German submarine U-2516

Last updated
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-2516
Ordered6 November 1943
Builder Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, Germany
Yard number2516
Laid down3 August 1944
Launched27 September 1944
Commissioned24 October 1944
FateSunk on 9 April 1945
General characteristics
Class and type Type XXI submarine
Displacement
  • 1,621  t (1,595 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,819 t (1,790 long tons) submerged
Length
  • 76.70 m (251 ft 8 in) (o/a)
  • 60.50 m (198 ft 6 in) (p/h)
Beam
  • 8 m (26 ft 3 in) (o/a)
  • 5.3 m (17 ft 5 in) (p/h)
Height11.30 m (37 ft 1 in)
Draught6.32 m (20 ft 9 in)
Installed power
  • 4,000 PS (2,900 kW; 3,900 shp) (diesel drive)
  • 5,000 PS (3,700 kW; 4,900 shp) (standard electric drive)
  • 226 PS (166 kW; 223 shp) (silent electric drive)
Propulsion
Speed
  • Surfaced:
  • 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) (diesel)
  • 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) (electric)
  • Submerged:
  • 17.2 knots (31.9 km/h; 19.8 mph) (electric)
  • 6.1 knots (11.3 km/h; 7.0 mph) (silent running motors)
Range
  • 15,500 nmi (28,700 km; 17,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 340 nmi (630 km; 390 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth280 m (920 ft)
Complement57–60 crewmen
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 47 956
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S.d.R Fritz Kallipke
  • 24 October 1944 – 9 April 1945
Operations: None
Victories: None

German submarine U-2516 was a Type XXI U-boat (Elektroboot) of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She spent the war as a trials vessel and was damaged beyond repair by a British air raid while docked and scrapped in Kiel, Germany. [1]

Contents

Construction

The U-2516 was laid down on 3 August 1944 at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany. She was launched on 27 September 1944 and commissioned on 24 October 1944 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve Fritz Kallipke with her U-boat emblem being a red deer. [2]

When she was completed, the submarine was 76.70 metres (251 ft 8 in) long overall (o/a), with a beam of 8 metres (26 ft 3 in) and a draught of 6.32 metres (20 ft 9 in). She was assessed at 1,819 t (1,790 long tons) submerged and 1,621 t (1,595 long tons) when at the surface. The submarine was powered by two MAN SE supercharged six-cylinder M6V40/46KBB diesel engines each producing a total of 4,000 metric horsepower (2,940 kW; 3,950 shp) for use while surfaced and two Siemens-Schuckert GU365/30 double-acting electric motors each providing a total of 5,000 metric horsepower (3,700 kW; 4,900 shp) and two Siemens-Schuckert silent running GV232/28 electric motors each providing 226 metric horsepower (166 kW; 223 shp) for use while submerged. The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 17.2 knots (31.9 km/h; 19.8 mph) with a speed of 6.1 knots (11.3 km/h; 7.0 mph) when running on silent motors. When submerged, the U-boat could operate for 340 nautical miles (630 km; 390 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) and when surfaced, she could travel 15.5000 nautical miles (28.7060 km; 17.8371 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). [3]

The submarine was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (All fitted at the bow) and 23 torpedoes or 17 torpedoes and 12 mines. The boat was also equipped with four 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The submarine had a complement of five officers and 52 men. [1]

Service history

U-2516 did not undertake any combat patrols and was instead assigned as a trials boat to the 31st U-boat Flotilla from 24 October 1944 onward always serving under the same commander until her career's end. [1]

The U-2516 was docked at drydock number 1 in Kiel, Germany, on 9 April 1945 when the docks were attacked at 22:30 by British RAF bombers from Bomber Command's 1st, 3rd and 8th Groups. There were three men aboard U-2516 at the time of the attack working in the engine room. Two of them were killed when several bombs hit U-2516, which had also damaged her beyond repair ending her war career. Also destroyed by the bombing of Kiel that night was the U-1227. [4] The wreck of U-2516 lay where she was sunk until she was scrapped after the war's end. [4]

Related Research Articles

German submarine U-483 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-2519 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. The submarine was laid down on 24 August 1944 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, launched on 13 October 1944, and commissioned on 15 November 1944 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Peter-Erich Cremer, who commanded her until February 1945. U-2519 conducted no patrols and was scuttled on 3 May 1945 in Kiel. The wreck was broken up.

German submarine U-2545 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The Elektroboote submarine was laid down on 20 November 1944 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, launched on 22 February 1945, and commissioned on 8 April 1945 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Otto von Bülow.

German submarine U-2507 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 4 June 1944 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, as yard number 2507. She was launched on 14 August 1944, and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Paul Siegmann on 8 September 1944.

German submarine U-2508 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 13 June 1944 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, as yard number 2508. She was launched on 19 August 1944, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Uwe Christiansen on 26 September 1944.

German submarine U-2512 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 13 July 1944 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, as yard number 2512. She was launched on 7 September 1944, and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Hubert Nordheimer on 10 October 1944.

German submarine U-2520 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 24 August 1944 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, as yard number 2520. She was launched on 16 October 1944, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Albrecht Schubart on 25 December 1944.

German submarine U-3510 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 6 August 1944 at F Schichau GmbH, Danzig, as yard number 1655. She was launched on 4 October 1944, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Ernst-Werner Schwirley on 11 November 1944.

German submarine U-3005 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 21 June 1944 at AG Weser, Bremen, as yard number 1164. She was launched on 19 August 1944, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Walter Sitek on 20 September 1944.

German submarine U-3028 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 26 October 1944 at AG Weser, Bremen, as yard number 1187. She was launched on 22 December 1944, and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Erwin Christophersen on 27 January 1945.

German submarine U-3029 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 24 October 1944 at AG Weser, Bremen, as yard number 1188. She was launched on 28 December 1944, and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Hermann Lamby on 5 February 1945.

German submarine U-3039 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 29 November 1944 at AG Weser, Bremen, as yard number 1198. She was launched on 14 February 1945, and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Günther Ruperti on 8 March 1945.

German submarine U-3518 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 12 September 1944 at F Schichau GmbH, Danzig, as yard number 1663. She was launched on 11 November 1944, and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Herbert Brünning on 29 December 1944.

German submarine U-3525 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 17 October 1944 at F Schichau GmbH, Danzig, as yard number 1670. She was launched on 23 December 1944, and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Hans-Ludwig Gaude on 31 January 1945.

German submarine U-2539 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 27 October 1944 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, as yard number 2539. She was launched on 6 January 1945, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Erich Jewinski on 21 February 1945.

German submarine U-2543 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 13 November 1944 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, as yard number 2543. She was launched on 9 February 1945, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Gottfried Stolzenburg on 7 March 1945.

German submarine U-3003 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 27 May 1944 at AG Weser, Bremen as yard number 1162. She was launched on 18 July 1944, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Ludo Kregelin on 22 August 1944.

German submarine U-3040 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 9 December 1944 at AG Weser, Bremen, as yard number 1199. She was launched on 10 February 1945, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Heinz Robbert on 8 March 1945.

German submarine U-3501 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 20 March 1944 at F Schichau GmbH, Danzig, as yard number 1646. She was launched on 19 April 1944, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Münster on 29 July 1944.

German submarine U-3512 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 15 August 1944 at F Schichau GmbH, Danzig, as yard number 1657. She was launched on 11 October 1944, and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Hans Hornkohl on 27 November 1944.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "U-2516 (+1945)". wrecksite.eu. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  2. ↑ "U-2516". uboat.net. 1995. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  3. ↑ Gröner 1991, p. 85.
  4. 1 2 "U 2516". ubootarchiv.de. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2020.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.