German submarine U-130 (1941)

Last updated

U-505chicago.jpg
U-505, a typical Type IXC boat
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-130
Ordered7 August 1939
Builder DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen
Yard number993
Laid down20 August 1940
Launched14 March 1941
Commissioned11 June 1941
FateSunk west of the Azores on 12 March 1943 by USS Champlin [1]
General characteristics
Class and type Type IXC submarine
Displacement
  • 1,120  t (1,100 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length
  • 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a
  • 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam
  • 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range
  • 13,450  nmi (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement4 officers, 44 enlisted48 to 56
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 41 224
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 6 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 1 – 16 December 1941
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 27 December – 25 February 1942
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 24 March 1942 – 6 June 1942
  • 4th patrol:
  • 4 July – 12 September 1942
  • 5th patrol:
  • 29 October – 30 December 1942
  • 6th patrol:
  • 28 February – 12 March 1943
Victories:
  • 21 merchant ships sunk
    (127,608  GRT)
  • 3 auxiliary warships sunk
    (34,407  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (6,986  GRT)

German submarine U-130 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down at the DeSchiMAG AG Weser yard, Bremen as yard number 993 on 20 August 1940, launched on 14 March 1941 and commissioned on 11 June.

Contents

Her service life began with training in the 4th U-boat Flotilla; she moved to the 2nd Flotilla for more training on 1 September 1941 and operations with the same organization on 1 December.

She sank 21 ships, a total of 127,608  GRT and three auxiliary warships totalling 34,407 GRT in six patrols. She also damaged one ship of 6,986 GRT. She was a member of three wolfpacks.

Design

German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXBs. U-131 had a displacement of 1,120 tonnes (1,100 long tons) when at the surface and 1,232 tonnes (1,213 long tons) while submerged. [2] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft). [2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph). [2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,450 nautical miles (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-131 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight. [2]

Service history

First and second patrols

The boat's operational debut was her departure from Kiel on 1 December 1941. Crossing the North Sea, she entered the Atlantic Ocean via the gap between the Faroe and the Shetland Islands. She sank Kurdistan northwest of Northern Ireland on the tenth before docking at Lorient in occupied France on the 16th. U-130 would use this port for the rest of her career. The Kurdistan survivors were picked up by HMS Kingcup and landed at Derry.

The submarine was unsuccessfully attacked by an aircraft on 12 January 1942 in the Cabot Strait, between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland on her second patrol. She then sank two ships on the 13th east of Nova Scotia. She was almost sunk by two Canadian destroyers on the 18th, but the winter weather played a part, hampering both sides. The U-boat moved south, to warmer waters.

Third, fourth and fifth patrols

U-130's third patrol was marked by using her deck gun in conjunction with her torpedoes in the western north Atlantic and the eastern Caribbean when she sank Grenanger on 11 April 1942 and Esso Boston a day later.

The boat's fourth sortie also brought success, this time near the Cape Verde islands. Among others, she sank Tankexpress, Elmwood and Danmark, all in July 1942.

She tried to impede the landings for Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, when she sank three troop transports at anchor off Morocco on 12 November 1942. They were USS Tasker H. Bliss, Edward Rutledge and Hugh L. Scott. The boat then headed off into the Atlantic, north of the Azores.

Sixth patrol and loss

Her last patrol was not without success; she sank Trefusis, Fidra, Empire Tower and Ger-y-Bryn, all on 5 March 1943.

She was sunk on 12 March 1943 by depth charges from the American destroyer USS Champlin west of the Azores. 53 men died. There were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-130 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [3]
10 December 1941 Kirnwood Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,829Sunk
10 December 1941 Kurdistan Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,844Sunk
10 December 1941 Star of Luxor Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg  Egypt 5,298Sunk
13 January 1942 Friar Rock Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 5,427Sunk
13 January 1942 Frisco Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,582Sunk
21 January 1942 Alexander Høegh Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 8,248Sunk
25 January 1942 Varanger Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 9,305Sunk
27 January 1942 Francis E. Powell Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,096Sunk
27 January 1942 Halo Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 6,986Damaged
11 April 1942 Grenanger Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 5,393Sunk
11 April 1942 Esso Boston Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,699Sunk
25 July 1942 Tankexpress Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 10,095Sunk
27 July 1942 Elmwood Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 7,167Sunk
30 July 1942 Danmark Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,391Sunk
9 August 1942 Malmanger Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 7,078Sunk
11 August 1942 Mirlo Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 7,455Sunk
25 August 1942 Viking Star Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,445Sunk
26 August 1942 Beechwood Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,897Sunk
12 November 1942 USS Edward Rutledge Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 9,360Sunk
12 November 1942 USS Hugh L. Scott Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 12,479Sunk
12 November 1942 USS Tasker H. Bliss Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 12,568Sunk
5 March 1943 Empire Tower Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,378Sunk
5 March 1943 Fidra Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,574Sunk
5 March 1943 Ger-y-Bryn Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,108Sunk
5 March 1943 Trefusis Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,299Sunk

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References

Notes

  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. Kemp 1999, p. 107.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-130". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 11 July 2012.

Bibliography

10°00′0″N35°58′3″W / 10.00000°N 35.96750°W / 10.00000; -35.96750