Name U-16 Yard number 251 Commissioned 16 May 1936 Launched 28 April 1936 Draft 3.9 m Builder Deutsche Werke | Ordered 2 February 1935 Laid down 5 August 1935 Construction started 5 August 1935 Length 43 m Beam 4.08 m | |
 | ||
Fate Sunk on 25 October 1939 in the English Channel near Dover. 28 dead Part of Kriegsmarine, 3rd U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-16 was a Type IIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that served during World War II. It was launched on 28 April 1936, under the command of Heinz Beduhn, with a crew of 23. Its last of four commanders was Horst Wellner.
Contents
Design
German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-16 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 (250 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-16 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.
Service history
From 2 September 1939, until 25 October 1939, U-16 took part in the laying of mines in open water in and around the English Channel, to hamper allied shipping. On 28 September 1939, U-16 sank the Swedish 3,378 ton Nyland. The 57 ton French Sainte Claire was sunk by one of the mines laid by U-16 on 21 November 1939.
Fate
On 25 October 1939, U-16 was transiting the Dover Strait when it was attacked by HMS Puffin and HMS Cayton Wyke. Trying to avoid the depth charges from both ships, U-16 ran aground on the Goodwin Sands, an area that was notorious for both sides. U-16 was lost with all hands; other U-Boats were subsequently obliged to take the significantly longer route north of Scotland to the Western Approaches and the north Atlantic.