German submarine U-131 (1941)
 Emblem of U-131
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} | |
| Name | U-131 |
| Ordered | 7 August 1939 |
| Builder | AG Weser, Bremen |
| Yard number | 994 |
| Laid down | 1 September 1940 |
| Launched | 1 April 1941 |
| Commissioned | 1 July 1941 |
| Fate | Scuttled, 17 December 1941[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Type IXC submarine |
| Displacement | list error: <br /> list (help) 1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged |
| Length | list error: <br /> list (help) 76.8 m (252 ft 0 in) overall 58.7 m (192 ft 7 in) pressure hull |
| Beam | list error: <br /> list (help) 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in) overall 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
| Height | 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in) |
| Draft | 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) |
| Propulsion | list error: <br /> list (help) 2 × MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, 4,000 hp (2,983 kW) 2 × SSW GU345/34 double-acting electric motors, 1,000 hp (746 kW) |
| Speed | list error: <br /> list (help) 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h) submerged |
| Range | list error: <br /> list (help) 24,880 nmi (46,080 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced 117 nmi (217 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged |
| Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement | 48 to 56 |
| Armament | list error: <br /> list (help) 6 × torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) 22 × 55 cm (22 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun[2] (110 rounds) |
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
list error: <br /> list (help) 4th U-boat Flotilla (1 July 1941–1 November 1941) 2nd U-boat Flotilla (1 November 1941–17 December 1941) |
| Commanders: |
list error: <br /> list (help) KrvKpt. Arend Baumann (1 July 1941–17 December 1941) |
| Operations: | 1st patrol: 27 November–17 December 1941 |
| Victories: | One commercial ships sunk (4,016 GRT GRT uses unsupported parameter (help)) |
German submarine U-131 was a Type IXC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Built at the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen, she was laid down on 1 September 1940, launched on 1 April 1941, and commissioned on 1 July 1941, with Korvettenkapitän Arend Baumann in command.
Service history
U-131 sailed from Kiel on her first and only patrol on 27 November 1941.[3]
On 6 December she torpedoed and sank the 4,016 ton British cargo ship Scottish Trader, a straggler from convoy SC-56, en route from Philadelphia to Liverpool, south of Iceland. All 43 of the crew perished.[4]
On 17 December U-131 was spotted by a Martlet aircraft from the escort carrier HMS Audacity while shadowing Convoy HG 76 as part of the Seeräuber (English: "Pirate", lit. "Sea Robber") wolfpack.[5]
U-131 was forced to dive, while ships of the 36th Escort Group, commanded by Frederic John Walker in HMS Stork, with four other escorts; such as the destroyers HMS Exmoor, Blankney and Stanley and the corvette Pentstemon, approached to continue the attack. Detected by Stanley's ASDIC (sonar), she was depth charged by Pentstemon, and forced to surface, due to chlorine gas coming from the batteries. Unable to dive, she attempted to escape by running at full speed on the surface. While under pursuit U-131 shot down an attacking Martlet aircraft, killing the pilot, but was then shelled by the escort group, which scored several hits. Realizing that the situation was hopeless, the crew abandoned the U-boat and scuttled her. All 47 of the crew survived and were taken prisoner.[6][7]
References
- ^ Kemp, Paul: U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars, 1999, Arms & Armour, ISBN 1-85409-515-3, pp. 75-76.
- ^ Campbell, John Naval Weapons of World War Two ISBN 0-87021-459-4 pp.248&249
- ^ "Patrol of U-boat U-131 from 27 Nov 1941 to 17 Dec 1941 - U-boat patrols - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
- ^ "Scottish Trader (Steam merchant) - Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
- ^ "Wolfpack Seeräuber - Wolfpacks - U-boat Operations - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
- ^ "The Type IXC boat U-131 - German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
- ^ Kemp, pp. 75-76.