Name U-568 Yard number 544 Commissioned 1 May 1941 Launched 6 March 1941 Draft 4.74 m Builder Blohm + Voss | Ordered 24 October 1939 Laid down 27 April 1940 Construction started 27 April 1940 Length 67 m Beam 6.18 m | |
Fate Sunk 29 May 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea NE of Tobruk in position , by RN ships HMS Hero, Eridge and Hurworth. Part of 3rd U-boat Flotilla, 29th U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-568 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 27 April 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 544, launched on 6 March 1941 and commissioned on 1 May 1941 under Kptlt. Joachim Preuss.
Contents
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-568 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 BBC 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-568 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 1 May 1941 with training as part of the 3rd U-boat Flotilla. She transferred to the 29th Flotilla on 1 January 1942 for active service, in the Mediterranean.
In five patrols she sank one merchant ship, two warships and damaged one warship.
Wolfpacks
She took part in four wolfpacks, namely
Fate
U-568 was sunk on 29 May 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea NE of Tobruk in position 32°42′N 24°53′E, by Royal Navy vessels, the destroyer HMS Hero, and escort destroyers HMS Eridge and HMS Hurworth. All 47 hands survived.