German submarine U-28 (1936)
| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-28 |
| Ordered: | 1 April 1935[1] |
| Builder: | AG Weser, Bremen |
| Yard number: | 909[1] |
| Laid down: | 2 December 1935[1] |
| Launched: | 14 July 1936[1] |
| Commissioned: | 12 September 1936[1] |
| Fate: | Damaged in a collision, 17 March 1944,[2] striken 4 August 1944 |
| General characteristics [3][4] | |
| Type: | Type VIIA submarine |
| Displacement: | 626 long tons (636 t) surfaced 745 long tons (757 t) submerged |
| Length: | 64.5 m (211 ft 7 in) o/a 44.5 m (146 ft 0 in) pressure hull |
| Beam: | 5.85 m (19 ft 2 in) o/a 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
| Draft: | 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × MAN, 6-cylinder, 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesel engines totalling 2,100–2,310 bhp (1,600–1,720 kW). Max rpm: 470-485 2 × Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 electric motors, totalling 750 shp (560 kW). Max rpm: 322. |
| Speed: | 17 knots (20 mph; 31 km/h) surfaced 8 knots (9.2 mph; 15 km/h) submerged |
| Range: | 11,470 km (6,190 nmi) at 10 kn (19 km/h) surfaced 175 km (94 nmi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged |
| Test depth: | 220 m (720 ft) Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft) |
| Complement: | 42–46 officers & ratings |
| Armament: | • 5 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) • 11 × torpedoes or 22 TMA mines or 33 TMB mines • 1 × 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun (220 rounds) • 1 × C30 20 mm AA |
| Service record[2][5] | |
| Part of: | 2nd U-boat Flotilla (12 September 1936–9 November 1940) 24th U-boat Flotilla (10 November 1940–30 November 1943) 22nd U-boat Flotilla (1 December 1943–17 March 1944) |
| Identification codes: | M 27 436 |
| Commanders: | Kptlt. Wilhelm Ambrosius (12 September 1936–1 November 1938) Kptlt. Hans-Günther Looff (1936/37–30 September 1937) Oblt. Fritz-Julius Lemp (28 October–November 1938) Kptlt. Günter Kuhnke (28 October 1938–16 November 1940) Oblt. Friedrich Guggenberger (16 November 1940–11 February 1941) Oblt. Heinrich Ratsch (12 February–21 June 1941) Oblt. Hermann Eckhardt (22 June 1941–20 March 1942) Oblt. Karl-Heinz Marbach (1 July–30 November 1942) Oblt. Uwe Christiansen (1 December 1942–July 1943) Oblt. Erich Krempl (July–1 December 1943) Oblt. Dietrich Sachse (2 December 1943–17 March 1944) |
| Operations: | 1st patrol: 19 August–29 September 1939 2nd patrol: 8 November–18 December 1939 3rd patrol: 18 February–23 March 1940 4th patrol: 20 May–6 July 1940 5th patrol: 11 August–17 September 1940 6th patrol: 12 October–15 November 1940 |
| Victories: | 11 ships sunk (42,252 GRT) 1 auxiliary warship (4,443 GRT) 2 ships damaged (10,067 GRT) 1 ship a total loss (9,577 GRT) |
German submarine U-28 was a Type VIIA U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Her keel was laid down on 2 December 1935, by AG Weser of Bremen. She was launched on 14 July 1936, and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 12 September 1936, with Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Ambrosius in command. Ambrosius was succeeded by nine other commanding officers over the next eight years.[2]
U-28 conducted seven war patrols between 19 August 1939 and 15 November 1940, all under the command Kptlt. Günter Kuhnke, sinking 13 ships totaling 56,272 tons and damaging two others totaling 10,067 tons.[2]
After her third patrol, U-28 became a training vessel and was used to train new U-boat crews. She was later sunk in an accident on 17 March 1944 and stricken on 4 August 1944.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Construction and design
[edit] Construction
U-28 was ordered by the German Kriegsmarine on 1 April 1935 as part of the German Plan Z and in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Her keel was laid down in the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen as Werk 909 on 2 December 1935. After about ten months of construction, she was launched on 14 July 1936 and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine as the third Type VIIA submarine on 12 September 1936 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Ambrosius.[2]
[edit] Design
Like all Type VIIA submarines, U-28 displaced 626 long tons (636 t) while surfaced and 745 long tons (757 t) when submerged. She was 64.5 m (211 ft 7 in) in overall length and had a 44.5 m (146 ft 0 in) pressure hull. U-28's propulsion consisted of two MAN 6-cylinder 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesel engines that totaled 2,100–2,310 bhp (1,600–1,720 kW). Her maximum rpm was between 470 and 485. The submarine was also equipped with two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 electric motors that totaled 750 shp (560 kW). Their maximum rpm was 322. These engines gave U-28 a total speed of 17 knots (20 mph; 31 km/h) while surfaced and 8 knots (9.2 mph; 15 km/h) when submerged. This resulted in a range of 11,470 km (6,190 nmi) while traveling at 10 kn (19 km/h) on the surface and 175 km (94 nmi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) when submerged.
