German submarine U-540

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Career (Nazi Germany)

Name:	U-540
Ordered:	5 June 1941
Builder:	Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number:	361
Laid down:	12 May 1942
Launched:	18 December 1942
Commissioned:	10 March 1943
Fate:	Sunk, October 1943 east of Cape Farewell (Greenland) by two British aircraft^[1]
General characteristics
Type:	Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement:	1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length:	76.8 m (252 ft 0 in) o/a 58.7 m (192 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.9 m (22 ft 8 in) o/a 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.6 m (31 ft 6 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:	19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range:	25,620 nmi (47,450 km; 29,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 117 nautical miles (217 km; 135 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft)
Complement:	48 to 56
Armament:	6 × torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × Utof 105 mm/45 deck gun (110 rounds) AA guns

Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla (10 March–30 September 1943) 10th U-boat Flotilla (1–17 October 1943)
Commanders:	Kptlt. Lorenz Kasch (10 March–17 October 1943)
Operations:	4–17 October 1943
Victories:	None

German submarine U-540 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as 'werk' 361 on 12 May 1942, launched on 18 December and commissioned on 10 March 1943 with Kapitänleutnant Lorenz Kasch in command.

U-540 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 10 March 1943. She was re-assigned to the 10th flotilla for operations on 1 October.

She carried out one patrol and did not sink any ships. She was a member of one wolfpack.

She was sunk in October 1943 east of Cape Farewell (Greenland) by British aircraft.

Operational career

Patrol and loss

The boat departed Kiel on 10 April 1943, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the 'gap' between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean.

She was sunk on 17 October 1943 east of Cape Farewell (Greenland) by depth charges dropped from two British Liberatorss of No. 59 Squadron RAF and 120 Squadron.

Fifty-five men died; there were no survivors.^[2]

References

Notes

↑ Kemp, Paul: U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars, 1997, Arms & Armour, ISBN 1-85409-515-3, pp. 151 and 152
↑ Kemp, pp. 151 and 152

External links

Uboat.net: U-540
U-540 at Ubootwaffe

v t e German Type IXC submarine

U-66 U-67 U-68 U-125 U-126 U-127 U-128 U-129 U-130 U-131 U-153 U-154 U-155 U-156 U-157 U-158 U-159 U-160 U-161 U-162 U-163 U-164 U-165 U-166 U-171 U-172 U-173 U-174 U-175 U-176 U-501 U-502 U-503 U-504 U-505 U-506 U-507 U-508 U-509 U-510 U-511 U-512 U-513 U-514 U-515 U-516 U-517 U-518 U-519 U-520 U-521 U-522 U-523 U-524 U-533

Preceded by: Type IXB Followed by: Type IXC/40

List of U-boats of Germany

Coordinates: 58°38′N 31°56′W / 58.633°N 31.933°W / 58.633; -31.933

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