Name U-752 Laid down 5 January 1940 Class and type Type VIIC submarine Launched 29 March 1941 Draft 4.74 m | Ordered 9 October 1939 Commissioned 24 May 1941 Construction started 5 January 1940 Length 67 m Beam 6.18 m | |
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Status Scuttled 23 May 1943 after air rocket attack in North Atlantic Builder Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven Part of Kriegsmarine, 3rd U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-752 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.
Contents
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-752 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-752 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
She served with 3rd U-boat Flotilla from 24 May 1941 to 23 May 1943 under the command of Karl-Ernst Schroeter. U-752 completed nine wartime patrols and sank eight ships and damaged one.
Fate
Thirty-two days into her ninth patrol, on 23 May 1943, U-752 was attacked by Fairey Swordfish aircraft attached to the British escort carrier HMS Archer in the mid-Atlantic. A Rocket Spear, a new weapon with a solid cast iron head, entered and left the pressure hull leaving large holes, thus preventing the U-boat to dive. At the arrival of enemy surface craft, the surviving crew of 17 scuttled the boat and abandoned ship. This was the first success of the Rocket Spear. U-752 sank with 30 men. Heinz Krey was one of them.
Wolfpacks
U-752 took part in ten wolfpacks, namely.