German Submarine U-13 (1935)
Design
German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-13 had a displacement of 279 tonnes (275 long tons) when at the surface and 328 tonnes (323 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (254 t), however. The U-boat had a total length of 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in), a pressure hull length of 28.20 m (92 ft 6 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 3.90 m (12 ft 10 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 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 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).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 35–42 nautical miles (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-13 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 twentyfive.
Fate
U-13 was sunk on 31 May 1940, in the North Sea 11 nautical miles (20 km) south-east of Lowestoft, in position 52°26′N 02°02′E / 52.433°N 2.033°E by depth charges from the British sloop HMS Weston. There were no casualties.
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 September 1939 | Magdapur |  United Kingdom
|
8,641 | Sunk (mine) |
| 16 September 1939 | City of Paris | United Kingdom
|
10,902 | Damaged (mine) |
| 24 September 1939 | Phryné |  France
|
2,660 | Sunk (mine) |
| 30 October 1939 | Cairnmona | United Kingdom
|
4,666 | Sunk |
| 19 November 1939 | Bowling | United Kingdom
|
793 | Sunk |
| 6 January 1940 | City of Marseilles | United Kingdom
|
8,317 | Damaged (mine) |
| 31 January 1940 | Start |  Norway
|
1,168 | Sunk |
| 1 February 1940 | Fram |  Sweden
|
2,491 | Sunk |
| 6 February 1940 | Anu |  Estonia
|
1,421 | Sunk (mine) |
| 17 April 1940 | Swainby | United Kingdom
|
4,935 | Sunk |
| 26 April 1940 | Lily |  Denmark
|
1,281 | Sunk |
| 28 April 1940 | Scottish American | United Kingdom
|
6,999 | Damaged |
References
- ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 39–40.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-13". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
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 IIB boat U-13". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 13". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 4 October 2015.
- "U-boat Archive – U-boat KTB – U-13's 2nd War Patrol". Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
