German submarine U-613
History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-613 |
Ordered | 15 August 1940 |
Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
Yard number | 589 |
Laid down | 6 May 1941 |
Launched | 29 January 1942 |
Commissioned | 12 March 1942 |
Fate | Sunk on 23 July 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 35°32′N 28°36′W / 35.533°N 28.600°W, by depth charges from USS George E. Badger. |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | |
Test depth |
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Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record[1] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 44 892 |
Commanders: | |
Operations: |
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Victories: | 2 merchant ships sunk (8,087 GRT) |
German submarine U-613 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 6 May 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 589, launched on 29 January 1942 and commissioned on 12 March 1942 under Kapitänleutnant Helmut Köppe.
Design
[edit]German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-613 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-613 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
[edit]The boat's career began with training at 8th U-boat Flotilla on 12 March 1942, followed by active service on 1 November 1942 as part of the 3rd U-boat Flotilla for the remainder of her service.
In four patrols she sank two merchant ships, for a total of 8,087 gross register tons (GRT).
Wolfpacks
[edit]U-613 took part in six wolfpacks, namely:
- Natter (2 – 8 November 1942)
- Westwall (8 – 18 November 1942)
- Habicht (10 – 19 January 1943)
- Haudegen (19 January – 9 February 1943)
- Adler (7 – 13 April 1943)
- Meise (13 – 25 April 1943)
Fate
[edit]U-613 was sunk on 23 July 1943 in the North Atlantic south of the Azores, in position 35°32′N 28°36′W / 35.533°N 28.600°W, by depth charges from USS George E. Badger. All hands were lost.
Summary of raiding history
[edit]Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate[3] |
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7 November 1942 | Roxby | United Kingdom | 4,252 | Sunk |
11 April 1943 | Ingerfire | Norway | 3,835 | Sunk |
References
[edit]- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-613". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-613". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
Bibliography
[edit]- 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). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 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
[edit]- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-613". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.