Name U-713 Laid down 21 October 1941 Launched 24 September 1942 Draft 4.74 m | Ordered 7 December 1940 Commissioned 29 December 1942 Construction started 21 October 1941 Length 67 m Beam 6.2 m | |
Fate Sunk by British destroyer on 24 February 1944 north-west of Narvik | ||
German submarine U-713 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 21 October 1941 at the H. C. Stülcken Sohn yard at Hamburg, launched on 24 September 1942, and commissioned on 29 December 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See d.R. Henri Gosejacob.
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Attached to 8th U-boat Flotilla based at Danzig, U-713 completed her training period on 30 June 1943 and was assigned to front-line service.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-713 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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-713 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
While operating against convoy JW 57 on 24 February 1944, U-713 was spotted by a Swordfish from HMS Chaser. The destroyer HMS Keppel was directed towards the U-boat and attacked with depth charges, sinking U-713 in position 69°27′N 4°53′E.