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(Top) 1 Design 2 Service history 3 Wreck site 4 Summary of raiding history 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External links

German submarine U-215

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History

Nazi Germany
Name	U-215
Ordered	16 February 1940
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	647
Laid down	15 November 1940
Launched	9 October 1941
Commissioned	22 November 1941
Fate	Sunk, 3 July 1942, by HMS Le Tiger
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIID submarine
Displacement	965 tonnes (950 long tons) surfaced 1,080 t (1,060 long tons) submerged
Length	76.90 m (252 ft 4 in) o/a 59.80 m (196 ft 2 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.38 m (20 ft 11 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.70 m (31 ft 10 in)
Draught	5 m (16 ft 5 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	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	16.7 knots (30.9 km/h; 19.2 mph) surfaced 7.9 knots (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph) submerged
Range	11,200 nmi (20,700 km; 12,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 69 km (37 nmi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	200 m (660 ft) Crush depth: 220–240 m (720–790 ft)
Crew	4 officers, 40 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 12 × torpedoes or 26 × TMA or 39 × TMB tube-launched mines 5 × vertical launchers with 15 SMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun (4,380 rounds)
Service record^[1]^[2]
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 22 November 1941 – 30 June 1942 9th U-boat Flotilla 1 – 3 July 1942
Identification codes:	M 41 815
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Fritz Hoeckner 22 November 1941 – 3 July 1942
Operations:	1 patrol: 9 June – 3 July 1942
Victories:	1 merchant ship sunk (7,191 GRT)

German submarine U-215 was a Type VIID mine-laying U-boatofNazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was one of six U-boats of her kind, equipped with special vertical tubes that launched the mines.^[3] Her keel was laid down 15 November 1940 by Germaniawerft in Kiel as yard number 647. The U-boat was launched on 9 October 1941 and commissioned on 22 November with Kapitänleutnant Fritz Hoeckner in command.

Design

[edit]

As one of the six German Type VIID submarines, U-215 had a displacement of 965 tonnes (950 long tons) when at the surface and 1,080 tonnes (1,060 long tons) while submerged.^[4] She had a total length of 76.90 m (252 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 59.80 m (196 ft 2 in), a beam of 6.38 m (20 ft 11 in), a height of 9.70 m (31 ft 10 in), and a draught of 5.01 m (16 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 supercharged four-stroke, six-cylinder 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 AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 shaft horsepower (760 PS; 560 kW) 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).^[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16–16.7 knots (29.6–30.9 km/h; 18.4–19.2 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).^[4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 69 nautical miles (128 km; 79 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,200 nautical miles (20,700 km; 12,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-215 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), twelve torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun, in addition to five mine tubes with fifteen SMA mines. The boat had a complement of 49.^[4]

Service history

[edit]

U-215 was sunk in the summer of 1942 by British warship HMS Le Tiger while on a mission to lay mines in Boston Harbor after attacking and sinking the U.S. liberty ship Alexander Macomb, part of an allied convoy. The wreck was not discovered until 2004.^[5]

Wreck site

[edit]

She now lies 270 feet (82 m) beneath the surface of the Atlantic, 150 nautical miles (280 km; 170 mi) off the coast of New England and south of Nova Scotia, in Canadian territorial waters. Four of her five vertical tubes are still sealed, her hatches are still sealed with the remains of 49 German sailors entombed within.^[6]

Summary of raiding history

[edit]

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate^[7]
3 July 1942	Alexander Macomb	United States	7,191	Sunk

References

[edit]

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIID boat U-215". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 14 December 2009.

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-215". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 14 December 2009.

^ "German U-Boat Sea Mines – TMA, TMB, SMC". www.uboataces.com. Retrieved 14 December 2009.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 66–67.

^ "First-ever U-boat found off Canadian coast". www.cba.ca. 13 July 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2011.

^ "USATODAY.com – 'Sea Hunters' find deadly U-215".

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-215". 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]

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIID boat U-215". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
Hofmann, Markus. "U 215". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.
CBC : First-ever U-boat found off Canadian coast
USA Today Report : 'Sea Hunters' find deadly U-215

