German submarine U-82 (1941)

Last updated
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-82
Ordered25 January 1939
Builder Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number10
Laid down15 May 1940
Launched15 March 1941
Commissioned14 May 1941
FateSunk on 6 February 1942 [1]
General characteristics
Class & type Type VIIC U-boat
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.72 m (15 ft 6 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500  nmi (15,700  km; 9,800  mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement44-52 officers & ratings
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 40 885
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 3 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 11 August – 18 September 1941
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 15 October – 19 November 1941
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 11 January – 6 February 1942
Victories:
  • 8 merchant ships sunk
    (51,859  GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (1,190 tons)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (1,999  GRT)

German submarine U-82 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Contents

Her keel was laid down on 15 May 1940 by Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft of Bremen as yard number 10. She was launched on 15 March 1941 and commissioned on 14 May with Oberleutnant zur See Siegfried Rollmann in command. U-82 conducted three patrols, sinking eight merchant ships for a total of 51,859  gross register tons  (GRT), one warship of 1,190 tons and damaging another merchantman of 1,999 GRT.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-82 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. [2] She 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 MAN M 6 V 40/46 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 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 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 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). [2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-82 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. [2]

Service history

U-82 conducted three patrols whilst serving with the 3rd U-boat Flotilla from 14 May 1941 to 6 February 1942 when she was sunk. She was a member of four wolfpacks.

First patrol

The boat's first patrol began with her departure from Trondheim in Norway on 11 August 1941 after moving from Kiel in July. Her route took her across the Norwegian Sea and through the gap separating Iceland and the Faroe Islands toward the Atlantic Ocean.

She sank the Empire Hudson northeast of Greenland on 10 September 1941 followed by four more ships: the Bulysees, the Gypsum Queen, the Empire Crossbill and the Scania, all on the 11th.

U-82 then docked at Lorient on the French Atlantic coast on 5 July.

Second patrol

The boat sank two more ships on her second foray but when she returned to France she went to La Pallice on 19 November 1941.

Third patrol and loss

On her final patrol, U-82 sank Athelcrown, and Leiesten in mid-Atlantic. At the end of January she attacked and sank HMS Belmont, a US-built, Town-class destroyer, south of Newfoundland. On 6 February 1942, while returning from patrol, she encountered convoy OS 18 north-east of the Azores. While attempting to attack she was sunk with all 45 of her crew by depth charges from the British sloop HMS Rochester and the corvette HMS Tamarisk. [3] [4] [5]

Summary of raiding history

DateShipNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [6]
10 September 1941 Empire Hudson Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,465Sunk
11 September 1941 Bulysses Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,519Sunk
11 September 1941 Empire Crossbill Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,463Sunk
11 September 1941 Gypsum Queen Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,915Sunk
11 September 1941 Scania Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1,999Damaged
21 October 1941 Treverbyn Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,281Sunk
21 October 1941 Serbino Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,099Sunk
22 January 1942 Athelcrown Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 11,999Sunk
23 January 1942 Leisten Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 6,118Sunk
31 January 1942 HMS Belmont Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 1,190Sunk

References

Notes

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

Citations

  1. Neistle p44
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. Kemp 1999, p. 79.
  4. Neistle p44
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-82". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-82". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.

Bibliography