German submarine U-10 was a Type IIB U-boat built before World War II for service in Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. As she was one of the first batch of boats built following the renunciation of the Treaty of Versailles, she was only capable of coastal and short cruising work. This led to her being reassigned to training duties after the Norwegian campaign of 1940 together with many of her sister boats.
 U-9, a typical Type IIB boat
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-10 |
| Ordered | 20 July 1934 |
| Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number | 544 |
| Laid down | 22 April 1935 |
| Launched | 13 August 1935 |
| Commissioned | 9 September 1935 |
| Fate | Stricken 1 August 1944 at Danzig |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type IIB coastal submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in) |
| Draught | 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 22 men |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Identification codes: | M 04 324 |
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: |
|
| Victories: |
2 merchant ships sunk (6,356 GRT) |
After almost five years she was stricken on 1 August 1944 at Danzig (now Gdańsk) and broken up.
Design edit
German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-10 had a displacement of 279 tonnes (275 long tons) when at the surface and 328 tonnes (323 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however.[1] The U-boat had a total length of 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in), a pressure hull length of 28.20 m (92 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in), and a draught of 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).[1]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph).[1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35–42 nautical miles (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-10 was fitted with three 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes at the bow, five torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of twentyfive.[1]
Operational history edit
U-10 was one of the first batch of submarines to be assigned to an operational unit of the Kriegsmarine, serving with the 1st U-boat Flotilla, at the time known as the Weddigen Flotilla.[2]
Summary of raiding history edit
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 February 1940 | Kvernaas |  Norway
|
1,819 | Sunk |
| 18 February 1940 | Ameland |  Netherlands
|
4,537 | Sunk |
References edit
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 39–40.
- ^ Blair, Clay. Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters, 1939-1942.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-10". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
Bibliography edit
- 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.
- 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.
External links edit
- "The Type IIB boat U-10". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 10". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.