v t e Type VII submarines
Type VIIA	U-27 U-28 U-29 U-30 U-31 U-32 U-33 U-34 U-35 U-36
Type VIIB	U-45 U-46 U-47 U-48 U-49 U-50 U-51 U-52 U-53 U-54 U-55 U-73 U-74 U-75 U-76 U-83 U-84 U-85 U-86 U-87 U-99 U-100 U-101 U-102
Type VIIC	U-69 U-70 U-71 U-72 U-77 U-78 U-79 U-80 U-81 U-82 U-88 U-89 U-90 U-91 U-92 U-93 U-94 U-95 U-96 U-97 U-98 U-132 U-133 U-134 U-135 U-136 U-201 U-202 U-203 U-204 U-205 U-206 U-207 U-208 U-209 U-210 U-211 U-212 U-221 U-222 U-223 U-224 U-225 U-226 U-227 U-228 U-229 U-230 U-231 U-232 U-235 U-236 U-237 U-238 U-239 U-240 U-241 U-242 U-243 U-244 U-245 U-246 U-247 U-248 U-249 U-250 U-251 U-252 U-253 U-254 U-255 U-256 U-257 U-258 U-259 U-260 U-261 U-262 U-263 U-264 U-265 U-266 U-267 U-268 U-269 U-270 U-271 U-272 U-273 U-274 U-275 U-276 U-277 U-278 U-279 U-280 U-281 U-282 U-283 U-284 U-285 U-286 U-287 U-288 U-289 U-290 U-291 U-301 U-302 U-303 U-304 U-305 U-306 U-307 U-308 U-309 U-310 U-311 U-312 U-313 U-314 U-315 U-316 U-331 U-332 U-333 U-334 U-335 U-336 U-337 U-338 U-339 U-340 U-341 U-342 U-343 U-344 U-345 U-346 U-347 U-348 U-349 U-350 U-351 U-352 U-353 U-354 U-355 U-356 U-357 U-358 U-359 U-360 U-361 U-362 U-363 U-364 U-365 U-366 U-367 U-368 U-369 U-370 U-371 U-372 U-373 U-374 U-375 U-376 U-377 U-378 U-379 U-380 U-381 U-382 U-383 U-384 U-385 U-386 U-387 U-388 U-389 U-390 U-391 U-392 U-393 U-394 U-396 U-397 U-398 U-399 U-400 U-401 U-402 U-403 U-404 U-405 U-406 U-407 U-408 U-409 U-410 U-411 U-412 U-413 U-414 U-415 U-416 U-417 U-418 U-419 U-420 U-421 U-422 U-423 U-424 U-425 U-426 U-427 U-428 U-429 U-430 U-431 U-432 U-433 U-434 U-435 U-436 U-437 U-438 U-439 U-440 U-441 U-442 U-443 U-444 U-445 U-446 U-447 U-448 U-449 U-450 U-451 U-452 U-453 U-454 U-455 U-456 U-457 U-458 U-465 U-466 U-467 U-468 U-469 U-470 U-471 U-472 U-473 U-475 U-476 U-477 U-478 U-479 U-480 U-481 U-482 U-483 U-484 U-485 U-486 U-551 U-552 U-553 U-554 U-555 U-556 U-557 U-558 U-559 U-560 U-561 U-562 U-563 U-564 U-565 U-566 U-567 U-568 U-569 U-570 U-571 U-572 U-573 U-574 U-575 U-576 U-577 U-578 U-579 U-580 U-581 U-582 U-583 U-584 U-585 U-586 U-587 U-588 U-589 U-590 U-591 U-592 U-593 U-594 U-595 U-596 U-597 U-598 U-599 U-600 U-601 U-602 U-603 U-604 U-605 U-606 U-607 U-608 U-609 U-610 U-611 U-612 U-613 U-614 U-615 U-616 U-617 U-618 U-619 U-620 U-621 U-622 U-623 U-624 U-625 U-626 U-627 U-628 U-629 U-630 U-631 U-632 U-633 U-634 U-635 U-636 U-637 U-638 U-639 U-640 U-641 U-642 U-643 U-644 U-645 U-646 U-647 U-648 U-649 U-650 U-651 U-652 U-653 U-654 U-655 U-656 U-657 U-658 U-659 U-660 U-661 U-662 U-663 U-664 U-665 U-666 U-667 U-668 U-669 U-670 U-671 U-672 U-673 U-674 U-675 U-676 U-677 U-678 U-679 U-680 U-681 U-682 U-683 U-701 U-702 U-703 U-704 U-705 U-706 U-707 U-708 U-709 U-710 U-711 U-712 U-713 U-714 U-715 U-716 U-717 U-718 U-719 U-720 U-721 U-722 U-731 U-732 U-733 U-734 U-735 U-736 U-737 U-738 U-739 U-740 U-741 U-742 U-743 U-744 U-745 U-746 U-747 U-748 U-749 U-750 U-751 U-752 U-753 U-754 U-755 U-756 U-757 U-758 U-759 U-760 U-761 U-762 U-763 U-764 U-765 U-766 U-767 U-768 U-771 U-772 U-773 U-774 U-775 U-776 U-777 U-778 U-779 U-821 U-822 U-825 U-826 U-901 U-903 U-904 U-905 U-907 U-921 U-922 U-923 U-924 U-925 U-926 U-927 U-928 U-951 U-952 U-953 U-954 U-955 U-956 U-957 U-958 U-959 U-960 U-961 U-962 U-963 U-964 U-965 U-966 U-967 U-968 U-969 U-970 U-971 U-972 U-973 U-974 U-975 U-976 U-977 U-978 U-979 U-980 U-981 U-982 U-983 U-984 U-985 U-986 U-987 U-988 U-989 U-990 U-991 U-992 U-993 U-994 U-1051 U-1052 U-1053 U-1054 U-1055 U-1056 U-1057 U-1058 U-1101 U-1102 U-1131 U-1132 U-1161 U-1162 U-1191 U-1192 U-1193 U-1194 U-1195 U-1196 U-1197 U-1198 U-1199 U-1200 U-1201 U-1202 U-1203 U-1204 U-1205 U-1206 U-1207 U-1208 U-1209 U-1210
Type VIIC/41	U-292 U-293 U-294 U-295 U-296 U-297 U-298 U-299 U-300 U-317 U-318 U-319 U-320 U-321 U-322 U-323 U-324 U-325 U-326 U-327 U-328 U-691 U-827 U-828 U-929 U-930 U-995 U-997 U-998 U-999 U-1000 U-1001 U-1002 U-1003 U-1004 U-1005 U-1006 U-1007 U-1008 U-1009 U-1010 U-1011 U-1013 U-1014 U-1015 U-1016 U-1017 U-1018 U-1019 U-1020 U-1021 U-1022 U-1023 U-1024 U-1025 U-1063 U-1064 U-1065 U-1103 U-1104 U-1105 U-1106 U-1107 U-1108 U-1109 U-1110 U-1163 U-1164 U-1165 U-1166 U-1167 U-1168 U-1169 U-1170 U-1171 U-1172 U-1271 U-1272 U-1273 U-1274 U-1275 U-1276 U-1277 U-1278 U-1279 U-1301 U-1302 U-1303 U-1304 U-1305 U-1306 U-1307 U-1308
Type VIID	U-213 U-214 U-215 U-216 U-217 U-218
Type VIIF	U-1059 U-1060 U-1061 U-1062
Preceded by: Type II Followed by: Type IX List of U-boats of Germany

