German submarine U-587

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History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-587
Ordered: 16 January 1940
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number: 563
Laid down: 31 October 1940
Launched: 23 July 1941
Commissioned: 11 September 1941
Fate: Sunk 27 March 1942 in the North Atlantic in position Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found., by depth charges from Royal Navy surface ships.
General characteristics
Class & type: Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.74 m (15 ft 7 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:
Speed:
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament:
Service record[1]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • K.Kapt. Ulrich Borcherdt
  • 11 September 1941 – 27 March 1942
Operations:
  • 1st patrol: 8–31 January 1942
  • 2nd patrol: 12 February – 27 March 1942
Victories:
  • 4 merchant ships sunk (22,734 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk (655 tons)

German submarine U-587 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 31 October 1940 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 563, launched on 23 July 1941 and commissioned on 11 September 1941 under Korvettenkapitän Ulrich Borcherdt.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-587 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) 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).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-587 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history

The boat's short service career began on 11 September 1941 with training, followed by active service on 1 January 1942 as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. It ended just 3 months later when she was sunk in the North Atlantic.

In four patrols she sank four merchant ships, for a total of 22,734 gross register tons (GRT), plus one auxiliary warship sunk.

Wolfpacks

U-587 took part in one wolfpack, namely

  • Robbe (15–24 January 1942)

Fate

U-587 was sunk on 27 March 1942 in the North Atlantic in position Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.; depth charged by Royal Navy vessels HMS Grove, Aldenham, Volunteer and Leamington. There were no survivors.

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[3]
24 February 1942 Anadara  United Kingdom 8,009 Sunk
6 March 1942 Hans Egede Denmark Greenland 900 Sunk
8 March 1942 HMS Northern Princess  Royal Navy 655 Sunk
9 March 1942 Lily  Greece 5,719 Sunk
23 March 1942 Diala  United Kingdom 8,106 Sunk

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

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  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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