German submarine U-538 | |
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Career (Nazi Germany) | ![]() |
Name: | U-538 |
Ordered: | 10 April 1941 |
Builder: | Deutsche Werft, Hamburg |
Yard number: | 356 |
Laid down: | 18 April 1942 |
Launched: | 20 November 1942 |
Commissioned: | 10 February 1943 |
Fate: | Sunk, November 1943 southwest of Ireland by British warships[1] |
General characteristics | |
Type: | Type IXC/40 submarine |
Displacement: |
1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged |
Length: |
76.8 m (252 ft 0 in) o/a 58.7 m (192 ft 7 in) pressure hull |
Beam: |
6.9 m (22 ft 8 in) o/a 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
Height: | 9.6 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draft: | 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) |
Propulsion: |
2 × MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, 4,400 hp (3,281 kW) 2 × SSW GU345/34 double-acting electric motors, 1,000 hp (746 kW) |
Speed: |
19 knots (35 km/h) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h) submerged |
Range: |
25,620 nmi (47,450 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced 117 nmi (217 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged |
Test depth: | 230 m (750 ft) |
Complement: | 48 to 56 |
Armament: |
• 6 × torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) • 22 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedoes • 1 × Utof 105 mm/45 deck gun (110 rounds) • AA guns |
Service record | |
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Part of: |
4th U-boat Flotilla (10 February–31 October 1943) 2nd U-boat Flotilla (1–21 November 1943) |
Commanders: |
Kptlt. Johann-Egbert Gossler (10 February–21 November 1943) |
Operations: | 24 October–21 November 1943 |
Victories: | None |
German submarine U-538 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as 'werk' 356 on 18 April 1942, launched on 20 August and commissioned on 10 February 1943 with Kapitänleutnant Johann-Egbert Gosseler in command.
U-538 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 10 February 1943. She was re-assigned to the 2nd flotilla for operations on 1 November.
She carried out one patrol and did not sink any ships. She was a member of one wolfpack. She was sunk in November 1943 southwest of Ireland by British warships.
Operational career[]
Patrol and loss[]
The boat departed Kiel on 10 April 1943, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the 'gap' between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean. She was heading for the French Atlantic ports.
She was sunk on 21 November 1943 southwest of Ireland by depth charges dropped from the British frigate, HMS Foley and the sloop Crane.
Fifty-five men died; there were no survivors.[2]
References[]
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Notes[]
- ↑ Kemp, Paul: U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars, 1997, Arms & Armour, ISBN 1-85409-515-3, p. 159
- ↑ Kemp, p. 159
External links[]
- Uboat.net: U-538
- [1] U-538 at Ubootwaffe
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Coordinates: 45°40′N 19°35′W / 45.667°N 19.583°W
The original article can be found at German submarine U-538 and the edit history here.