German submarine U-579

History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-579
Ordered: 8 January 1940
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number: 555
Laid down: 31 August 1940
Launched: 28 May 1941
Commissioned: 17 July 1941
Fate: Sunk in the Kattegat by a British aircraft, May 1945
General characteristics
Class and type: Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power:
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament:
Service record[1]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Dietrich Lohmann
  • 17 July – 22 October 1941
  • Oblt.z.S. Günther Ruppett
  • 27 May 1942 – October 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Gerhard Linder
  • October 1942 – September 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans-Dietrich Schwarzenberg
  • September 1944 – 5 May 1945
Operations: None
Victories: None

German submarine U-579 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out no patrols and sank no ships.

She was sunk in the Kattegat by a British aircraft, in May 1945.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-579 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-579 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 31 August 1940 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 555, launched on 28 May 1941 and commissioned on 17 July under the command of Kapitänleutnant Dietrich Lohmann.

She served with the 5th U-boat Flotilla from 17 July 1941, the 24th flotilla from 27 May 1942, the 23rd flotilla from 1 September 1943 and the 4th flotilla from 1 March 1945, all for training.

The boat had been sunk in the Baltic Sea in October 1941. She was raised and returned to service in April 1942.

Fate

U-579 was sunk in the Kattegat east of Aarhus in Denmark on 5 May 1945 by depth charges from a British B-24 Liberator of No. 547 Squadron RAF.

Twenty-four men died with U-579; the number of survivors is not known.

References

  1. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-579". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6. 
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2. 
  • 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. 

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