Submarine of the second world war. German submarines of World War II: Hitler's silent weapons

I bring to your attention a short story about the seven most successful projects wartime submarine.

T-type boats (Triton-class), Great Britain Number of submarines built - 53. Surface displacement - 1290 tons; underwater - 1560 tons. Crew - 59 ... 61 people. Operating immersion depth - 90 m (riveted hull), 106 m (welded hull). Full speed on the surface - 15.5 knots; in the underwater - 9 knots. A fuel reserve of 131 tons ensured a surface cruising range of 8,000 miles. Armament: - 11 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm (on boats of sub-series II and III), ammunition - 17 torpedoes; - 1 x 102 mm universal gun, 1 x 20 mm anti-aircraft "Oerlikon".

HMS Traveler A British submarine Terminator capable of knocking the crap out of the head of any enemy with a bow-mounted 8-torpedo salvo. The T-type boats had no equal in destructive power among all submarines of the WWII period - this explains their ferocious appearance with a bizarre bow superstructure, which housed additional torpedo tubes. The notorious British conservatism is a thing of the past - the British were among the first to equip their boats with ASDIC sonar. Alas, despite their powerful weapons and modern means of detection, the T-type boats of the high seas did not become the most effective among the British submarines of the Second World War. Nevertheless, they went through an exciting battle path and achieved a number of remarkable victories. "Tritons" were actively used in the Atlantic, in the Mediterranean Sea, smashed Japanese communications in the Pacific Ocean, and were noted several times in the cold waters of the Arctic. In August 1941, the Taigris and Trident submarines arrived in Murmansk. British submariners demonstrated a master class to their Soviet colleagues: 4 enemy ships were sunk in two campaigns, incl. "Baia Laura" and "Donau II" with thousands of soldiers of the 6th Mountain Division. Thus, the sailors prevented the third German attack on Murmansk. Other famous T-boat trophies include the German light cruiser Karlsruhe and the Japanese heavy cruiser Ashigara. The samurai were “lucky” to get acquainted with the full 8-torpedo salvo of the Trenchent submarine - having received 4 torpedoes on board (+ one more from the stern TA), the cruiser quickly capsized and sank. After the war, the powerful and perfect Tritons were in service with the Royal Navy for another quarter of a century. It is noteworthy that Israel acquired three boats of this type in the late 1960s - one of them, INS Dakar (formerly HMS Totem), died in 1968 in the Mediterranean Sea under unclear circumstances.

Boats of the "Cruising" type of the XIV series, the Soviet Union Number of submarines built - 11. Surface displacement - 1500 tons; underwater - 2100 tons. Crew - 62 ... 65 people. Operating immersion depth - 80 m, maximum - 100 m. Full speed on the surface - 22.5 knots; in the underwater - 10 knots. Surface cruising range 16,500 miles (9 knots) Submerged cruising range - 175 miles (3 knots) Armament: - 10 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, ammunition load - 24 torpedoes; - 2 x 100 mm universal guns, 2 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic; - up to 20 minutes of barriers.

... On December 3, 1941, German hunters UJ-1708, UJ-1416 and UJ-1403 bombarded a Soviet boat that tried to attack a convoy near Bustad Sund. - Hans, do you hear this creature? - Nine. After a series of explosions, the Russians sank to the bottom - I detected three hits on the ground ... - Can you determine where they are now? - Donnerwetter! They are blown. Surely they decided to surface and surrender. The German sailors were wrong. From the depths of the sea, a MONSTER rose to the surface - a cruising submarine K-3 of the XIV series, which unleashed a barrage of artillery fire on the enemy. From the fifth salvo, the Soviet sailors managed to sink U-1708. The second hunter, having received two direct hits, smoked and turned aside - his 20 mm anti-aircraft guns could not compete with the “hundreds” of a secular submarine cruiser. Having scattered the Germans like puppies, K-3 quickly disappeared over the horizon at 20 knots. The Soviet Katyusha was a phenomenal boat for its time. Welded hull, powerful artillery and mine-torpedo weapons, powerful diesel engines (2 x 4200 hp!), high surface speed of 22-23 knots. Huge autonomy in terms of fuel reserves. Remote control of ballast tank valves. A radio station capable of transmitting signals from the Baltic to Far East. An exceptional level of comfort: shower cabins, refrigerated tanks, two seawater desalters, an electric galley ... Two boats (K-3 and K-22) were equipped with Lend-Lease ASDIC sonars.

But, oddly enough, high performance, nor the most powerful weapons made the Katyusha an effective weapon - in addition to dark history with the K-21 attack on the Tirpitz, during the war years, only 5 successful torpedo attacks and 27 thousand br. reg. tons of sunk tonnage. Most of the victories were won with the help of exposed mines. Moreover, their own losses amounted to five cruiser boats. K-21, Severomorsk, today The reasons for the failures lie in the tactics of using the Katyushas - the mighty submarine cruisers, created for the expanses of the Pacific Ocean, had to "stomp" in the shallow Baltic "puddle". When operating at depths of 30-40 meters, a huge 97-meter boat could hit the ground with its bow, while its stern was still sticking out on the surface. Severomorsk sailors had a little easier time - as practice has shown, the effectiveness of the combat use of the Katyushas was complicated by the poor training of personnel and the lack of initiative of the command. It's a pity. These boats were counting on more.

Malyutki, Soviet Union Series VI and VI-bis - 50 built. Series XII - 46 built. Series XV - 57 built (4 took part in the fighting). TTX boats type M series XII: Surface displacement - 206 tons; underwater - 258 tons. Autonomy - 10 days. Working immersion depth - 50 m, maximum - 60 m. Full speed on the surface - 14 knots; in the underwater - 8 knots. Cruising range on the surface - 3380 miles (8.6 knots). Submerged cruising range - 108 miles (3 knots). Armament: - 2 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 2 torpedoes; - 1 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic.

Baby! The project of mini-submarines for the rapid strengthening of the Pacific Fleet - main feature boats of type M became the possibility of transportation by rail in a fully assembled form. In pursuit of compactness, many had to be sacrificed - service on the "Baby" turned into a grueling and dangerous event. Heavy living conditions, strong "chatter" - the waves ruthlessly threw a 200-ton "float", risking breaking it into pieces. Shallow diving depth and weak weapons. But the main concern of the sailors was the reliability of the submarine - one shaft, one diesel engine, one electric motor - the tiny "Baby" left no chance for the careless crew, the slightest malfunction on board threatened the submarine with death. Kids evolved quickly - performance characteristics of each new series differed many times from the previous project: contours were improved, electrical equipment and detection tools were updated, diving time was reduced, and autonomy was growing. The "babies" of the XV series no longer resembled their predecessors of the VI and XII series: one and a half hull design - the ballast tanks were moved outside the pressure hull; The power plant received a standard twin-shaft layout with two diesel engines and electric motors for underwater travel. The number of torpedo tubes increased to four. Alas, the XV series appeared too late - the brunt of the war was borne by the "Babies" of the VI and XII series.

Despite their modest size and only 2 torpedoes on board, the tiny fish were distinguished by simply terrifying "gluttony": in just the years of World War II, Soviet M-type submarines sank 61 enemy ships with a total tonnage of 135.5 thousand gross tons, destroyed 10 warships, and also damaged 8 transports. Babes, originally intended only for action in coastal zone, learned how to fight effectively in open sea areas. They, along with larger boats, cut enemy communications, patrolled at the exits of enemy bases and fjords, deftly overcame anti-submarine barriers and undermined transports right at the piers inside protected enemy harbors. It's just amazing how the Red Navy could fight on these flimsy boats! But they fought. And they won!

