German submarine U-600
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany
| |
| Name: | U-600 |
| Ordered: | 22 May 1940 |
| Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Yard number: | 576 |
| Laid down: | 25 January 1941 |
| Launched: | 16 October 1941 |
| Commissioned: | 11 December 1941 |
| Fate: | Sunk 25 November 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 40°31′N 22°07′W / 40.517°N 22.117°W, by depth charges from HMS Bazely and HMS Blackwood. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: |
|
| Beam: |
|
| Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power: |
|
| Propulsion: |
|
| Speed: |
|
| Range: | |
| Test depth: |
|
| Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament: |
|
- 5th U-boat Flotilla
- 11 December 1941 – 31 July 1942 - Training
- 3rd U-boat Flotilla
- 1 August 1942 – 25 November 1943
- Kptlt. Bernhard Zurmühlen
- 11 December 1941 – 25 November 1943
- 1st patrol: 14 July – 22 September 1942
- 2nd patrol: 22 November – 27 December 1942
- 3rd patrol: 11 February – 26 March 1943
- 4th patrol: 25 April – 11 May 1943
- 5th patrol: 12 June – 10 September 1943
- 6th patrol: 7–25 November 1943
German submarine U-600 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 25 January 1941 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 576, launched on 16 October 1941 and commissioned on 11 December 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Bernhard Zurmühlen.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-600 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-600 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 service began on 11 December 1941 with training as part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 3rd Flotilla, operating out of La Pallice, France, on 1 August 1942 for active service in the North Atlantic.
In six patrols she sank five merchant ships, for a total of 28,600 GRT, plus three merchant ships damaged.
Wolfpacks
U-600 took part in eight wolfpacks, namely
- Draufgänger (29 November – 11 December 1942)
- Raufbold (11–22 December 1942)
- Knappen (19 February 1943 – 25 February 1943)
- Burggraf (4–5 March 1943)
- Raubgraf (7–20 March 1943)
- Drossel (29 April – 5 May 1943)
- Schill 1 (16–22 November 1943)
- Weddigen (22–25 November 1943)
Fate
U-600 was sunk on 25 November 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 40°31′N 22°07′W / 40.517°N 22.117°WCoordinates: 40°31′N 22°07′W / 40.517°N 22.117°W, by depth charges from Royal Navy frigates HMS Bazely and HMS Blackwood. All 45 hands were lost.
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 August 1942 | Vivian P. Smith |  United Kingdom |
130 | Sunk |
| 13 August 1942 | Delmundo |  United States |
5,032 | Sunk |
| 13 August 1942 | Everelza |  Latvia |
4,520 | Sunk |
| 29 October 1942 | Kosmos II |  Norway |
16,966 | Sunk |
| 8 December 1942 | James McKay | United States |
6,762 | Sunk |
| 24 February 1943 | Ingria | Norway |
4,391 | Damaged |
| 17 March 1943 | Irénée Du Pont | United States |
6,125 | Damaged |
| 17 March 1943 | Nariva | United Kingdom |
8,714 | Damaged |
| 17 March 1943 | Southern Princess | United Kingdom |
12,156 | Sunk |
References
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-600". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-600". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 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. p. 161. 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-600". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.