Name U-3501 Yard number 1646 Commissioned 29 July 1944 Launched 19 April 1944 Builder Schichau-Werke | Ordered 6 November 1943 Laid down 20 March 1944 Construction started 20 March 1944 Draft 6.32 m | |
Fate Scuttled on 5 May 1945 or 1 May 1945 |
German submarine U-3501 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 20 March 1944 at F Schichau GmbH, Danzig, as yard number 1646. She was launched on 19 April 1944, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Münster, on 29 July 1944.
Contents
Design
Like all Type XXI U-boats, U-3501 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-3501 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-3501 was scuttled on 5 May 1945, or 1 May 1945, in the Weser estuary, near Nordenham, as part of Operation Regenbogen. The wreck was later raised and broken up.