Type VII

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Typ VII A
U 27 to U 36 = 10 U-boats

A medium sized U-boat for high seas operations with a so called saddle tank which had it´s main diving tanks inside the pressure hull. The U-boat was designed on the basis of the Type UB III of the Imperial German Navy, which were true double-hull submarines.Type VII A U-boats were the only German U-boats built after World War I with a stern torpedo tube above the waterline.

Year of construction

1935 / 1936

Shipyard

U 27 to U 32 at AG Weser at Bremen,

U 33 to U 36 at Germaniawerft at Kiel

Displacement

626 t/ 745 t submerged

Length

64.5 m

Beam

5.9 m

Draught

4.4 m

Propulsion

2 Diesel Engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers

Engine Power

2,310 HP/ 750 HP submerged

Speed

16.0 kn/ 8.0 kn submerged

Range

6,200 nmi at 10 kn/ 90 nmi at 4 kn submerged

Diving depth

220 m

Fuel

67 cbm

Armament

4 bow and 1 stern torpedo tube, 11 torpedoes or up to 22 mines,  1×8.8 cm, 1×2 cm guns

Complement

43
U 101

Typ VII B
U 45 to U 55/ U 73 to U 76/ U 83 to U 87/ U 99 to U 102 = 24 U-boats

The U-boat Type VII B differed from Type VII A mainly by slighty bigger dimensions and a bigger fuel tank, that could take an additional 40 cbm of fuel.

Year of construction

1936 to 1940

Shipyard

U 45 to U 55 at Germaniawerft at Kiel,

U 73 to U 76 at Bremer Vulkan at Bremen,

U 83 to U 87 at Flenderwerke at Lübeck,

U 99 to U 102 at Germaniawerft at Kiel

Displacement

753 t/ 857 t submerged

Length

66.5 m

Beam

6.2 m

Draught

4.7 m

Propulsion

2 Diesel Engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers

Engine Power

3,200 HP/ 750 HP submerged

Speed

17.0 kn/ 8.0 kn submerged

Range

6,500 nmi at 10 kn/ 90 nmi at 4 kn submerged

Diving depth

220 m

Fuel

108 cbm

Armament

4 bow and 1 stern torpedo tube, 11 torpedoes or up to 22 mines, 1 x 8.8 cm, 1 x 2 cm guns

Complement

44 to 56
U 378

Typ VII C
U 69 to U 72/ U 77 to U 82/ U 88 to U 98/ U 132 to U 136/ U 201 to U 212/ U 221 to U 232/ U 235 to U 329/ U 331 to U 394/ U 396 to U 458/ U 465 to U 473/ U 475 to U 486/ U 551 to U 683/ U 701 to U 722/ U 731 to U 768/ U 771 to U 779/ U 821 and U 822/ U 825 to U 828/ U 901/ U 903 to U 905/ U 907/ U 921 to U 930/ U 951 to U 995/ U 997 to U 1010/ U 1013 to U 1025/ U 1051 to U 1058/ U 1063 to U 1065/ U 1101 to U 1110/ U 1131 and U 1132/ U 1161 to U 1172/ U 1191 to U 1210/ U 1271 to U 1279/ U 1301 to U 1308
= 659 U-boats

The U-boat Type VII C was the main combat unit of the German U-boat arm in World War II, carrying the bulk of operations and achieving most of the successes. It was employed mainly in the North Atlantic against allied convoys. The U-boats built and commissioned at later stages had minor improvements not only in the shape of the hull but also in the armament, in particular anti aircraft defence. There were forms of the conning tower with considerable variations, such as more and enlarged platforms for AA guns, accomodation of snorkels etc.

