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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

German Submarine U-431
German submarine U-431 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 4 January 1940 by Schichau-Werke in Danzig as yard number 1472, launched on 2 February 1941 and commissioned on 5 April 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Dommes (Knight's Cross).

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-431 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. 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 AEG GU 460/8-276 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).

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). 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-431 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.

Service history

The boat's service began on 5 April 1941 for training as part of the 3rd U-boat Flotilla. Afterwards she transferred to the 29th flotilla operating in the Mediterranean on 1 January 1942. In 16 patrols she sank or damaged 11 ships in total.

Wolfpacks

She took part in one wolfpack, namely:

Fate

She was sunk on 21 October 1943 in the Mediterranean off Algiers at position 37°23′N 00°35′E / 37.383°N 0.583°E / 37.383; 0.583 by depth charges dropped from a RAF Wellington bomber of 179 Squadron, operating out of Gibraltar. All hands were lost.

Summary of raiding history

Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage Fate
2 October 1941 Hatasu  United Kingdom 3,198 Sunk
13 December 1941 Myriel  United Kingdom 3,560 Damaged
29 January 1942 HMS Sotra  Royal Navy 313 Sunk
20 May 1942 Eocene  United Kingdom 4,216 Sunk
15 June 1942 HMS LCT-119  Royal Navy 450 Damaged
10 November 1942 HMS Martin  Royal Navy 1,920 Sunk
13 November 1942 HNLMS Isaac Sweers  Royal Netherlands Navy 1,628 Sunk
23 January 1943 Alexandria  Egypt 100 Sunk
25 January 1943 Mouyassar  Syria 47 Sunk
25 January 1943 Omar el Kattab  Syria 38 Sunk
26 January 1943 Hassan  Syria 80 Sunk

See also