Name U-538 Yard number 356 Commissioned 10 February 1943 Launched 20 November 1942 Draft 4.67 m | Ordered 10 April 1941 Laid down 18 April 1942 Construction started 18 April 1942 Length 77 m Beam 6.86 m | |
Fate Sunk, November 1943 southwest of Ireland by British warships Part of 4th U-boat Flotilla, 2nd U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-538 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Contents
She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as yard number 356 on 18 April 1942, launched on 20 August and commissioned on 10 February 1943 with Kapitänleutnant Johann-Egbert Gosseler in command.
U-538 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 10 February 1943. She was reassigned to the 2nd flotilla for operations on 1 November.
She carried out one patrol and did not sink any ships. She was a member of one wolfpack.
She was sunk in November 1943 southwest of Ireland by British warships.
Design
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-538 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 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 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-538 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.
Patrol and loss
The boat departed Kiel on 10 April 1943, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean. She was heading for the French Atlantic ports.
She was sunk on 21 November 1943 southwest of Ireland by depth charges dropped from the British frigate Foley and the sloop HMS Crane.
Fifty-five men died; there were no survivors.
Wolfpacks
U-538 took part in one wolfpack, namely.