Boats of the "Middle" type of the IX-bis series, the Soviet Union Number of submarines built - 41. Surface displacement - 840 tons; underwater - 1070 tons. Crew - 36 ... 46 people. Working immersion depth - 80 m, maximum - 100 m. Full speed on the surface - 19.5 knots; submerged - 8.8 knots. Surface cruising range 8,000 miles (10 knots). Submerged cruising range 148 miles (3 knots). “Six torpedo tubes and the same number of spare torpedoes on racks convenient for reloading. Two cannons with a large ammunition load, machine guns, explosive equipment ... In a word, there is something to fight. And 20-knot surface speed! It allows you to overtake almost any convoy and attack it again. The equipment is good ... ”- the opinion of the S-56 commander, Hero of the Soviet Union G.I. Shchedrin

The Eskis were distinguished by their rational layout and balanced design, powerful armament, and excellent running and seaworthiness. Originally a German design by Deshimag, modified to meet Soviet requirements. But do not rush to clap your hands and remember the Mistral. After the start of serial construction of the IX series at Soviet shipyards, the German project was revised with the aim of a complete transition to Soviet equipment: 1D diesel engines, weapons, radio stations, a noise direction finder, a gyrocompass ... - there was not a single boat that received the designation "IX-bis series". bolts of foreign production! The problems of the combat use of boats of the "Middle" type, in general, were similar to the cruising boats of the K type - locked in mine-infested shallow water, they could not realize their high combat qualities. Things were much better in the Northern Fleet - during the war years, the S-56 boat under the command of G.I. Shchedrina made the transition across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, moving from Vladivostok to the Polar, subsequently becoming the most productive boat of the Soviet Navy. An equally fantastic story is connected with the S-101 “bomb catcher” - over the years of the war, over 1000 depth charges were dropped on the boat by the Germans and the Allies, but each time the S-101 returned safely to Polyarny. Finally, it was on the S-13 that Alexander Marinesko achieved his famous victories.

Boats of the Gato type, USA The number of submarines built is 77. Surface displacement is 1525 tons; underwater - 2420 tons. Crew - 60 people. Working depth of immersion - 90 m. Full speed on the surface - 21 knots; in a submerged position - 9 knots. Surface cruising range 11,000 miles (10 knots). Submerged cruising range 96 miles (2 knots). Armament: - 10 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 24 torpedoes; - 1 x 76 mm universal gun, 1 x 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun, 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon; - one of the boats - USS Barb was equipped with a multiple launch rocket system for shelling the coast.

The Getow-class ocean-going submarines appeared at the height of the Pacific War and became one of the most effective tools of the US Navy. They tightly blocked all strategic straits and approaches to the atolls, cut off all supply lines, leaving the Japanese garrisons without reinforcements, and Japanese industry without raw materials and oil. In the skirmishes with the Gatow, the Imperial Navy lost two heavy aircraft carriers, lost four cruisers and a damn dozen destroyers. High speed, lethal torpedo weapons, the most modern radio equipment for detecting the enemy - radar, direction finder, sonar. The cruising range that provides combat patrols off the coast of Japan when operating from a base in Hawaii. Increased comfort on board. But the main thing is the excellent training of the crews and the weakness of Japanese anti-submarine weapons. As a result, the Gatow ruthlessly destroyed everything in a row - it was they who brought victory in the Pacific Ocean from the blue depths of the sea.

... One of the main achievements of the Getow boats, which changed the whole world, is the event of September 2, 1944. On that day, the Finback submarine detected a distress signal from a falling plane and, after many hours of searching, found a frightened pilot in the ocean, and there was already a desperate pilot . The one who was saved was George Herbert Bush. The list of Flasher trophies sounds like a fleet joke: 9 tankers, 10 transports, 2 patrol ships with a total tonnage of 100,231 gross tons! And for a snack, the boat grabbed a Japanese cruiser and a destroyer. Lucky damn!

Electric robots type XXI, Germany By April 1945, the Germans managed to launch 118 submarines of the XXI series. However, only two of them were able to achieve operational readiness and go to sea in last days war. Surface displacement - 1620 tons; underwater - 1820 tons. Crew - 57 people. Working depth of immersion - 135 m, maximum - 200+ meters. Full speed on the surface - 15.6 knots, in the submerged position - 17 knots. Surface cruising range 15,500 miles (10 knots). Submerged cruising range 340 miles (5 knots). Armament: - 6 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 17 torpedoes; - 2 anti-aircraft guns "Flak" caliber 20 mm.

Our allies were very lucky that all the forces of Germany were thrown to the Eastern Front - the Fritz did not have enough resources to release a flock of fantastic "Electric boats" into the sea. If they appeared a year earlier - and that's it, kaput! Another turning point in the battle for the Atlantic. The Germans were the first to guess: everything that shipbuilders of other countries are proud of - a large ammunition load, powerful artillery, high surface speed of 20+ knots - is of little importance. The key parameters that determine the combat effectiveness of a submarine are its speed and power reserve in a submerged position. Unlike its peers, "Eletrobot" was focused on being constantly under water: the most streamlined hull without heavy artillery, fences and platforms - all for the sake of minimizing underwater resistance. Snorkel, six groups batteries(3 times more than on conventional boats!), powerful el. engines full speed, quiet and economical email. creep engines.

The stern of U-2511, flooded at a depth of 68 meters The Germans calculated everything - the entire campaign "Electrobot" moved at periscope depth under the RDP, remaining difficult to detect for enemy anti-submarine weapons. At great depths, its advantage became even more shocking: 2-3 times the range, at twice the speed, than any of the submarines of the war years! High stealth and impressive underwater skills, homing torpedoes, a set of the most advanced detection tools ... "Electrobots" opened a new milestone in the history of the submarine fleet, determining the vector of development of submarines in the post-war years. The Allies were not ready to face such a threat - as post-war tests showed, the Electrobots were several times superior in terms of mutual sonar detection range to the American and British destroyers guarding the convoys.

Type VII boats, Germany Number of submarines built - 703. Surface displacement - 769 tons; underwater - 871 tons. Crew - 45 people. Operating immersion depth - 100 m, maximum - 220 meters Full speed on the surface - 17.7 knots; in a submerged position - 7.6 knots. Surface cruising range 8,500 miles (10 knots). Submerged cruising range 80 miles (4 knots). Armament: - 5 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 14 torpedoes; - 1 x 88 mm universal gun (until 1942), eight options for add-ons with 20 and 37 mm anti-aircraft guns. * the given performance characteristics correspond to boats of the VIIC sub-series

The most effective warships ever to sail the world's oceans. A relatively simple, cheap, massive, but at the same time well-armed and deadly means for total underwater terror. 703 submarines. 10 MILLION tons of sunk tonnage! Battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers, destroyers, corvettes and enemy submarines, oil tankers, transports with aircraft, tanks, cars, rubber, ore, machine tools, ammunition, uniforms and food ... The damage from the actions of German submariners exceeded all reasonable limits - if it were not for the inexhaustible industrial potential of the United States, capable of compensating for any losses of the allies, the German U- bots had every chance to "strangle" the UK and change the course of world history.

U-995. Graceful underwater killer Often the success of the "sevens" is associated with the "prosperous time" of 1939-41. - allegedly when the Allies had the escort system and Asdik sonars, the successes of the German submariners ended. A completely populist claim based on a misinterpretation of "prosperous times". The alignment was simple: at the beginning of the war, when for each German boat there was one anti-submarine ship of the allies each, the "sevens" felt themselves invulnerable masters of the Atlantic. It was then that the legendary aces appeared, sinking 40 enemy ships each. The Germans already had victory in their hands when the Allies suddenly deployed 10 anti-submarine ships and 10 aircraft for every active Kriegsmarine boat! Beginning in the spring of 1943, the Yankees and the British began methodically bombarding the Kriegsmarine with anti-submarine warfare and soon achieved an excellent loss ratio of 1:1. So they fought until the end of the war. The Germans ran out of ships faster than their opponents. The whole history of the German "sevens" is a formidable warning from the past: what kind of threat does the submarine pose and how high are the costs of creating an effective system to counter the underwater threat.

