Name U-657 Yard number 806 Commissioned 8 October 1941 Launched 12 August 1941 Draft 4.74 m | Ordered 9 October 1939 Laid down 5 October 1940 Construction started 5 October 1940 Length 67 m Beam 6.2 m | |
Fate Sunk 17 May 1943 in the North Atlantic in position , by depth charges from HMS Swale. Builder Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft Part of 8th U-boat Flotilla, 3rd U-boat Flotilla, 11th U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-657 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 5 October 1940 by Howaldtswerke, Hamburg as yard number 806, launched on 12 August 1941 and commissioned on 8 October 1941 under Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Jürgen Radke.
Contents
Radke was killed in a fire while the boat was undergoing trials on 14 December 1941.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-657 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 Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 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-657 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 career began with training at 8th U-boat Flotilla on 8 October 1941, followed by active service on 1 March 1942 as part of the 3rd Flotilla in La Pallice, France. Four months later, she transferred to 11th Flotilla, in Bergen, Norway, for the remainder of her service.
In seven patrols she sank one merchant ship, for a total of 5,196 gross register tons (GRT).
Wolfpacks
U-657 took part in six wolfpacks, namely
Fate
U-657 was sunk on 17 May 1943 in the North Atlantic, E of Cape Farewell, Greenland, in position 58°54′N 42°33′W, by depth charges from Royal Navy frigate HMS Swale. All hands were lost.