German submarine U-577
History | |
---|---|
Name | U-577 |
Ordered | 8 January 1940 |
Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
Yard number | 553 |
Laid down | 1 August 1940 |
Launched | 15 May 1941 |
Commissioned | 3 July 1941 |
Fate | Sunk 15 January 1942 in the Mediterranean in position 32°40′N 25°48′E / 32.667°N 25.800°E, by depth charges from RN Swordfish. |
General characteristics [1] | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement |
|
Length |
|
Beam |
|
Draft | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Range | |
Test depth |
|
Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
|
Service record[2] | |
Part of: |
|
Commanders: |
|
Operations: |
|
Victories: | None |
German submarine U-577 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 1 August 1940 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 553, launched on 15 May 1941 and commissioned on 3 July 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Herbert Schauenburg.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-577 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 shaft horsepower (760 PS; 560 kW) 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-577 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 career began with training at 7th U-boat Flotilla on 3 July 1941, followed by active service on 1 October 1941 as part of the 1st Flotilla. On 1 January 1942, she transferred to operations in the Mediterranean with 29th Flotilla, and was sunk just two weeks later.
In 3 patrols she sank no ships.
Wolfpacks
U-577 took part in three wolfpacks, namely
- Stosstrupp (30 October – 1 November 1941)
- Raubritter (1–8 November 1941)
- Störtebecker (17–22 November 1941)
Fate
U-577 was sunk on 15 January 1942 in the Mediterranean NW of Mersa Matruh, in position 32°40′N 25°48′E / 32.667°N 25.800°E, by depth charges from RN Swordfish from 815 Squadron. All hands were lost.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Gröner 1985, pp. 72–74.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-577". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help); Invalid|ref=harv
(help) - Gröner, Erich (1985). U-Boote, Hilfskreuzer, Minenschiffe, Netzleger, Sperrbrecher (in German). Vol. III. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-4802-4.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help); Invalid|ref=harv
(help) - 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-577". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- German Type VIIC submarines
- 1941 ships
- U-boats commissioned in 1941
- Ships lost with all hands
- U-boats sunk in 1942
- U-boats sunk by depth charges
- U-boats sunk by British aircraft
- World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean
- World War II submarines of Germany
- Ships built in Hamburg
- Maritime incidents in January 1942