Funky American poster of those years. "Beat on pain points! Come serve in the submarine fleet - we account for 77% of the sunk tonnage!" Comments, as they say, are superfluous.

The submarine fleet as part of the Kriegsmarine of the Third Reich was created on 11/1/1934 and ceased to exist along with the surrender of Germany in World War II. During its relatively short existence (about nine and a half years), the German submarine fleet managed to inscribe itself in military history as the most numerous and deadly submarine fleet of all times and peoples. German submarines, which terrified the captains of ships from the North Cape to the Cape of Good Hope and from the Caribbean Sea to the Malacca Strait, thanks to memoirs and films, have long turned into one of the military myths, behind the veil of which real facts often become invisible. Here is some of them.

1. As part of the Kriegsmarine, 1154 submarines built at German shipyards fought (including the submarine boat U-A, which was originally built in Germany for the Turkish Navy). Of the 1,154 submarines, 57 were built before the war, and 1,097 were built after September 1, 1939. The average rate of commissioning of German submarines during World War II was 1 new submarine every two days.

Unfinished German Type XXI submarines on slipways No. 5 (in the foreground)
and No. 4 (far right) of the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen. Pictured in the second row from left to right:
U-3052, U-3042, U-3048 and U-3056; in the middle row from left to right: U-3053, U-3043, U-3049 and U-3057.
Far right - U-3060 and U-3062
Source: http://waralbum.ru/164992/

2. As part of the Kriegsmarine, 21 types of German-built submarines fought with the following technical characteristics:

Displacement: from 275 tons (XXII type submarines) to 2710 tons (X-B type);

Surface speed: from 9.7 knots (type XXII) to 19.2 knots (type IX-D);

Submerged speed: from 6.9 knots (type II-A) to 17.2 knots (type XXI);

Immersion depth: from 150 meters (type II-A) to 280 meters (type XXI).

Wake column of German submarines (type II-A) at sea during maneuvers, 1939
Source: http://waralbum.ru/149250/

3. The Kriegsmarine included 13 captured submarines, including:

1 English: "Seal" (as part of the Kriegsmarine - U-B);

2 Norwegian: B-5 (as part of the Kriegsmarine - UC-1), B-6 (as part of the Kriegsmarine - UC-2);

5 Dutch: O-5 (until 1916 - the British submarine H-6, as part of the Kriegsmarine - UD-1), O-12 (as part of the Kriegsmarine - UD-2), O-25 (as part of the Kriegsmarine - UD-3 ), O-26 (as part of the Kriegsmarine - UD-4), O-27 (as part of the Kriegsmarine - UD-5);

1 French: "La Favorite" (as part of the Kriegsmarine - UF-1);

4 Italian: "Alpino Bagnolini" (as part of the Kriegsmarine - UIT-22); "Generale Liuzzi" (as part of the Kriegsmarine - UIT-23); "Comandante Capellini" (as part of the Kriegsmarine - UIT-24); "Luigi Torelli" (as part of the Kriegsmarine - UIT-25).

Kriegsmarine officers inspect the British submarine "Force" (HMS Seal, N37),
captured in the Skagerrak
Source: http://waralbum.ru/178129/

4. During World War II, German submarines sank 3,083 merchant ships with a total tonnage of 14,528,570 tons. The most successful Kriegsmarine submarine captain is Otto Kretschmer, who sank 47 ships with a total tonnage of 274,333 tons. The most productive submarine is U-48, which sank 52 ships with a total tonnage of 307,935 tons (launched on 22/4/1939, and on 2/4/1941 was severely damaged and did not participate in hostilities anymore).

U-48 is the most successful German submarine. She is in the picture
almost halfway to its final result,
as shown in white numbers
on the wheelhouse next to the emblem of the boat ("Three times black cat")
and the personal emblem of the captain of the submarine Schulze ("White Witch")
Source: http://forum.worldofwarships.ru

5. During World War II, German submarines sank 2 battleships, 7 aircraft carriers, 9 cruisers and 63 destroyers. The largest of the destroyed ships - the battleship "Royal Oak" (displacement - 31,200 tons, crew - 994 people) - was sunk by the U-47 submarine at its own base of Scapa Flow on 10/14/1939 (displacement - 1040 tons, crew - 45 people).

Battleship"Royal Oak"
Source: http://war-at-sea.narod.ru/photo/s4gb75_4_2p.htm

Commander of the German submarine U-47 lieutenant commander
Günther Prien (1908–1941) signing autographs
after the sinking of the British battleship Royal Oak
Source: http://waralbum.ru/174940/

6. During the Second World War, German submarines made 3587 military campaigns. The record holder for the number of military campaigns is the submarine U-565, which made 21 campaigns, during which it sank 6 ships with a total tonnage of 19053 tons.

German submarine (type VII-B) during a military campaign
approaches the ship for the exchange of cargo
Source: http://waralbum.ru/169637/

7. During World War II, 721 German submarines were irretrievably lost. The first submarine to be lost is U-27, sunk on 20 September 1939 by the British destroyers Fortune and Forester off the coast of Scotland. The latest loss is the submarine U-287, which was blown up by a mine at the mouth of the Elbe after the formal end of World War II (05/16/1945), returning from its first and only military campaign.

British destroyer HMS Forester, 1942

Submarines dictate the rules in naval warfare and force everyone to meekly follow the established order.

Those stubborn ones who dare to neglect the rules of the game will face a quick and painful death in cold water, among floating debris and oil slicks. Boats, regardless of the flag, remain the most dangerous fighting vehicles capable of crushing any enemy.

I bring to your attention a short story about the seven most successful submarine projects of the war years.

Boats type T (Triton-class), UK
The number of submarines built is 53.
Surface displacement - 1290 tons; underwater - 1560 tons.
Crew - 59 ... 61 people.
Operating immersion depth - 90 m (riveted hull), 106 m (welded hull).
Full speed on the surface - 15.5 knots; in the underwater - 9 knots.
A fuel reserve of 131 tons ensured a surface cruising range of 8,000 miles.
Armament:
- 11 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm (on boats of sub-series II and III), ammunition load - 17 torpedoes;
- 1 x 102 mm universal gun, 1 x 20 mm anti-aircraft "Oerlikon".

HMS Traveler

A British submarine Terminator capable of knocking the crap out of the head of any enemy with a bow-mounted 8-torpedo salvo. The T-type boats had no equal in destructive power among all submarines of the WWII period - this explains their ferocious appearance with a bizarre bow superstructure, which housed additional torpedo tubes.

The notorious British conservatism is a thing of the past - the British were among the first to equip their boats with ASDIC sonar. Alas, despite their powerful weapons and modern means of detection, the T-type boats of the high seas did not become the most effective among the British submarines of the Second World War. Nevertheless, they went through an exciting battle path and achieved a number of remarkable victories. "Tritons" were actively used in the Atlantic, in the Mediterranean Sea, smashed Japanese communications in the Pacific Ocean, and were noted several times in the cold waters of the Arctic.

In August 1941, the Taigris and Trident submarines arrived in Murmansk. British submariners demonstrated a master class to their Soviet colleagues: 4 enemy ships were sunk in two campaigns, incl. "Baia Laura" and "Donau II" with thousands of soldiers of the 6th Mountain Division. Thus, the sailors prevented the third German attack on Murmansk.

