Name U-562 Yard number 538 Commissioned 20 March 1941 Launched 24 January 1941 Draft 4.74 m Builder Blohm + Voss | Ordered 16 October 1939 Laid down 7 February 1940 Construction started 7 February 1940 Length 67 m Beam 6.2 m | |
Fate Sunk 19 February 1943 in the Mediterranean Sea NE of Bengazi in position , by a RAF Wellington aircraft and RN ships HMS Isis and HMS Hursley. Part of 1st U-boat Flotilla, 29th U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-562 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 7 February 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 538, launched on 24 January 1941 and commissioned on 20 March 1941 under Oberleutnant zur See Herwig Collmann.
Contents
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-562 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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-562 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, 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 forty-four and sixty.
Service history
The boat's service began on 20 March 1941 with training as part of the 1st U-boat Flotilla. She transferred to the 29th Flotilla on 1 January 1942 for active service, in the Mediterranean.
In ten patrols she sank six merchant ships, for a total of 37,287 gross register tons (GRT), plus one ship damaged.
Fate
U-562 was sunk on 19 February 1943 in the Mediterranean Sea NE of Bengazi in position 32°57′N 20°54′E, by a RAF Wellington bomber of 38 Squadron together with Royal Navy vessels, the destroyer HMS Isis and destroyer escort HMS Hursley. All 49 hands were lost.
Wolfpacks
U-562 took part in two wolfpacks, namely