Name U-1131 Yard number 33 Commissioned 20 May 1944 Construction started 6 February 1943 Draft 4.74 m | Ordered 25 August 1941 Laid down 6 February 1943 Fate Sunk on 30 March 1945 Launched 3 April 1944 | |
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Builder Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | ||
German submarine U-1131 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Contents
She was ordered on 25 August 1941, and was laid down on 6 February 1943 at Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel, as yard number 33. She was launched on 3 April 1944 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Günther Fiebig on 20 April 1944.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-1131 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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-1131 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA mines, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between 44 — 52 men.
Service history
On 30 March 1945, U-1131 was destroyed by bombs while inside a pontoon dock southeast of the U-boat bunker Fink II at Hamburg-Finkenwerder. U-1131 was caught in a US 8th Air Force raid. The wreck was later broken up.
The wreck was located at 53°32′5″N 09°51′3″E.