German submarine Wilhelm Bauer
Wilhelm Bauer (U-2540) at the Maritime Museum (2013)
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History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-2540 |
Ordered | 6 November 1943 |
Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
Yard number | 2540 |
Laid down | 28 October 1944 |
Launched | 13 January 1945 |
Commissioned | 24 February 1945 |
Fate |
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West Germany | |
Name | Wilhelm Bauer |
Namesake | Wilhelm Bauer |
Commissioned | 1 September 1960 |
Decommissioned | 28 August 1968 |
In service | May 1970 |
Out of service | 15 March 1982 |
Fate | Museum ship on 27 April 1984 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type XXI submarine |
Displacement | |
Length | 76.70 m (251 ft 8 in) ( o/a ) |
Beam | 8 m (26 ft 3 in) |
Height | 11.30 m (37 ft 1 in) |
Draught | 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in) |
Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 240 m (790 ft) |
Complement | 5 officers, 52 enlisted |
Sensors and processing systems |
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Armament |
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Service record (Kriegsmarine) | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 52 062 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: | None |
Victories: | None |
German submarine Wilhelm Bauer (originally designated U-2540) is a
Design
Like all
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) and a submerged speed of 17.2 knots (31.9 km/h; 19.8 mph). When running on silent motors the boat could operate at a speed of 6.1 knots (11.3 km/h; 7.0 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) for 340 nautical miles (630 km; 390 mi); when surfaced, she could travel 15,500 nautical miles (28,700 km; 17,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).
Construction and wartime service
Construction of U-2540 began on 28 October 1944 by
Salvage, refit and new service
In June 1957, after more than 12 years on the floor of the
Conversion to museum ship
U-2540 was put on sale by the Ministry of Defence and acquired by the board of trustees of the German Maritime Museum Association and the German Maritime Museum in Bremerhaven. The boat was restored to its original World War II configuration after its transfer in August 1983 to the Seebeck yard, opening on 27 April 1984 as a museum ship in Bremerhaven, now sponsored by the Wilhelm Bauer Technology Museum association. It has imitation twin 30mm cannon and the bridge is not glazed as it was during service with the Bundesmarine.
In popular culture
Whilhem Bauer was featured in an episode of the documentary series Nazi Megastructures in 2016, with an episode titled "Hitler's Killer Subs", which included the history of the design and construction of the Type XXI submarine.
Gallery
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The four bow torpedo tubes on the submarine (Class 241)
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Wilhelm Bauer in Bremerhaven (2002)
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With fresh paint in 2011
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Wilhelm Bauer, panoramic view
Other surviving U-boats
References
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Rudolf Schultze". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ISBN 9781780966618.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, p. 85.
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] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. )
- Gröner, Erich; 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.
External links
Media related to German submarine Wilhelm Bauer at Wikimedia Commons
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-2540". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
- A tour of the submarine (requires QuickTime VR software) (in German)
- U-Boot Type XXI in detail, Essay with numerous photos of the Wilhelm Bauer attached.
- "U-2540 gallery". uboat.net. Archived from the original on 2006-12-05.