German submarine U-252 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 1 November 1940 at the Vegesacker Werft at Bremen as yard number 17, launched on 14 August 1941 and commissioned on 4 October under the command of Kapitänleutnant Gunter Schiebusch.
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-252 |
| Ordered | 23 September 1939 |
| Builder | Vegesacker Werft, Bremen |
| Yard number | 17 |
| Laid down | 1 November 1940 |
| Launched | 14 August 1941 |
| Commissioned | 4 October 1941 |
| Fate | Sunk, 14 April 1942[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | |
| Test depth |
|
| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record[2][3] | |
| Part of: |
|
| Identification codes: | M 32 853 |
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: |
|
| Victories: |
1 merchant ship sunk (1,355 GRT) |
Schiebusch was replaced by Kapitänleutnant Kai Lerchen on 21 December 1941. After training with the 6th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel, U-252 was deemed to be ready for front-line service and sailed on her first patrol on 1 April 1942.
On 6 April 1942, U-252 landed espionage agent Ib Riis in Iceland.[4]
U-252 is thought to have sunk the 1,355 GRT Norwegian Fanefield on 9 April.[5] Five days later she encountered convoy OG 82, and was attacked and sunk by depth charges from the sloop HMS Stork and the corvette HMS Vetch on 14 April 1942.[1][6]
Design
editGerman Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-252 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[7] 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).[7]
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).[7] 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-252 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 two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[7]
Summary of raiding history
edit| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[8] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 April 1942 | Fanefjeld |  Norway
|
1,355 | Sunk |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Kemp 1999, p. 81.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-252". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by U-252". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ "Ib Riis - Double Agent".
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Fanefjeld". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
- ^ Neistle p50
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-252". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 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.
- Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
- Niestle, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-352-8.
External links
edit- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-252". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 252". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.