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German submarine U 2542

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Name
  
U-2542

Yard number
  
2542

Commissioned
  
5 March 1945

Construction started
  
10 November 1944

Draft
  
6.32 m

Ordered
  
6 November 1943

Laid down
  
10 November 1944

Fate
  
Sunk on 3 April 1945

Launched
  
22 January 1945

Builder
  
Blohm + Voss

German submarine U-2542 was a Type XXI U-boat (one of the "Elektroboote") of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service in World War II. She was ordered on 6 November 1943, and was laid down on 10 November 1944 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 2542. She was launched on 22 January 1945, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Otto Hübschen, on 5 March 1945.

Contents

Design

Like all Type XXI U-boats, U-2542 had a displacement of 1,621 tonnes (1,595 long tons) when at the surface and 1,819 tonnes (1,790 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 76.70 m (251 ft 8 in) (o/a), a beam length of 8 m (26 ft 3 in), and a draught length of 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN SE supercharged six-cylinder M6V40/46KBB diesel engines each providing 4,000 metric horsepower (2,900 kilowatts; 3,900 shaft horsepower), two Siemens-Schuckert GU365/30 double-acting electric motors each providing 5,000 PS (3,700 kW; 4,900 shp), and two Siemens-Schuckert silent running GV232/28 electric motors each providing 226 PS (166 kW; 223 shp).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) and a submerged speed of 17.2 knots (31.9 km/h; 19.8 mph). When running on silent motors the boat could operate at a speed of 6.1 knots (11.3 km/h; 7.0 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) for 340 nautical miles (630 km; 390 mi); when surfaced, she could travel 15,500 nautical miles (28,700 km; 17,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-2542 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes in the bow and four 2 cm (0.8 in) anti-aircraft guns. She could carry twenty-three torpedoes or seventeen torpedoes and twelve mines. The complement was five officers and fifty-two men.

Fate

U-2542 was sunk on 3 April 1945, by bombs, at Kiel near the Hindenburg Bank. The wreck was later raised and broken up.

References

German submarine U-2542 Wikipedia