Other famous T-boat trophies include the German light cruiser Karlsruhe and the Japanese heavy cruiser Ashigara. The samurai were “lucky” to get acquainted with the full 8-torpedo salvo of the Trenchent submarine - having received 4 torpedoes on board (+ one more from the stern TA), the cruiser quickly capsized and sank.

After the war, the powerful and perfect Tritons were in service with the Royal Navy for another quarter of a century.
It is noteworthy that Israel acquired three boats of this type in the late 1960s - one of them, INS Dakar (formerly HMS Totem), died in 1968 in the Mediterranean Sea under unclear circumstances.

Boats of the "Cruising" type of the XIV series, the Soviet Union
The number of submarines built is 11.
Surface displacement - 1500 tons; underwater - 2100 tons.
Crew - 62 ... 65 people.

Full speed on the surface - 22.5 knots; in the underwater - 10 knots.
Surface cruising range 16,500 miles (9 knots)
Submerged cruising range - 175 miles (3 knots)
Armament:

- 2 x 100 mm universal guns, 2 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic;
- up to 20 minutes of barriers.

... On December 3, 1941, German hunters UJ-1708, UJ-1416 and UJ-1403 bombarded a Soviet boat that tried to attack a convoy near Bustad Sund.

Hans, do you hear that creature?
- Nine. After a series of explosions, the Russians sank to the bottom - I detected three hits on the ground ...
- Can you tell where they are now?
- Donnerwetter! They are blown. Surely they decided to surface and surrender.

The German sailors were wrong. From the depths of the sea, a MONSTER rose to the surface - a cruising submarine K-3 of the XIV series, which unleashed a barrage of artillery fire on the enemy. From the fifth salvo, the Soviet sailors managed to sink U-1708. The second hunter, having received two direct hits, smoked and turned aside - his 20 mm anti-aircraft guns could not compete with the “hundreds” of a secular submarine cruiser. Having scattered the Germans like puppies, K-3 quickly disappeared over the horizon at 20 knots.

The Soviet Katyusha was a phenomenal boat for its time. Welded hull, powerful artillery and mine-torpedo weapons, powerful diesel engines (2 x 4200 hp!), high surface speed of 22-23 knots. Huge autonomy in terms of fuel reserves. Remote control of ballast tank valves. A radio station capable of transmitting signals from the Baltic to the Far East. An exceptional level of comfort: shower cabins, refrigerated tanks, two seawater desalters, an electric galley ... Two boats (K-3 and K-22) were equipped with Lend-Lease ASDIC sonars.

But, oddly enough, neither the high performance nor the most powerful weapons made the Katyusha effective - in addition to the dark story with the K-21 attack on the Tirpitz, during the war years, boats of the XIV series accounted for only 5 successful torpedo attacks and 27 thousand br . reg. tons of sunk tonnage. Most of the victories were won with the help of exposed mines. Moreover, their own losses amounted to five cruiser boats.

K-21, Severomorsk, today

The reasons for the failures lie in the tactics of using the Katyushas - the mighty submarine cruisers, created for the expanses of the Pacific Ocean, had to "stomp" in the shallow Baltic "puddle". When operating at depths of 30-40 meters, a huge 97-meter boat could hit the ground with its bow, while its stern was still sticking out on the surface. Severomorsk sailors had a little easier time - as practice has shown, the effectiveness of the combat use of the Katyushas was complicated by the poor training of personnel and the lack of initiative of the command.

It's a pity. These boats were counting on more.

"Baby", Soviet Union
Series VI and VI bis - 50 built.
Series XII - 46 built.
Series XV - 57 built (4 took part in the fighting).

TTX boat type M series XII:
Surface displacement - 206 tons; underwater - 258 tons.
Autonomy - 10 days.
Working depth of immersion - 50 m, limit - 60 m.
Full speed on the surface - 14 knots; in the underwater - 8 knots.
Cruising range on the surface - 3380 miles (8.6 knots).
Submerged cruising range - 108 miles (3 knots).
Armament:
- 2 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 2 torpedoes;
- 1 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic.

Baby!

The project of mini-submarines for the rapid strengthening of the Pacific Fleet - the main feature of the M-type boats was the ability to be transported by rail in a fully assembled form.

In pursuit of compactness, many had to be sacrificed - service on the "Baby" turned into a grueling and dangerous event. Difficult living conditions, strong "chatter" - the waves mercilessly threw a 200-ton "float", risking breaking it into pieces. Shallow diving depth and weak weapons. But the main concern of the sailors was the reliability of the submarine - one shaft, one diesel engine, one electric motor - the tiny "Baby" left no chance for the careless crew, the slightest malfunction on board threatened the submarine with death.

The kids quickly evolved - the performance characteristics of each new series differed several times from the previous project: contours were improved, electrical equipment and detection tools were updated, diving time was reduced, autonomy was growing. The "babies" of the XV series no longer resembled their predecessors of the VI and XII series: one and a half hull design - the ballast tanks were moved outside the pressure hull; The power plant received a standard twin-shaft layout with two diesel engines and electric motors for underwater travel. The number of torpedo tubes increased to four. Alas, the XV series appeared too late - the brunt of the war was borne by the "Babies" of the VI and XII series.

The little ones, originally intended only for operations in the coastal zone, have learned how to fight effectively in open sea areas. They, along with larger boats, cut enemy communications, patrolled at the exits of enemy bases and fjords, deftly overcame anti-submarine barriers and undermined transports right at the piers inside protected enemy harbors. It's just amazing how the Red Navy could fight on these flimsy boats! But they fought. And they won!

Boats of the "Medium" type of the IX-bis series, the Soviet Union
The number of submarines built is 41.
Surface displacement - 840 tons; underwater - 1070 tons.
Crew - 36 ... 46 people.
Working depth of immersion - 80 m, limit - 100 m.
Full speed on the surface - 19.5 knots; submerged - 8.8 knots.
Surface cruising range 8,000 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 148 miles (3 knots).

“Six torpedo tubes and the same number of spare torpedoes on racks convenient for reloading. Two cannons with a large ammunition load, machine guns, explosive equipment ... In a word, there is something to fight. And 20-knot surface speed! It allows you to overtake almost any convoy and attack it again. Technique is good…”
- opinion of the S-56 commander, Hero of the Soviet Union G.I. Shchedrin

The problems of the combat use of boats of the "Middle" type, in general, were similar to the cruising boats of the K type - locked in mine-infested shallow water, they could not realize their high combat qualities. Things were much better in the Northern Fleet - during the war years, the S-56 boat under the command of G.I. Shchedrina made the transition across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, moving from Vladivostok to the Polar, subsequently becoming the most productive boat of the Soviet Navy.

An equally fantastic story is connected with the S-101 “bomb catcher” - over the years of the war, over 1000 depth charges were dropped on the boat by the Germans and the Allies, but each time the S-101 returned safely to Polyarny.

Finally, it was on the S-13 that Alexander Marinesko achieved his famous victories.

Torpedo compartment S-56

“The brutal alterations that the ship got into, bombing and explosions, depths far exceeding the official limit. The boat protected us from everything ... "

- from the memoirs of G.I. Shchedrin

Boats like Gato, USA
The number of submarines built is 77.
Surface displacement - 1525 tons; underwater - 2420 tons.
Crew - 60 people.
Working depth of immersion - 90 m.
Full speed on the surface - 21 knots; in a submerged position - 9 knots.
Surface cruising range 11,000 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 96 miles (2 knots).
Armament:
- 10 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 24 torpedoes;
- 1 x 76 mm universal gun, 1 x 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun, 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon;
- one of the boats - USS Barb was equipped with a multiple launch rocket system for shelling the coast.

