German submarine U-587
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany
| |
| Name: | U-587 |
| Ordered: | 16 January 1940 |
| Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Yard number: | 563 |
| Laid down: | 31 October 1940 |
| Launched: | 23 July 1941 |
| Commissioned: | 11 September 1941 |
| Fate: | Sunk 27 March 1942 in the North Atlantic in position 47°21′N 21°39′W / 47.350°N 21.650°W, by depth charges from Royal Navy surface ships. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: |
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| Beam: |
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| Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: |
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| Test depth: |
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| Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament: |
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- 6th U-boat Flotilla
- 11 September 1941 – 1 January 1942 - Training
- 6th U-boat Flotilla
- 1 January 1942 – 27 March 1942
- K.Kapt. Ulrich Borcherdt
- 11 September 1941 – 27 March 1942
- 1st patrol: 8–31 January 1942
- 2nd patrol: 12 February – 27 March 1942
- 4 merchant ships sunk (22,734 GRT)
- 1 warship sunk (655 tons)
German submarine U-587 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 31 October 1940 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 563, launched on 23 July 1941 and commissioned on 11 September 1941 under Korvettenkapitän Ulrich Borcherdt.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-587 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-587 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 an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
Service history
The boat's short service career began on 11 September 1941 with training, followed by active service on 1 January 1942 as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. It ended just 3 months later when she was sunk in the North Atlantic.
In four patrols she sank four merchant ships, for a total of 22,734 gross register tons (GRT), plus one auxiliary warship sunk.
Wolfpacks
U-587 took part in one wolfpack, namely
- Robbe (15–24 January 1942)
Fate
U-587 was sunk on 27 March 1942 in the North Atlantic in position 47°21′N 21°39′W / 47.350°N 21.650°WCoordinates: 47°21′N 21°39′W / 47.350°N 21.650°W; depth charged by Royal Navy vessels HMS Grove, Aldenham, Volunteer and Leamington. There were no survivors.
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 February 1942 | Anadara |  United Kingdom |
8,009 | Sunk |
| 6 March 1942 | Hans Egede |  Greenland |
900 | Sunk |
| 8 March 1942 | HMS Northern Princess |  Royal Navy |
655 | Sunk |
| 9 March 1942 | Lily |  Greece |
5,719 | Sunk |
| 23 March 1942 | Diala | United Kingdom |
8,106 | Sunk |
References
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-587". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-587". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German) IV (Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler). ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. pp. 137, 138, 167–169. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-587". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.