German submarine U-601

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History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-601
Ordered22 May 1940
Builder Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number577
Laid down10 February 1941
Launched29 October 1941
Commissioned18 December 1941
FateSunk by depth charges on 25 February 1944
General characteristics
Class and type Type VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 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)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 47 254
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Peter-Ottmar Grau
  • 18 December 1941 – 28 November 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Otto Hansen
  • 29 November 1943 – 25 February 1944
Operations:
  • 10 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 14 July – 3 August 1942
  • 2nd patrol:
  • a. 9 August – 20 September 1942
  • b. 22 – 24 September 1942
  • c. 31 October – 3 November 1942
  • 3rd patrol:
  • a. 5 November – 7 December 1942
  • b. 8 December 1942
  • c. 15 – 24 December 1942
  • d. 3 – 5 April 1943
  • e. 6 – 7 April 1943
  • 4th patrol:
  • a. 15 April – 14 May 1943
  • b. 15 May 1943
  • c. 7 – 10 July 1943
  • 5th patrol:
  • a. 14 – 25 July 1943
  • b. 26 – 27 July 1943
  • c. 29 July 1943
  • 6th patrol:
  • a. 30 July – 28 August 1943
  • b. 13 – 14 September 1943
  • c. 15 – 16 September 1943
  • 7th patrol:
  • a. 16 September – 7 October 1943
  • b. 8 October 1943
  • c. 9 October 1943
  • d. 10 October 1943
  • e. 12 – 14 October 1943
  • f. 17 – 19 October 1943
  • g. 10 – 12 December 1943
  • 8th patrol:
  • 18 December 1943 – 7 January 1944
  • 9th patrol:
  • a. 10 January – 2 February 1944
  • b. 4 – 5 February 1944
  • 10th patrol:
  • 17 – 25 February 1944
Victories: 4 merchant ships sunk
(8,869  GRT)

German submarine U-601 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service in World War II. She was commissioned on 18 December 1941 and sunk on 25 February 1944, having sunk four ships. Her commanders were Peter-Ottmar Grau and Otto Hansen. [1]

Contents

Description

U-601 was built by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 577. She was ordered on 22 May 1940 and the keel was laid down on 10 February 1941. U-601 was launched on 29 October 1941.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-601 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 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 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-601 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

She took part in ten patrols; exclusively in the Arctic Ocean. She was assigned to:

On 23 November 1942, she along with U-625 as part of wolfpack Boreas, attacked Convoy QP 15 and sank the Soviet cargo ship Kuznets Lesov.

Fate

She was sunk by depth charges in the Arctic Ocean on 25 February 1944 North west of Narvik, Norway by a RAF Catalina at position 70°26′N12°40′E / 70.433°N 12.667°E / 70.433; 12.667 . She was lost with all 51 hands.

Wolfpacks

U-601 took part in five wolfpacks, namely:

Summary of raiding history

DateShip NameNationalityTonnage (GRT)Fate [3]
1 August 1942 Krest’janin Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 2,513Sunk
24 August 1942 Kujbyshev Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 2,332Sunk
24 August 1942 Medvezhonok Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 50Sunk
23 November 1942 Kuznets Lesov Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 3,974Sunk

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References

  1. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-601". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-601". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 5 February 2014.

Bibliography

Further reading

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