U-37, (an identical U-boat to U-40) at Lorient in 1940. |
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| Career (Nazi Germany) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-40 |
| Ordered: | 29 July 1936[1] |
| Builder: | AG Weser, Bremen[1] |
| Yard number: | 945[1] |
| Laid down: | 1 July 1937[1] |
| Launched: | 9 November 1938[1] |
| Commissioned: | 11 February 1939[1] |
| Fate: | Sunk on 13 October 1939 in the English Channel by mines. 45 dead and 3 survivors.[2] |
| General characteristics [3][4] | |
| Type: | Type IXA submarine |
| Displacement: | 1,032 t (1,016 long tons) surfaced 1,152 t (1,134 long tons) submerged |
| Length: | 76.6 m (251 ft 4 in) o/a 58.7 m (192 ft 7 in) pressure hull |
| Beam: | 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in) o/a 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
| Height: | 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in) |
| Draft: | 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, 4,400 hp (3,281 kW) 2 × SSW GU345/34 double-acting electric motors, 1,000 hp (746 kW) |
| Speed: | 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h) surfaced 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h) submerged |
| Range: | 19,425 nmi (35,975 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced 144 nmi (267 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged |
| Test depth: | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement: | 48 to 56 |
| Armament: | • 6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) • 22 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedoes • 1 × Utof 105 mm/45 deck gun (110 rounds) • AA guns |
| Service record | |
| Part of: | Kriegsmarine: 6th U-boat Flotilla (11 February 1939-13 October 1939) |
| Identification codes: | M 19 297 |
| Commanders: | Werner von Schmidt Wolfgang Barten |
| Operations: | 2 |
| Victories: | No ships sunk or damaged |
German submarine U-40 was a Type IXA U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II.[2]
U-40 was ordered by the German Kriegsmarine on 29 July 1936 and her keel was laid down on 1 July 1937, by AG Weser of Bremen as "Werk 945" (Construction project 945). She was launched on 9 November 1938 and commissioned on 11 February 1939 with Kapitänleutnant Werner von Schmidt in command.[2]
U-40 conducted two war patrols during her career. Both of which were part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. During her short time in the war, she sank no ships. U-40 was sunk on 13 October 1939 by mines in the English Channel.[2]
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U-40 was ordered by the German Kriegsmarine on 29 July 1936 (as part of Plan Z and in violation of the Treaty of Versailles). Her kneel was laid down on 1 July 1937 by AG Weser, Bremen as Werk 945. U-40 was launched on 9 November 1938 and commissioned on 11 February 1939 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Werner von Schmidt.[2]
Like all other Type IXA U-boats, U-40 had 2 MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, that put out 4,400 hp (3,281 kW) as well as 2 SSW GU345/34, double-acting electric motors that produced 1,000 hp (746 kW) and allowed her to travel at 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h) while surfaced and 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h) submerged. She had a range of 19,425 nmi (35,975 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) while on the surface and 144 nmi (267 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) while submerged. U-40 had 6 torpedo tubes (four in the bow, two in the stern). She also carried a total of 22 533 mm (21 in) torpedoes and had a Utof 105 mm/45 deck gun that held 110 rounds. She was also equipped with 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft guns. U-40 had a crew of forty-eight men, however she could hold up to fifty-six crew members at any given time. After being commissioned and deployed, U-40 was stationed in the German port city of Wilhelmshaven.[3][4] This city was to be her home port for the rest of her fairly short career.[2]
U-40 left her home port of Wilhelmshaven on 19 August 1939, before World War II even began, for her first war patrol at sea. For nearly four weeks U-40 operated off the coast of Gibraltar, before returning home to port on 18 September of that same year.[5] U-40 would once again leave Wilhelmshaven, this time under the command of Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Barten, on 10 October 1939. During this patrol, U-40 was to conduct joint operations off the coasts of Portugal and Spain.[6]
On 13 October 1939, U-40 was sunk by British mines.[7] U-40 was to operate as part of the first pack of U-boats in World War II; however, because she left port late, Barten decided to take a shortcut to the U-boat's designated meeting point, southwest of Ireland. This shortcut was through the English Channel, which was filled with British naval mines. Choosing to make the voyage nearly three and a half hours after high tide, the mines were not at their lowest point. The boat struck a mine and sunk immediately to the sea floor. However, nine crew members were able to exit through the aft escape hatch. Using escape equipment provided to them, they were able to ascend to the surface; however, one of the nine died on his journey to the surface. Once on the surface, five died from the exposure to the harsh elements of the English Channel. Nearly ten hours after the sinking, the remaining three men were rescued and taken as prisoner of war by the HMS Boreas.[2][6]
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