German submarine U-2 (1935)

History
U-2 in Kiel, in 1935
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-2
Ordered:	2 February 1935
Builder:	Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Cost:	1,500,000 Reichsmark
Yard number:	237
Laid down:	11 February 1935^[1]
Launched:	1 June 1935
Commissioned:	25 June 1935
Struck:	9 April 1944
Fate:	Sunk after a collision west of Pillau, 8 April 1944^[2]
General characteristics
Class and type:	IIA coastal submarine
Displacement:	254 t (250 long tons) surfaced 303 t (298 long tons) submerged 381 t (375 long tons) total
Length:	40.90 m (134 ft 2 in) (o/a) 27.80 m (91 ft 2 in) (pressure hull)
Beam:	4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a) 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
Draught:	3.83 m (12 ft 7 in)
Installed power:	700 PS (510 kW; 690 shp) (diesels) 360 PS (260 kW; 360 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 × propeller shafts 2 × 0.85 m (2 ft 9 in) three-bladed propellers 2 × diesel engines 2 × double-acting electric motors
Range:	1,050 nmi (1,940 km; 1,210 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 35 nmi (65 km; 40 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	80 m (260 ft)
Complement:	3 officers, 22 men
Armament:	3 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 5 × torpedoes or up to 12 TMA or 18 TMB 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine U-Boat Training Flotilla 21st U-boat Flotilla
Identification codes:	M 27 610
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Hermann Michahelles 25 July 1935–30 September 1936 Kptlt. Heinrich Liebe 1 October 1936–31 January 1938 Oblt.z.S. Herbert Schultze 31 January–16 March 1938 Kptlt. Helmut Rosenbaum 17 March 1939–5 August 1940 Oblt.z.S. Hans Heidtmann 7 July–5 August 1940 (deputy) Kptlt. Georg von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff 6 August–October 1941 Karl Kölzer October 1941–15 May 1942 Oblt.z.S. Werner Schwaff 16 May–19 November 1942 Oblt.z.S. Helmut Herglotz 20 November–12 December 1943^[3]
Operations:	Two: 1st patrol: 15–29 March 1940 2nd patrol: 4–8 April 1940
Victories:	No ships sunk or damaged

German submarine U-2 was a Type IIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid down 11 February 1935 by Deutsche Werke of Kiel as yard number 237; she was launched on 1 July and commissioned on 25 July 1935 with Oberleutnant zur See (Oblt.z.S.) Hermann Michahelles in command.^[3]

Design

German Type II submarines were based on the Finnish submarine Vesikko. U-2 had a displacement of 254 tonnes (250 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however.^[4] The U-boat had a total length of 40.90 m (134 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 27.80 m (91 ft 2 in), a beam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in), and a draught of 3.83 m (12 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 360 metric horsepower (260 kW; 360 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).^[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph).^[4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 1,600 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-2 was fitted with three 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes at the bow, five torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of 25.^[4]

Service history

She had several commanders over her long career. Michahelles was relieved on 30 September 1936, by Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Heinrich Liebe. Liebe turned command over on 31 January 1938 to Oblt.z.S. Herbert Schultze. On 16 March 1939, Kptlt. Helmut Rosenbaum assumed command and on 7 July 1940, Oblt.z.S. Hans Heidtmann joined Rosenbaum as deputy commander. On 6 August 1940, Georg von Wilamowitz-Moellendorf relieved Rosenbaum and Heidtmann and commanded until October 1941 when Karl Kölzer took over. On 16 May 1942, Oblt.z.S. Werner Schwaff relieved Kölzer, and on 20 November 1942, was relieved by Oblt.z.S. Helmut Herglotz. On 12 December 1943, Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Schwarzkopf took over and commanded the boat until she was lost.

She was used as a school boat and trainer for her entire career except for two completely uneventful combat patrols in early 1940.

Fate

U-2 suffered no casualties to any of her numerous crews until 8 April 1944 when she collided with the German steam trawler Helmi Söhle^{[Note 1]} west of Pillau (today's Baltiysk, Russia) and sank. 17 of her crew were killed; 18 survived. The wreck was raised the next day and stricken.

References

↑ Rössler 1979, p. 99.
↑ Busch & Röll 1999b, p. 215.
1 2 Busch & Röll 1999a, p. 283.
1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 39–40.

Notes

↑ Gröner names the vessel involved in the collision as Hinrich Freese, which according to other sources had already sunk on 16 November 1940 .

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999a). 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 (1999b). 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.
Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 - 1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German). I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IIA boat U-2". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
Hofmann, Markus. "U 2". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.

Coordinates: 54°48′00″N 19°55′01″E / 54.800°N 19.917°E / 54.800; 19.917

German Type II submarines

Type IIA	U-1 U-2 U-3 U-4 U-5 U-6

Type IIB	U-7 U-8 U-9 U-10 U-11 U-12 U-13 U-14 U-15 U-16 U-17 U-18 U-19 U-20 U-21 U-22 U-23 U-24 U-120 U-121

Type IIC	U-56 U-57 U-58 U-59 U-60 U-61 U-62 U-63

Type IID	U-137 U-138 U-139 U-140 U-141 U-142 U-143 U-144 U-145 U-146 U-147 U-148 U-149 U-150 U-151 U-152

Preceded by: Type I Followed by: Type VII List of U-boats of Germany

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in April 1944

Shipwrecks	2 Apr: U-360 3 Apr: U-288 6 Apr: U-302, U-455 7 Apr: U-856 8 Apr: U-2, U-962 9 Apr: U-515 10 Apr: USS SC-497, U-68 11 Apr: Akigumo, U-108 12 Apr: I-174 13 Apr: Ikazuchi 14 Apr: Fort Stikine, U-448 15 Apr: No. 7 16 Apr: U-550 17 Apr: U-342, U-986 18 Apr: USS Gudgeon, Pan-Pennsylvania 19 Apr: U-974 20 Apr: USS Lansdale, Paul Hamilton, Voorbode 21 Apr: M 553 22 Apr: U-311 23 Apr: Amagiri 26 Apr: I-180, U-488, Yoshida Maru No. 1 27 Apr: U-803, Yūbari 28 Apr: USS LST-507 29 Apr: HMCS Athabaskan, I-183, USS PT-346, U-421 Unknown date: Ro-45, U-193, U-355

Other incidents	10 Apr: USS Holder 14 Apr: Bombay explosion, HMHS Chantilly 16 Apr: Pan-Pennsylvania 20 Apr: Bergen explosion 27 Apr: USS Etamin

1943 1944 1945 March 1944 May 1944

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