | Sunk |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Gröner 1985, pp. 72-74.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-568". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ Busch & Röll 1999.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-568". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
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 (1985). U-Boote, Hilfskreuzer, Minenschiffe, Netzleger, Sperrbrecher. Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815–1945 (in German) III (Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe). ISBN 3-7637-4802-4.
- Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-568". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 568". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 28 December 2014.