High speed, lethal torpedo weapons, the most modern radio equipment for detecting the enemy - radar, direction finder, sonar. The cruising range that provides combat patrols off the coast of Japan when operating from a base in Hawaii. Increased comfort on board. But the main thing is the excellent training of the crews and the weakness of Japanese anti-submarine weapons. As a result, the Gatow ruthlessly destroyed everything in a row - it was they who brought victory in the Pacific Ocean from the blue depths of the sea.

The cabin of the submarine "Flasher", a memorial in the city of Groton.

The list of Flasher trophies sounds like a fleet joke: 9 tankers, 10 transports, 2 patrol ships with a total tonnage of 100,231 gross tons! And for a snack, the boat grabbed a Japanese cruiser and a destroyer. Lucky damn!

Type XXI electric robots, Germany

By April 1945, the Germans managed to launch 118 submarines of the XXI series. However, only two of them were able to achieve operational readiness and go to sea in the last days of the war.

Surface displacement - 1620 tons; underwater - 1820 tons.
Crew - 57 people.
Working depth of immersion - 135 m, maximum - 200+ meters.
Full speed on the surface - 15.6 knots, in the submerged position - 17 knots.
Surface cruising range 15,500 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 340 miles (5 knots).
Armament:
- 6 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 17 torpedoes;
- 2 anti-aircraft guns "Flak" caliber 20 mm.

U-2540 "Wilhelm Bauer" at the eternal parking lot in Bremerhaven, today

The Germans were the first to guess: everything that shipbuilders of other countries are proud of - a large ammunition load, powerful artillery, high surface speed of 20+ knots - is of little importance. The key parameters that determine the combat effectiveness of a submarine are its speed and power reserve in a submerged position.

Unlike its peers, "Eletrobot" was focused on being constantly under water: the most streamlined hull without heavy artillery, fences and platforms - all for the sake of minimizing underwater resistance. Snorkel, six groups of batteries (3 times more than on conventional boats!), powerful el. full speed engines, quiet and economical el. creep engines.

Aft part of U-2511, flooded at a depth of 68 meters

The Germans calculated everything - the entire campaign "Electrobot" moved at periscope depth under the RDP, remaining difficult to detect for enemy anti-submarine weapons. At great depths, its advantage became even more shocking: 2-3 times the range, at twice the speed, than any of the submarines of the war years! High stealth and impressive underwater skills, homing torpedoes, a set of the most advanced detection tools ... "Electrobots" opened a new milestone in the history of the submarine fleet, determining the vector of development of submarines in the post-war years.

The Allies were not ready to face such a threat - as post-war tests showed, the Electrobots were several times superior in terms of mutual sonar detection range to the American and British destroyers guarding the convoys.

Type VII boats, Germany
The number of submarines built is 703.
Surface displacement - 769 tons; underwater - 871 tons.
Crew - 45 people.
Working depth of immersion - 100 m, limit - 220 meters
Full speed on the surface - 17.7 knots; in a submerged position - 7.6 knots.
Surface cruising range 8,500 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 80 miles (4 knots).
Armament:
- 5 torpedo tubes of caliber 533 mm, ammunition - 14 torpedoes;
- 1 x 88 mm universal gun (until 1942), eight options for add-ons with 20 and 37 mm anti-aircraft guns.

* the given performance characteristics correspond to boats of the VIIC sub-series

The most effective warships ever to sail the world's oceans.
A relatively simple, cheap, massive, but at the same time well-armed and deadly means for total underwater terror.

703 submarines. 10 MILLION tons of sunk tonnage! Battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers, destroyers, enemy corvettes and submarines, oil tankers, transports with aircraft, tanks, cars, rubber, ore, machine tools, ammunition, uniforms and food ... The damage from the actions of German submariners exceeded all reasonable limits - if not the inexhaustible industrial potential of the United States, capable of compensating for any losses of the allies, the German U-bots had every chance to “strangle” Great Britain and change the course of world history.

U-995. Graceful underwater killer

Often the successes of the "sevens" are associated with the "prosperous time" of 1939-41. - allegedly when the Allies had the escort system and Asdik sonars, the successes of the German submariners ended. A completely populist claim based on a misinterpretation of "prosperous times".

The alignment was simple: at the beginning of the war, when there was one Allied anti-submarine ship for each German boat, the “sevens” felt like invulnerable masters of the Atlantic. It was then that the legendary aces appeared, sinking 40 enemy ships each. The Germans already had victory in their hands when the Allies suddenly deployed 10 anti-submarine ships and 10 aircraft for every active Kriegsmarine boat!

Beginning in the spring of 1943, the Yankees and the British began methodically bombarding the Kriegsmarine with anti-submarine warfare and soon achieved an excellent loss ratio of 1:1. So they fought until the end of the war. The Germans ran out of ships faster than their opponents.

The whole history of the German "sevens" is a formidable warning from the past: what kind of threat does the submarine pose and how high are the costs of creating an effective system to counter the underwater threat.

Funky American poster of those years. "Hit the pain points! Come serve in the submarine fleet - we account for 77% of the sunk tonnage!" Comments, as they say, are unnecessary

The article uses materials from the book "Soviet submarine shipbuilding", V. I. Dmitriev, Military Publishing, 1990.

Large submarines of the I series "U-25" and "U-26" were built at the shipyard "Deschimag" and commissioned in 1936. Both boats were lost in 1940. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 862 tons, underwater - 983 tons; length - 72.4 m, width - 6.2 m; height - 9.2 m; draft - 4.3 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 3.1 / 1 thousand hp; speed - 18.6 knots; fuel supply - 96 tons of solarium; cruising range - 7.9 thousand miles; crew - 43 people. Armament: 1x1 - 105 mm gun; 1x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft gun; 4-6– 533 mm torpedo tubes; 14 torpedoes or 42 mines.

A series of large ocean-going submarines of the IX-A type consisted of 8 units (U-37 - U-44), built at the Deschimag shipyard and commissioned in 1938-1939. All boats were lost during the war years. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1 thousand tons, underwater - 1.2 thousand tons; length - 76.5 m, width - 6.5 m; draft - 4.7 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 4.4 / 1 thousand hp; speed - 18 knots; fuel supply - 154 tons of solarium; cruising range - 10.5 thousand miles; crew - 48 people. Armament: 1x1 - 105 mm gun, 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 6 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 22 torpedoes or 66 min.

A series of large ocean-going submarines of the IX-B type consisted of 14 units (U-64 - U-65, U-103 - U-124), built at the Deschimag shipyard and accepted into building in 1939-1940. All boats were lost during the war years. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1.1 thousand tons, underwater - 1.2 thousand tons; length - 76.5 m, width - 6.8 m; draft - 4.7 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 4.4 / 1 thousand hp; speed - 18 knots; fuel supply - 165 tons of solarium; cruising range - 12 thousand miles; crew - 48 people. Armament: 1x1 - 105 mm gun, 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 6 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 22 torpedoes or 66 min.

A series of medium-sized submarines of the IX-C type consisted of 54 units (U-66 - U-68, U-125 - U-131, U-153 - U-166) , "U-171" - "U-176", "U-501" - "U-524"), built at the shipyard "Deschimag" and put into operation in 1941-1942. 48 boats died during the war years, 3 were sunk by crews, the rest capitulated. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1.1 thousand tons, underwater - 1.2 thousand tons; length - 76.8 m, width - 6.8 m; draft - 4.7 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 4.4 / 1 thousand hp; speed - 18 knots; fuel supply - 208 tons of solarium; cruising range - 13.5 thousand miles; crew - 48 people. Armament: until 1944 1x1 - 105 mm, 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; after 1944 - 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x4 or 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 6 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 22 torpedoes or 66 min.