Year of construction

1939 to 1945

Shipyard

U 69 to U 72/ U 93 to U 98/ U 201 to U 212/ U 221 to U 232/ U 235 to U 250/ U 1051 to U 1058/ U 1063 to U 1065 at Germaniawerft at Kiel,
U 77 to U 82/ U 132 to U 136/ U 251 to U 300/ U 1271 to U 1279
at Bremer Vulkan in Bremen,
U 88 to U 92/ U 301 to U 329/ U 903 and U 904 at Flenderwerke at Lübeck,
U 331 to U 350/ U 1101 to U 1110 at Nordseewerke at Emden,
U 351 to U 370/ U 1301 to U 1308 at Flensburger Schiffbau Gesellschaft in Flensburg,
U 371 to U 400/ U 651 to U 683/ U 1131 and U 1132 at Howaldtswerke in Kiel,
U 401 to U 430/ U 1161 to U 1172 at Danziger Werft in Danzig
U 431 to U 450/ U 731 to U 750/ U 825 to U 828/ U 1191 to U 1210 at Schichau in Danzig,
U 451 to U 473/ U 475 to U 486 at Deutsche Werke in Kiel,
U 551 to U 650/ U 951 to U 995/ U 997 to U 1010/ U 1013 to U 1025
at Blohm & Voss in Hamburg,
U 701 to U 722/ U 905 and U 907 at Stülcken in Hamburg,
U 751 to U 768/ U 771 to U 779 at Kriegsmarinewerft at Wilhelmshaven,
U 821 and U 822 at Oderwerke at Stettin,
U 901 at Vulcan at Stettin,
U 921 to U 930 at Neptunwerft at Rostock

Displacement

769 t/ 871 t submerged

Length

66.5 m

Beam

6.2 m

Draught

4.8 m

Propulsion

2 Diesel Engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers

Engine Power

3,200 HP/ 750 HP submerged

Speed

17,0 kn/ 7,6 kn submerged

Range

6,500 nmi at 12 kn/ 80 nmi at 4 kn submerged

Diving depth

220 m

Fuel

114 cbm

Armament

4 bow and 1 stern torpedo tube, 14 torpedoes or up to 26 mines,

1 x 3.7 cm,  1 x 8.8 cm, 1 x 2 cm, later 4 x 2 cm twin

Complement

45 to 51
U 218 in front of the Germaniawerft at Kiel

Typ VII D
U 213 to U 218 =U-boats

The U-boat Type VII D equals Type VIIC, has, however, as special modification a section behind the conning tower to accomodate 5 tubes for mines. Within those the U-Boat could take along up to 15 mines.

Year of construction

1940 to 1942

Shipyard

Germania Werft at Kiel

Displacement

965 t/ 1.080 t submerged

Length

76.9 m

Beam

6.4 m

Draught

5.0 m

Propulsion

2 Diesel Engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers

Engine Power

2,800 HP/ 750 HP submerged

Speed

16.0 kn/ 7.3 kn submerged

Range

8,100 nmi at 12 kn/ 69 nmi at 4 kn submerged

Diving depth

200 m

Fuel

170 cbm

Armament

4
bow and 1 stern torpedo tube, 14 torpedoes and 15 mines or up to
39 mines,  1 x 8.8 cm, 1 x 3.7 cm, later 4 x 2 cm twins

Complement

45 to 51
U 1061 at the Germaniawerft at Kiel. The wooden constructions on top served as sight protection against enemy aerial reconnaissance.

Typ VII F
U 1059 to U 1062 = 4 U-boats

The U-boat Type VII F equals Type VII D, was, however, modified to transport torpedoes to East Asia. For this purpose the U-boat could take along up to additional 25 torpedoes

Year of construction

1941 to 1943

Shipyard

Germaniawerft at Kiel

Displacement

1,084 t/ 1,181 t submerged

Length

77.6 m

Beam

7.3 m

Draught

4.9 m

Propulsion

2 Diesel Engines, 2 electric engines, 2 propellers

Engine Power

2,800 HP/ 750 HP submerged

Speed

16.9 kn/ 7.9 kn submerged

Range

9,500 nmi at 12 kn/ 75 nmi at 4 kn submerged

Diving depth

200 m

Fuel

199 cbm

Armament

4 bow and 1 stern torpedo tube, 14 torpedoes and  15 mines or up to
25 torpedoes as transporter, AA: 1 x 3.7 cm, later 4 x 2 cm twin

Complement

45 to 51