The U-boat's test depth was 220 m (720 ft) but she could go as deep as 230–250 m (750–820 ft) without having her hull crushed. U-28's armament consisted of five 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four located in the bow and one in the stern). She could have up to 11 torpedoes on board or 22 TMA mines or 33 TMB mines. U-28 was also equipped with a C35 88 mm gun/L45 deck gun and had 220 rounds stowed on board. Her anti-aircraft defenses consisted of one C30 20 mm AA gun.[3][4]
[edit] Service history
[edit] First patrol
The first war patrol of U-28 took place from 19 August to 29 September 1939. On 14 September, while patrolling around the mouth of St George's Channel, U-28 sunk a 5,000 ton freighter, which was her only sinking of the patrol.[6]
[edit] Second patrol
U-28's second war patrol took place from 8 November to 12 December 1939. For this patrol U-28 was instructed to lay a minefield near the port city of Swansea. En route to Bristol U-28 sank two ships; the 5,000 ton Dutch tanker MV Sliedrecht and the 5,100 ton British freighter SS Royston Grange. U-28 then laid its minefield near Swansea and returned to port in Germany. While the minefield was not an immediate success, 60 days after it was laid it sank the 9,600 ton British freighter SS Protesilaus.[7]
[edit] Third patrol
U-28's third war patrol took place from 18 February to 25 March 1940. On yet another mine laying mission, U-28 was instructed to lay mines off the British Naval Base at Portsmouth. After U-28 laid the minefield she went on to sink two ships for 11,200 tons.[8]
[edit] Fourth patrol
U-28's fourth war patrol took place from 8 June to 7 July 1940. On this patrol U-28 was sent to the Western Approaches and turned in an average performance of three ships for 10,300 tons.[9] The Irish government sought an explanation from Germany for the sinking of the neutral Greek ship Adamandios Georgandis "the entire cargo of which comprised grain for exclusive consumption in Éire"[10] She was sailing from Rosario to Cork with a cargo of wheat when she was torpedoed and sunk by U-28.[11] south-west of Ireland 43°21′N 11°09′W / 43.35°N 11.15°W
[edit] Fifth patrol
U-28's fifth war patrol took place from 11 August to 17 September 1940 and was one of Kuhnke's most productive. In August, U-28 sunk two ships for 5,500 tons. On 10 September, U-28 found and tracked Convoy OA 210. In the darkness of early morning on September 11, U-28 attacked the convoy and claimed to have sunk two large freighters (13,000 tons each) and caused damage to a 10,000 ton tanker, bringing Kuhnke's total for the patrol to five ships for 30,000 tons. However, during the postwar analysis, he was only credited with sinking a 2,000 ton Dutch freighter and damaging a 4,700 ton British freighter; which, combined with his earlier sinkings, brought his total to four ships for 9,945 tons. On his return to Lorient Kuhnke was awarded a Knight's Cross for his work.[12]
[edit] Sixth patrol
U-28's sixth and final war patrol took her from Lorient back to Germany; because of the heavy seas and foul weather, U-28 sank only half a ship for 2,694 tons. (U-28 and U-31 shared credit for the sinking of the SS Matina). On 15 November 1940, U-28 returned to Germany and was turned over to the training command. Günter Kuhnke proceeded to command U-125.[13]
[edit] Fate
U-28 sank by accident on 17 March 1944, at the U-boat pier in Neustadt. During a training exercise, the boat had passed under a dummy freighter used for target practice. The commander-in-training failed to note the position of the stationary freighter, and the U-boat's conning tower was ripped off. Water flooded the control room, but the other compartments remained intact. The crew escaped by slowly equalizing the water pressure in the boat and swimming to the surface. The boat was raised in March 1944, but was stricken on 4 August 1944. The submarine's crew suffered no casualties during her career.[2]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Notes
- ^ a b c d e "U-28 Type VIIA". ubootwaffe.net. http://ubootwaffe.net/ops/boat.cgi?boat=28. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-28". German U-boats of WWII. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/u28.htm. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "Type VIIA". U-Boat War in World War II. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/types/viia.htm. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ^ a b "Type VII U-Boat". German U-boat. Uboataces.com. http://www.uboataces.com/uboat-type-vii.shtml. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-28". Boats. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/u28.html. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-28 (First patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_196.html. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-28 (Second patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_197.html. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-28 (Third patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_198.html. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-28 (Fourth patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_199.html. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ Duggan, John P (2003). Herr Hempel. Irish Academic Press. p. 111. ISBN 071652757X.
- ^ "Adamandios Georgandis". Ships hit by U-boats. u-boat.net. http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/363.html. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-28 (Fifth patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_200.html. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-28 (Sixth patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_202.html. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
[edit] External links
- U-28 at u-boot-archiv.de (German)