A series of medium submarines of the IX-C / 40 type consisted of 87 units (U-167 - U-170, U-183 - U-194, U-525 - U- 550", "U-801" - "U-806", "U-841" - "U-846", "U-853" - "U-858", "U-865" - "U-870" , "U-881" - "U-887", "U-889", "U-1221" - "U-1235"), built at the shipyards "Deschimag", "Deutsche Werft" and put into operation in 1942- 1944 During the war, 64 boats were lost, 3 were sunk by crews, 17 capitulated, the rest were damaged and not repaired. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1.1 thousand tons, underwater - 1.3 thousand tons; length - 76.8 m, width - 6.9 m; draft - 4.7 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 4.4 / 1 thousand hp; speed - 18 knots; fuel supply - 214 tons of solarium; cruising range - 13.9 thousand miles; crew - 48 people. Armament: 1x1 - 105-mm gun, 1x1 - 37-mm and 2x1 and 2x2 - 20-mm anti-aircraft guns; 6 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 22 torpedoes or 66 min.

Medium submarines "U-180" and "U-195" belonged to the type "IX-D" - high-speed submarines. They were built at the Deschimag shipyard and commissioned in 1942. Since 1944, the boats have been converted into submarines. They transported 252 tons of solarium. The boat "U-180" was lost in 1944, and "U-195" was captured by Japanese troops in 1945 and served under the designation "І-506". Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1.6 thousand tons, underwater - 1.8 thousand tons; length - 87.6 m, height - 10.2 m; width - 7.5 m; draft - 5.4 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 6 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 9 / 1.1 thousand hp; speed - 21 knots; fuel supply - 390 tons of solarium; cruising range - 9.5 thousand miles; crew - 57 people. Armament until 1944: 1x1 - 105 mm gun, 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 6 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 24 torpedoes or 72 minutes; after 1944 - 1x1 - 37 mm and 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns.

A series of medium-sized submarines of the IXD-2 type consisted of 28 units (U-177 - U-179, U-181 - U-182, U-196 - U-200) , "U-847" - "U-852", "U-859" - "U-864", "U-871" - "U-876"), built at the shipyard "Deschimag" and commissioned in 1942 -1943 The boats were intended for operations in the South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. 21 boats died during the war years, 1 was sunk by crews, 7 capitulated. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1.6 thousand tons, underwater - 1.8 thousand tons; length - 87.6 m, width - 7.5 m; draft - 5.4 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 main diesel engines, 2 auxiliary diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 4.4 + 1.2 / 1 thousand hp; speed - 19 knots; fuel supply - 390 tons of solarium; cruising range - 31.5 thousand miles; crew - 57 people. Armament: 1x1 - 37 mm and 2x1 and 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 6 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 24 torpedoes or 72 mines. In 1943-1944, some boats were equipped with the FA-330 towed autogyro.

Of the series of large submarines of the IX-D / 42 type, only one submarine, U-883, was built at the Deschimag shipyard and commissioned in 1945. In the same year, the boat capitulated. During the construction process, it was redesigned into transport. The boat was carrying 252 tons of solarium. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1.6 thousand tons, underwater - 1.8 thousand tons; length - 87.6 m, width - 7.5 m; draft - 5.4 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 main diesel engines, 2 auxiliary diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 4.4 + 1.2 / 1 thousand hp; speed - 19 knots; fuel supply - 390 tons of solarium; cruising range - 31.5 thousand miles; crew - 57 people. Armament: 1x1 - 37 mm and 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 2 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 5 torpedoes.

A series of large submarines of the "XXI" type consisted of 125 units ("U-2501" - "U-2531", "U-2533" - "U-2548", "U-2551", "U-2552", " U-3001" - "U-3044", "U-3047", "U-3501" - "U-3530") built at the shipyards "Blohm & Voss", "Deschimag" and put into operation in 1944-1945 . During the war, 21 boats perished, 88 were sunk by crews, the rest surrendered to the allies. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1.6 thousand tons, underwater - 1.8 thousand tons; length - 76.7 m, width - 8 m; draft - 6.3 m; diving depth - 135 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines, 2 main electric motors and 2 silent running electric motors; power - 4 / 4.4 thousand hp + 226 hp; fuel reserve - 253 tons of solarium; speed - 15.6 knots; cruising range - 15.5 thousand miles; crew - 57 people. Armament: 2x2 - 20-mm or 30-mm anti-aircraft guns; 6 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 23 torpedoes or 29 min.

A series of medium submarines of type "VII-A" consisted of 10 units ("U-27" - "U-36"), built at the shipyards "Deschimag", "Germaniawerf" and put into operation in 1936. During the war 7 boats died, 2 - flooded by crews, 1 - capitulated. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 626 tons, underwater - 915 tons; length - 64.5 m, width - 5.9 m; draft - 4.4 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 2.1-2.3 / 0.8 thousand hp; speed - 17 knots; fuel supply - 67 tons of solarium; cruising range - 6.2 thousand miles; crew - 44 people. Armament: until 1942 1x1 - 88-mm gun and 1x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft gun; after 1942 - 1x2 and 2x1-20-mm or 37-mm anti-aircraft guns; 5 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 11 torpedoes or 24-36 mines.

A series of medium submarines of the type "VII-B" consisted of 24 units ("U45" - "U55", "U73 - U76", "U-83" - "U-87", "U-99" - "U- 102"), built at the shipyards "Vulcan", "Flenderwerft", "Germaniawerf" and put into operation in 1938-1941. During the war, 22 boats died, 2 were sunk by crews. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 0.8 thousand tons, underwater - 1 thousand tons; length - 66.5 m, width - 6.2 m; draft - 4.7 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 2.8-3.2 / 0.8 thousand hp; speed - 17-18 knots; fuel supply - 100 tons of solarium; cruising range - 8.7 thousand miles; crew - 44 people. Armament: until 1942 - 1x1 - 88-mm gun and 1x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft gun; after 1942 - 1x2 and 2x1-20-mm and 1x1 - 37-mm anti-aircraft guns; 5 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 6 torpedoes or 24-36 mines.

A series of medium-sized submarines of the type "VII-C" consisted of 663 units (the designation was within the framework of "U-69" - "U-1310") and was built in 1940-1945. at the shipyards Neptun Werft, Deschimag, Germaniawerft, Flender Werke, Danziger Werft, Blohm + Voss, Kriegsmarinewerft, Nordseewerke, F. Schichau, Howaldtswerke AG. Two modifications of the boat are known: "VIIC / 41" and "U-Flak". Type "VIIC / 41" had an increased hull thickness from 18 to 21.5 mm. This made it possible to increase the working depth of immersion from 100 to 120 meters, and the estimated depth of destruction of the hull - from 250 to almost 300 meters. A total of 91 boats were built ("U-292" - "U-300", "U-317" - "U-328", "U-410", "U-455", "U-827", "U -828", "U-929", "U-930", "U-995", "U-997" - "U-1010", "U-1013" - "U-1025", "U-1063 "- "U-1065", "U-1103" - "U-1110", "U-1163" - "U-1172", "U-1271" - "U-1279", "U-1301" - "U-1308"). One of the modifications of the type "VII-C" were air defense boats, which were designated as "U-Flak". 4 boats were converted: "U-441", "U-256", "U-621" and "U-951". The modernization consisted in the installation of a new wheelhouse with two quadruple 20-mm and one 37-mm anti-aircraft guns. All boats by 1944 were returned to their original state. In 1944-1945. many boats were equipped with a snorkel. Boats "U-72", "U-78", "U-80", "U-554" and "U-555" have only two bow torpedo tubes, while "U-203", "U-331", " U-35", "U-401", "U-431" and "U-651" did not have feed apparatuses. During the war, 478 boats were lost, 12 were damaged and not repaired; 114 - flooded by crews; 11 boats were transferred to Italy in 1943, the rest of the boats capitulated in 1945 and almost all were sunk at the end of the year. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 0.8 thousand tons, underwater - 1.1 thousand tons; length - 67.1 m, width - 6.2 m; draft - 4.7 - 4.8 m; immersion depth - 100 - 120 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 2.8-3.2 / 0.8 thousand hp; speed - 17 - 18 knots; fuel supply - 114 tons of solarium; cruising range - 8.5 thousand miles; crew - 44 - 56 people. Armament: until 1942 - 1x1 - 88-mm gun and 1x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft gun; after 1942 - 1x2 and 2x1-20-mm and 1x1 - 37-mm anti-aircraft guns; 5 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 6 torpedoes or 14-36 mines.

