Wikipedia

German submarine U-133 (1941)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-133.

German submarine U-133 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 21 August 1940 by Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 12, launched on 28 April 1941 and commissioned on 5 July that year. U-133 sank with all hands lost after striking a mine off Aegina island Greece on 14 March 1942. In 1986 the professional divers Efstáthios "Státhis" Baramátis and Theófilos Klímis spotted by chance a wreck at a depth of 74 meters that was identified as an unknown German submarine.[citation needed] Almost ten years later, in the mid-90s, the same wreck was further identified by Greek divers as the U-133.

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-133
Ordered7 August 1939
BuilderVegesacker Werft GmbH, Bremen-Vegesack
Cost4,760,000 Reichsmark
Yard number12
Laid down21 August 1940
Launched28 April 1941
Commissioned5 July 1941
FateSunk, 14 March 1942
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 43 319
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 3 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 22 October – 26 November 1941
  • 2nd patrol:
  • a. 16 – 26 December 1941
  • b. 28 – 29 December 1941
  • c. 1 – 22 January 1942
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 14 March 1942
Victories: 1 warship sunk
(1,920 tons)

Design

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German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-113 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[1] 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 MAN M6V 40/46 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).[1]

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).[1] 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-113 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[1]

Summary of raiding history

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Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[2]
17 January 1942 HMS Gurkha   Royal Navy 1,920 Sunk

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-133". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 September 2014.

Bibliography

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  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Galon, Dimitri (2021). "The U-133 / The Life and Death of a Historic German Submarine". QUEST Magazine. Vol. 21, no. 4. High Springs, Florida: Global Underwater Explorers.
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37°50′N 23°35′E / 37.833°N 23.583°E / 37.833; 23.583

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