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German submarine U-133 (1941)

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German World War II submarine For other ships with the same name, see German submarine 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)

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. Almost ten years later, in the mid-90s, the same wreck was further identified by Greek divers as the U-133.

Design

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. 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).

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-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.

Summary of raiding history

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

References

Notes

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

Citations

  1. ^ 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

  • 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.

External links

37°50′N 23°35′E / 37.833°N 23.583°E / 37.833; 23.583

Type VII submarines
Type VIIA
Type VIIB
Type VIIC
Type VIIC/41
Type VIID
Type VIIF
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in March 1942
Shipwrecks
Other incidents
1941 1942 1943
February 1942 April 1942
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