A series of underwater minelayers of the X-B type consisted of 8 units (U-116 - U-119, U-219, U-220, U-233, U-234), built at the Germaniawerf shipyard and commissioned in 1941-1944. To accommodate mines, 30 were provided vertical pipes. Boats were mostly used as transports. The boats "U-219" and "U-234" capitulated in 1945, the rest were lost in 1942-1944. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1.7 thousand tons, underwater -2.2 thousand tons; length - 89.8 m, width - 9.2 m; draft - 4.7 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 4.2-4.8 / 1.1 thousand hp; speed - 16 - 17 knots; fuel supply - 338 tons of solarium; cruising range - 18.5 thousand miles; crew - 52 people. Armament: 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 or 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 2 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 15 torpedoes; 66 min.

A series of underwater minelayers of the type "VII-D" consisted of 6 units ("U-213" - "U-218"), built at the Germaniawerf shipyard and put into operation in 1941-1942. The boat "U-218" capitulated in 1945, the rest were lost in 1942-1944. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1 thousand tons, underwater - 1.1 thousand tons; length - 77 m, width - 6.4 m; draft - 5 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 2.8-3.2 / 0.8 thousand hp; speed - 17 knots; fuel supply - 155 tons of solarium; cruising range - 11.2 thousand miles; crew - 46 people. Armament: 1x1 - 88 mm gun; 1x1 - 37 mm and 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 5 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 26 - 39 min.

A series of transport submarines of the "VII-F" type consisted of 4 units ("U-1059" - "U-1062"), built at the Germaniawerf shipyard and commissioned in 1943. The boats were intended to carry 26 torpedoes and transfer them at sea to other submarines. However, the submarines were not used for their intended purpose, but served to transport goods. The boat "U-1061" capitulated in 1945, the rest died in 1944. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1.1 thousand tons, underwater - 1.2 thousand tons; length - 77.6 m, width - 7.3 m; draft - 4.9 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 2.8-3.2 / 0.8 thousand hp; speed - 17 knots; fuel supply - 198 tons of solarium; cruising range - 14.7 thousand miles; crew - 46 people. Armament: 1x1 - 37 mm and 1x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 5 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 14 torpedoes or 36 min.

A series of transport submarines of the XIV type consisted of 10 units (U-459 - U-464, U-487 - U-490), built at the Deutsche Werke shipyard and put into service in 1941-1943 The boats carried 423 tons of solarium and 4 torpedoes. All boats were lost in 1942–1944. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1.7 thousand tons, underwater -1.9 thousand tons; length - 67.1 m, width - 9.4 m; draft - 6.5 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 3.2 / 0.8 thousand hp; speed - 15 knots; fuel reserve - 203 tons of solarium; cruising range - 12.4 thousand miles; crew - 53 people. Armament: 2x1 - 37 mm and 1x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun or 1x1 - 37 mm and 2x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns.

The boat "Batiray" was built at the shipyard "Germaniawerft" by order of Turkey, but was requisitioned by the German troops and in 1939 was accepted into the Navy under the designation "UA". The submarine died in 1945. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 1.1 thousand tons, underwater - 1.4 thousand tons; length - 86.7 m, width - 6.8 m; draft - 4.1 m; immersion depth - 100 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 4.6 / 1.3 thousand hp; speed - 18 knots; fuel supply - 250 tons of solarium; cruising range - 13.1 thousand miles; crew - 45 people. Armament: 1x1 - 105 mm guns; 2x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft guns; 6 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 12 torpedoes or 36 min.

A series of small (coastal) submarines of the type "II-A" consisted of 6 units ("U-1" - "U-6"), built at the shipyard "Deutsche Werke" and adopted by the system in 1935. In 1938-1939 . boats have been re-equipped. The boats "U-1" and "U-2" were lost in 1940 and 1944, "U-3", "U-4" and "U6" - in 1944 were flooded by crews, and "U-5" - capitulated in 1943. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 254 tons, underwater - 303 tons; length - 40.9 m, width - 4.1 m; draft - 3.8 m; immersion depth - 80 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 700/360 hp; fuel supply - 12 tons of solarium; speed - 13 knots; cruising range - 1.6 thousand miles; crew - 22 people. Armament: 1x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft gun; 3 - 533 mm torpedo tubes; 5 torpedoes or 18 min.

A series of small (coastal) submarines of the type "II-B" consisted of 20 units ("U-7" - "U-24", "U-120", "U-121") built at the shipyards "Germaniawerft", " Deutsche Werke", "Flenderwerft" and adopted by the system in 1935-1940. During the war, 7 boats died, the rest were flooded by crews. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 279 tons, underwater - 328 tons; length - 42.7 m, width - 4.1 m; draft - 3.9 m; immersion depth - 80 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 700/360 hp; fuel supply - 21 tons of solarium; speed - 13 knots; cruising range - 3.1 thousand miles; crew - 22 people. Armament: 1x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft gun; 3 - 533 mm torpedo tubes; 5 torpedoes or 18 min.

A series of small (coastal) submarines of the type "II-C" consisted of 8 units ("U-56" - "U-63") built at the shipyard "Deutsche Werke" and put into operation in 1938-1940. During the war, 2 boats died, the rest were flooded by crews.

A series of small (coastal) submarines of the type "II-D" consisted of 16 units ("U-137" - "U-152") built at the shipyard "Deutsche Werke" and put into operation in 1940-1941. During the war, 3 boats were lost, 4 - capitulated in 1945, the rest were flooded by crews. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 314 tons, underwater - 364 tons; length - 44 m, width - 4.9 m; draft - 3.9 m; immersion depth - 80 m; power plants - 2 diesel engines and 2 electric motors; power - 700/410 hp; fuel supply - 38 tons of solarium; speed - 12.7 knots; cruising range - 5.6 thousand miles; crew - 22 people. Armament: 1x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft gun; 3 - 533 mm torpedo tubes; 5 torpedoes or 18 min.

A series of small submarines of type "XXIII" consisted of 60 units ("U-2321" - "U-2371", U-4701-U-4712), built at the shipyards "Deutsche Werft", "Germaniawerft" and put into operation in 1944 -1945 During the war, 7 boats perished, 32 were sunk by crews, the rest surrendered to the allies. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 234 tons, underwater - 258 tons; length - 34.7 m, width - 3 m; draft - 3.7 m; immersion depth - 80 m; power plants - diesel engine and electric motor; power - 580-630 / 35 hp; fuel supply - 20 tons of solarium; speed - 10 knots; cruising range - 4.5 thousand miles; crew - 14 people. Armament: 2 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; 2 torpedoes.

In 1944 at the shipyard Deschimag A.G. Weser, 324 Biber-class midget submarines were built. The British boat "Welman" was taken as the basis for the design. Performance characteristics of the boat: full underwater displacement - 6.5 tons; length - 9 m, width - 1.6 m; draft - 1.4 m; immersion depth - 20 m; power plants - Gas engine and electric motor; power - 32/13 hp; speed - 6.5 knots; fuel reserve - 110 kg; cruising range - 100 miles; crew - 1 person. Armament: 2 - 533 mm torpedoes or mines.