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in July 1942

Shipwrecks

1 Jul: Edward Luckenbach, Montevideo Maru
2 Jul: Ukraina
3 Jul: Alexander Macomb, U-215
4 Jul: Nenohi, Christopher Newport
5 Jul: Arare, Empire Byron, HMS Niger, River Afton, John Randolph
6 Jul: Avila Star, U-502
7 Jul: RFA Aldersdale, Fiddown, Hartlebury, Pan Kraft, U-701
9 Jul: Empire Explorer, Nicholas Cuneo, Santa Rita
10 Jul: El Capitan
11 Jul: U-136
13 Jul: U-153, R. W. Gallagher
14 Jul: Pietro Calvi, Shch-317, USAT Arcata
15 Jul: Empire Attendant, HMHS Gloucester Castle, U-576
16 Jul: Fairport, Komintern
17 Jul: U-751
22 Jul: Ayatosan Maru, USS Southern Seas
24 Jul: Toufic El Rahman, U-90
26 Jul: Oaxaca
27 Jul: HM Motor Gun Boat 501
28 Jul: Broompark, V 202 Hermann Bösch
30 Jul: Robert E. Lee, U-166
31 Jul: USS Grunion, U-213, U-588, U-754

Other incidents

5 Jul: RFA Aldersdale, Argo, Pan Kraft
7 Jul: J. A. Moffett Jr.
9 Jul: El Capitan
13 Jul: USS S-16
15 Jul: Pennsylvania Sun
19 Jul: Malines
28 Jul: V 203 Carl Röver
30 Jul: Kōtoku Maru

1941 1942 1943
June 1942 August 1942

41°28′47.9″N 66°22′47.9″W / 41.479972°N 66.379972°W / 41.479972; -66.379972

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=German_submarine_U-215&oldid=1211415123" Categories: ●German Type VIID submarines ●U-boats commissioned in 1941 ●U-boats sunk in 1942 ●World War II submarines of Germany ●World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean ●1941 ships ●Ships built in Kiel ●U-boats sunk by depth charges ●U-boats sunk by British warships ●Submarines lost with all hands ●Maritime incidents in July 1942 Hidden categories: ●Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas ●Articles with short description ●Short description matches Wikidata ●Ship infoboxes without an image ●CS1 German-language sources (de) ●Coordinates on Wikidata ●Use dmy dates from October 2014 ●This page was last edited on 2 March 2024, at 12:21 (UTC). ●Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. ●Privacy policy ●About Wikipedia ●Disclaimers ●Contact Wikipedia ●Code of Conduct ●Developers ●Statistics ●Cookie statement ●Mobile view