German submarine U-52 (1939)

For other ships of the same name, see German submarine U-52.
Career
Name: U-52
Ordered: 15 May 1937[1]
Builder: Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number: 587
Laid down: 9 March 1937[1]
Launched: 21 December 1938[1]
Commissioned: 4 February 1939[1]
Struck: October 1943
Fate: Scuttled at Danzig, 3 May 1945
Broken up, 1946-7[1]
General characteristics
Type: Type VIIB submarine[1]
Displacement: 753 long tons (765 t) surfaced
857 long tons (871 t) submerged
Length: 66.6 m (218 ft 6 in) o/a
48.8 m (160 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam: 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draught: 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Propulsion: 2 × supercharged MAN, 6-cylinder, 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesel engines totalling 2,800–3,200 bhp (2,100–2,400 kW). Max rpm: 470-490
2 × Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 electric motors, totalling 750 shp (560 kW). Max rpm: 322
Speed: 17.9 knots (20.6 mph; 33.2 km/h) surfaced
8 knots (9.2 mph; 15 km/h) submerged
Range: 16,095 km (8,691 nmi) at 10 kn (19 km/h) surfaced
175 km (94 nmi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged
Test depth: 220 m (720 ft)
Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft)
Complement: 44–48 officers & ratings
Armament: • 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes: 4 bow, 1 stern
• 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines
• 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck gun with 220 rounds
• 1 × C30 20 mm AA
Service record
Part of: 7th U-boat Flotilla
(4 February 1939–31 May 1941)

26th U-boat Flotilla
(1 June 1941–31 March 1942)
24th U-boat Flotilla
(1 April 1942–30 September 1943)
23rd U-boat Flotilla
(1 October–21 October 1943)
Commanders: Oblt. Wolfgang Barten
(February 1939–September 1939)

Kptlt. Otto Salman
(November 1939–June 1941)
Kptlt. Helmut Möhlmann
(March–April 1941)
Kptlt. Otto Salman
(April–June 1941)
Oblt. Wolf-Rüdiger von Rabena
(June–July 1941)
Oblt. Freiherr Walter von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen
(July 1941–January 1942)
Oblt. Friedrich Mumm
(January –July 1942)
Oblt. Hermann Rossmann
(July 1942 –March 1943)
Oblt. Ernst-August Racky
(April –October 1943)
Operations: 8 patrols: 19 August 1939–1 May 1941
Victories: Thirteen vessels sunk (56,333 GRT)

German submarine U-52 was a Type VIIB U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was initially ordered on 15 May 1937 in violation of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, and laid down on 9 March 1938 at the yards of F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG in Kiel as werk 587. Launched on 21 December 1938, she was comissioned on 4 February 1939 under the command of Kptlt. Wolfgang Barten.

U-52 undertook eight war patrols in the Battle of the Atlantic, before being scuttled at Danzig in 1945 and broken up in 1947.

Raiding career

Date Ship Nationality Tonnage Fate
19 June 1940 The Monarch British 824 Sunk
19 June 1940 Ville de Namur Belgian 7,463 Sunk
21 June 1940 Hilda Finnish 1,144 Sunk
14 July 1940 Thetis A. Greek 4,111 Sunk
4 August 1940 Geraldine Mary British 7,244 Sunk
4 August 1940 Gogovale British 4,586 Sunk
4 August 1940 King Alfred British 5,272 Sunk
2 December 1940 Goodleigh British 5,448 Sunk
2 December 1940 Tasso British 1,586 Sunk
4 February 1941 Ringhorn Norwegian 1,298 Sunk
10 February 1941 Canford Chine British 3,364 Sunk
10 April 1941 Saleier Dutch 6,563 Sunk
14 April 1941 Ville de Liège Belgian 7,430 Sunk

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b c d e f "Uboat.net article on U-76". Uboat Encyclopedia. Uboat.net. http://uboat.net/boats/u52.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-18. 
Bibliography

See also