A series of midget submarines of the "Hecht" type consisted of 53 units: "U-2111" - "U-2113", "U-2251" - "U-2300". The boats were built at the Germaniawerft and CRDA shipyards in 1944 on the basis of the captured British midget submarine Welman. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 11.8 tons, underwater - 17.2 tons; length - 10.5 m, width - 1.3 m; draft - 1.4 m; immersion depth - 50 m; power plants - electric motor; power - 12 hp; speed - 6 knots; cruising range - 78 miles; crew - 2 people. Armament: 533 mm torpedo or mine.

In 1944-1945. at the shipyards "Deschimag" and "AG Weser" 390 single boats were built, which are an enlarged electric torpedo. Performance characteristics of the boat: surface displacement standard underwater - 11 tons; length - 10.8 m, width - 1.8 m; draft - 1.8 m; immersion depth - 30 m; power plants - electric motor; power - 14 hp; speed - 5 knots; cruising range - 60 miles; crew - 1 person. Armament: 2 - 533 mm torpedoes.

In 1944-1945. at the shipyards "Howaldtswerke", "Germaniawerft", "Schichau", "Klöckner" and "CRDA" 285 midget submarines of the "Seehund" type (XXVII-B) were assembled, of which 137 units ("U-5001" - "U- 5003", "U-5004" - "U-5118", "U-5221" - "U-5269") was put into service. The boats were equipped with an automobile diesel engine for surface movement. Gathered at the shipyards from three finished sections. During the war, 35 boats were lost. Performance characteristics of the boat: full surface displacement - 14.9 tons, underwater - 17 tons; length - 12 m, width - 1.7 m; draft - 1.5 m; immersion depth - 50 m; power plants - diesel engine and electric motor; power - 60/25 hp; speed - 7.7 knots; fuel supply - 0.5 tons of solarium; cruising range - 300 miles; crew - 2 people. Armament: 2 - 533 mm torpedoes.

The submarine fleet became part of the Navy different countries already during the First World War. Survey work in the field of submarine shipbuilding began long before it began, but only after 1914 were the requirements of the leadership of the fleets for the tactical and technical characteristics of submarines finally formulated. The main condition under which they could operate was stealth. Submarines of the Second World War in their design and principles of operation differed little from their predecessors of previous decades. The constructive difference, as a rule, consisted in technological innovations and some units and assemblies invented in the 20s and 30s that improve seaworthiness and survivability.

German submarines before the war

The terms of the Treaty of Versailles did not allow Germany to build many types of ships and create a full-fledged navy. In the prewar period, ignoring the restrictions imposed in 1918 by the Entente countries, German shipyards nevertheless launched a dozen ocean-class submarines (U-25, U-26, U-37, U-64, etc.). Their displacement on the surface was about 700 tons. Smaller ones (500 tons) in the amount of 24 pcs. (numbered from U-44) plus 32 units of coastal-coastal range had the same displacement and constituted the auxiliary forces of the Kriegsmarine. All of them were armed with bow guns and torpedo tubes (usually 4 bow and 2 stern).

So, despite many prohibitive measures, by 1939 the German Navy was armed with fairly modern submarines. The Second World War immediately after it began showed the high efficiency of this class of weapons.

Attacks on Britain

Britain took upon itself the first blow of the Nazi war machine. Oddly enough, the admirals of the empire most appreciated the danger posed by German battleships and cruisers. Based on the experience of the previous large-scale conflict, they assumed that the area of \u200b\u200boperation of submarines would be limited to a relatively narrow coastal strip, and their detection would not be a big problem.

The use of a snorkel helped to reduce the losses of submarines, although in addition to radars, there were other means of detecting them, such as sonar.

Innovation left unaddressed

Despite the obvious advantages, only the USSR was equipped with snorkels and other countries left this invention without attention, although there were conditions for borrowing experience. It is believed that the Dutch shipbuilders were the first to use snorkels, but it is also known that in 1925 such devices were designed by the Italian military engineer Ferretti, but then this idea was abandoned. In 1940 Holland was invaded Nazi Germany, but her submarine fleet (4 units) managed to leave for the UK. There, too, they did not appreciate this, of course, the necessary device. Snorkels were dismantled, considering them a very dangerous and doubtfully useful device.

The builders of submarines did not use other revolutionary technical solutions. Accumulators, devices for charging them were improved, air regeneration systems were improved, but the principle of submarine design remained unchanged.

Submarines of World War II, USSR

Photos of the North Sea heroes Lunin, Marinesko, Starikov were printed not only by Soviet newspapers, but also by foreign ones. The submariners were real heroes. In addition, the most successful commanders of Soviet submarines became personal enemies Adolf Hitler himself, and they needed no better recognition.

A huge role in the naval battle that unfolded on northern seas and in the Black Sea basin, Soviet submarines played. World War II began in 1939, and in 1941 Nazi Germany attacked the USSR. At that time, our fleet was armed with several main types of submarines:

Submarine "Decembrist". The series (in addition to the title unit, two more - "People's Volunteer" and "Red Guard") was founded in 1931. Full displacement - 980 tons.
Series "L" - "Leninist". Project of 1936, displacement - 1400 tons, the ship is armed with six torpedoes, 12 torpedoes and 20 two guns in the ammunition (bow - 100 mm and stern - 45 mm).
Series "L-XIII" with a displacement of 1200 tons.
Series "Sch" ("Pike") with a displacement of 580 tons.
Series "C", 780 tons, armed with six TA and two guns - 100 mm and 45 mm.
Series "K". Displacement - 2200 tons. Developed in 1938, an underwater cruiser with a speed of 22 knots (surface position) and 10 knots (submerged position). Ocean class boat. Armed with six torpedo tubes (6 bow and 4 torpedo tubes).
Series "M" - "Baby". Displacement - from 200 to 250 tons (depending on modification). Projects of 1932 and 1936, 2 TA, autonomy - 2 weeks.

"Baby"

Submarines of the "M" series are the most compact submarines of the Second World War of the USSR. The film "Navy of the USSR. Chronicle of Victory" tells about the glorious combat way many crews who skillfully used the unique running characteristics of these ships, combined with their small size. Sometimes commanders managed to stealthily sneak into well-defended enemy bases and evade pursuit. "Babies" could be transported along railway and launch in the Black Sea and the Far East.

Along with the advantages, the “M” series, of course, also had disadvantages, but no equipment can do without them: short autonomy, only two torpedoes in the absence of a stock, tightness and tedious service conditions associated with a small crew. These difficulties did not prevent the heroic submariners from winning impressive victories over the enemy.

In different countries

The quantities in which the submarines of the Second World War were in service with the fleets of different countries before the war are interesting. As of 1939, the USSR had the largest fleet of submarines (over 200 units), followed by a powerful Italian submarine fleet (over a hundred units), France was third (86 units), fourth - Great Britain (69), fifth - Japan (65) and sixth - Germany (57). During the war, the balance of power changed, and this list lined up almost in reverse order (with the exception of the number of Soviet boats). In addition to those launched at our shipyards, the Soviet Navy also had a British-built submarine, which became part of the Baltic Fleet after the annexation of Estonia (Lembit, 1935).

After the war

Battles died down on land, in the air, on water and under it. For many years, the Soviet "Pike" and "Baby" continued to defend their native country, then they were used to train cadets of naval military schools. Some of them became monuments and museums, others rusted in submarine cemeteries.

Submarines in the decades after the war almost did not take part in the hostilities that constantly take place in the world. There were local conflicts, sometimes developing into serious wars, but there was no combat work for the submarines. They became more and more secretive, moved quieter and faster, received unlimited autonomy thanks to the achievements of nuclear physics.