German submarine U-597

















































































































History

Nazi Germany
Name:
U-597
Ordered:
16 January 1940
Builder:
Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number:
573
Laid down:
13 January 1941
Launched:
1 October 1941
Commissioned:
20 November 1941
Fate:
Sunk southwest of Iceland by a British aircraft, October 1942[1]
General characteristics
Class and type:
Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:

  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced

  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged


Length:

  • 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a

  • 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull


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:

  • 2 shafts

  • 2 × diesel engines

  • 2 × electric motors


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:

  • 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)

  • 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines

  • 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds)

  • 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun


Service record[2]
Part of:

  • 8th U-boat Flotilla

  • 20 November 1941 – 30 June 1942

  • 1st U-boat Flotilla

  • 1 July – 12 October 1942


Commanders:


  • K.Kapt. Eberhard Bobst

  • 20 November 1941 – 12 October 1942


Operations:

  • 1st patrol: 27 June – 16 August 1942

  • 2nd patrol: 16 September – 12 October 1942


Victories:
None

German submarine U-597 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.


She was a member of eight wolfpacks, carried out two patrols but sank no ships.


She was sunk southwest of Iceland by a British aircraft, in October 1942.




Contents






  • 1 Design


  • 2 Service history


    • 2.1 1st patrol


    • 2.2 2nd patrol and loss


    • 2.3 Wolfpacks




  • 3 References


  • 4 Bibliography


  • 5 External links





Design


German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-597 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] 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).[3]


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).[3] 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-597 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.[3]



Service history


The submarine was laid down on 13 January 1941 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 573, launched on 1 October and commissioned on 20 November under the command of Kapitänleutnant Eberhard Bopst.


She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 20 November 1941 for training and the 1st flotilla from 1 July 1942 for operations.



1st patrol


U-597 departed Kiel on 12 October 1942 and headed for the Atlantic Ocean. Her route took her through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands toward Newfoundland[4]


She arrived in Brest in occupied France on 16 August.



2nd patrol and loss


She departed Brest on 16 September and was sunk less than a month later on 12 October by depth charges dropped by a British B-24 Liberator of No. 120 Squadron RAF piloted by Squadron Leader Terry Bulloch.[5]


Forty-nine men died in U-597; there were no survivors.



Wolfpacks


U-597 took part in eight wolfpacks, namely.




  • Wolf (13–30 July 1942)

  • Pirat (30 July - 3 August 1942)


  • Steinbrinck (3–11 August 1942)

  • Blitz (22–26 September 1942)

  • Tiger (26–30 September 1942)

  • Luchs (1–6 October 1942)

  • Panther (6–12 October 1942)

  • Leopard (12 October 1942)



References





  1. ^ Kemp 1997, p. 92.


  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-597". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 14 October 2012..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}


  3. ^ abcd Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.


  4. ^ The Times Atlas of the World - Third edition, revised 1995,
    ISBN 0 7230 0809 4, p. 55



  5. ^ "Squadron Leader Terry Bulloch - obituary". Daily Telegraph. 23 Nov 2014. Retrieved 23 Nov 2014.




Bibliography


.mw-parser-output .refbegin{font-size:90%;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul{list-style-type:none;margin-left:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li,.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>dl>dd{margin-left:0;padding-left:3.2em;text-indent:-3.2em;list-style:none}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-100{font-size:100%}



  • 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.


  • Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. p. 91. 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.


  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.




External links



  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-597". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.











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