All U-boats of this type Below you can see the 24 commissioned U-boats of this type.
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.
Technical information for type VIIB Displacement:
(tons) 753 (sf) 857 (sm) 1040 (total) Length: (m) 66,50 oa 48,80 ph Beam: (m) 6,20 oa 4,70 ph Draught: (draft) 4,74 m Height: 9,50 m Power: (hp) 3200 (sf) 750 (sm)
Speed: (knots) 17,9 (sf) 8,0 (sm) Range: (miles / knots) 8700/10 (sf) 90/4 (sm)
Torpedoes: 14
4/1 (bow / stern tubes) Mines: 26 TMA Deck gun: 88/45 220 rounds Crew: 44-48 men Max depth: ca. 220 m (722 feet)
sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, ph = pressure hull, oa = overall, hp = horsepower.
U-boat Commands U-2 31 Jan, 1938 - 16 Mar, 1939 No war patrols
U-48 22 Apr, 1939 - 20 May, 1940 5 patrols (135 days)
U-48 17 Dec, 1940 - 27 Jul, 1941 3 patrols (93 days)
Herbert Schultze after patrol
Herbert Schultze joined the Reichsmarine in April 1930.
He served on the light cruisers Leipzig and Karlsruhe (together with Merten and Lehmann-Willenbrock).
In May 1937 he transferred to the U-boat force, taking command of the Type IIA U-boat U-2 in January 1938.
Fifteen months later he commissioned U-48, the U-boat which later became the most successful submarine of the war.
Shultze's first patrol in September 1939 was successful, resulting in three ships sunk for a total of 14,777 tons.
During this patrol he became famous for the radio message he sent in plain language after sinking the Firby on 11 September:
"cq - cq- cq - transmit to Mr. Churchill. I have sunk the British steamer "Firby".
Posit 59.40 North and 13.50 West. Save the crew, if you please.
German submarine."
U-48 Type VIIB Laid down 10 Mar, 1937 Germaniawerft, Kiel Commissioned 22 Apr, 1939 Kptlt. Herbert Schultze Commanders 22 Apr, 1939 - 20 May, 1940 Kptlt. Herbert Schultze (Knights Cross) 21 May, 1940 - 3 Sep, 1940 KrvKpt. Hans Rudolf Rösing (Knights Cross) 4 Sep, 1940 - 16 Dec, 1940 Kptlt. Heinrich Bleichrodt (Knights Cross) 26 Sep, 1940 - Oct, 1943 Oblt. Diether Todenhagen 17 Dec, 1940 - 27 Jul, 1941 Kptlt. Herbert Schultze (Knights Cross) Aug, 1941 - Sep, 1942 Oblt. Siegfried Atzinger Career 12 patrols 22 Apr, 1939 - 31 Aug, 1939 7. Flottille (front boat) 1 Sep, 1939 - 31 Dec, 1939 7. Flottille (front boat) 1 Jan, 1940 - 30 Jun, 1941 7. Flottille (front boat) 1 Jul, 1941 - 31 Mar, 1942 26. Flottille (training) 1 Apr, 1942 - 31 Oct, 1943 21. Flottille (school boat) Successes 52 ships sunk for a total of 307.935 tons 3 ships damaged for a total of 20.480 tons Fate She was scuttled on 3 May, 1945 off Neustadt, Germany. On 2 April, 1941 U-48 was badly damaged by an explosion on the sinking ship Beaverdale and was forced to return to base. Men lost from U-boats Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-48 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
This is a simple table showing the most successful U-boats of WWII.
Warships are not included in those figures.
U-boat Patrols Ships sunk Ships damaged
1. U-48 12 patrols 51 ships sunk (306.875 tons) 3 ships damaged (20.480 tons)
2. U-103 11 patrols 45 ships sunk (237.596 tons) 3 ships damaged (28.158 tons)
3. U-123 12 patrols 45 ships sunk (227.174 tons) 6 ships damaged (53.568 tons)
4. U-124 11 patrols 46 ships sunk (219.178 tons) 4 ships damaged (30.067 tons)
5. U-107 14 patrols 38 ships sunk (212.426 tons) 3 ships damaged (17.392 tons)
6. U-37 11 patrols 55 ships sunk (202.529 tons) 1 ship damaged (9.494 tons)
7. U-66 9 patrols 33 ships sunk (200.021 tons) 4 ships damaged (22.738 tons)
8. U-99 8 patrols 35 ships sunk (198.218 tons) 6 ships damaged (40.101 tons)
9. U-68 10 patrols 32 ships sunk (197.453 tons)
10. U-38 11 patrols 35 ships sunk (188.967 tons) 1 ship damaged (3.670 tons)
11. U-96 11 patrols 27 ships sunk (181.206 tons) 5 ships damaged (41.931 tons)
12. U-552 15 patrols 29 ships sunk (163.496 tons) 3 ships damaged (26.910 tons)
13. U-47 10 patrols 30 ships sunk (162.768 tons) 8 ships damaged (62.751 tons)
14. U-130 6 patrols 24 ships sunk (162.015 tons) 1 ship damaged (6.986 tons)
15. U-160 5 patrols 26 ships sunk (156.082 tons) 5 ships damaged (34.419 tons)
16. U-172 6 patrols 26 ships sunk (152.778 tons)
17. U-129 10 patrols 29 ships sunk (143.748 tons)
18. U-515 7 patrols 22 ships sunk (140.196 tons) 4 ships damaged (13.972 tons)
19. U-181 4 patrols 27 ships sunk (138.779 tons)
20. U-106 10 patrols 22 ships sunk (138.578 tons) 4 ships damaged (51.980 tons)
