German submarine U-215
History | |
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Name | U-215 |
Ordered | 16 February 1940 |
Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
Yard number | 647 |
Laid down | 15 November 1940 |
Launched | 9 October 1941 |
Commissioned | 22 November 1941 |
Fate | Sunk, 3 July 1942, by HMS Le Tiger |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIID submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.70 m (31 ft 10 in) |
Draught | 5 m (16 ft 5 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | |
Test depth |
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Crew | 4 officers, 40 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record[1][2] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 41 815 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: |
1 merchant ship sunk (7,191 GRT) |
German submarine U-215 was a
Design
As one of the six
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16–16.7 knots (29.6–30.9 km/h; 18.4–19.2 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 69 nautical miles (128 km; 79 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,200 nautical miles (20,700 km; 12,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-215 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), twelve torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun, in addition to five mine tubes with fifteen SMA mines. The boat had a complement of 49.[4]
Service history
U-215 was sunk in the summer of 1942 by British warship
Wreck site
She now lies 270 feet (82 m) beneath the surface of the Atlantic, 150 nautical miles (280 km; 170 mi) off the coast of New England and south of Nova Scotia, in Canadian territorial waters. Four of her five vertical tubes are still sealed, her hatches are still sealed with the remains of 49 German sailors entombed within.[6]
Summary of raiding history
Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage ( GRT )
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Fate[7] |
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3 July 1942 | Alexander Macomb
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7,191 | Sunk |
References
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIID boat U-215". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-215". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
- ^ "German U-Boat Sea Mines – TMA, TMB, SMC". www.uboataces.com. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 66–67.
- ^ "First-ever U-boat found off Canadian coast". www.cba.ca. 13 July 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ^ "USATODAY.com – 'Sea Hunters' find deadly U-215".
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-215". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
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.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIID boat U-215". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 215". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- CBC : First-ever U-boat found off Canadian coast
- USA Today Report : 'Sea Hunters' find deadly U-215
41°28′47.9″N 66°22′47.9″W / 41.479972°N 66.379972°W