German submarine ''U-2'' was a
Type IIA
In theoretical physics, type II string theory is a unified term that includes both type IIA strings and type IIB strings theories. Type II string theory accounts for two of the five consistent superstring theories in ten dimensions. Both theories ...
U-boat of
Nazi Germany's ''
Kriegsmarine
The (, ) was the navy of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official branches, along with the a ...
''. Her keel was
laid down 11 February 1935 by
Deutsche Werke
Deutsche Werke was a German shipbuilding company that was founded in 1925 when Kaiserliche Werft Kiel and other shipyards were merged. It came as a result of the Treaty of Versailles after World War I that forced the German defense industry to shri ...
of
Kiel as yard number 237; she was
launched on 1 July and
commissioned on 25 July 1935 with ''
Oberleutnant zur See
''Oberleutnant zur See'' (''OLt zS'' or ''OLZS'' in the German Navy, ''Oblt.z.S.'' in the ''Kriegsmarine'') is traditionally the highest rank of Lieutenant in the German Navy. It is grouped as OF-1 in NATO.
The rank was introduced in the Imper ...
'' (''Oblt.z.S.'') Hermann Michahelles in command.
Design
German Type II submarines were based on the . ''U-2'' had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was , however. The U-boat had a total length of , a
pressure hull length of , a
beam
Beam may refer to:
Streams of particles or energy
*Light beam, or beam of light, a directional projection of light energy
**Laser beam
*Particle beam, a stream of charged or neutral particles
**Charged particle beam, a spatially localized grou ...
of , a height of , and a
draught of . The submarine was powered by two
MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder
diesel engines of for cruising, two
Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36
double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two
propeller
A propeller (colloquially often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon ...
s. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . ''U-2'' was fitted with three
torpedo tubes at the bow, five
torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a
anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a
complement of 25.
Service history
She had several commanders over her long career. Michahelles was relieved on 30 September 1936, by ''
Kapitänleutnant'' (''Kptlt.'') Heinrich Liebe. Liebe turned command over on 31 January 1938 to ''Oblt.z.S.'' Herbert Schultze. On 16 March 1939, ''Kptlt.''
Helmut Rosenbaum
Helmut Rosenbaum (11 May 1913 – 10 May 1944) was a ''Korvettenkapitän'' (LT Commander) in Nazi Germany's ''Kriegsmarine'' during World War II who commanded U-boat , and the 30th U-boat Flotilla. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cros ...
assumed command and on 7 July 1940, ''Oblt.z.S.'' Hans Heidtmann joined Rosenbaum as deputy commander. On 6 August 1940, Georg von Wilamowitz-Moellendorf relieved Rosenbaum and Heidtmann and commanded until October 1941 when Karl Kölzer took over. On 16 May 1942, ''Oblt.z.S.'' Werner Schwaff relieved Kölzer, and on 20 November 1942, was relieved by ''Oblt.z.S.'' Helmut Herglotz. On 12 December 1943, ''Oblt.z.S.'' Wolfgang Schwarzkopf took over and commanded the boat until she was lost.
[
She was used as a school boat and trainer for her entire career except for two completely uneventful combat patrols in early 1940.]
Fate
''U-2'' suffered no casualties to any of her numerous crews until 8 April 1944 when she collided with the German steam trawler ''Helmi Söhle''[Gröner names the vessel involved in the collision as '' Hinrich Freese'', which according to other sources had already sunk on 16 November 194]
west of Pillau (today's Baltiysk, Russia) and sank. 17 of her crew were killed; 18 survived. The wreck was raised the next day and stricken.
References
Notes
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{{DEFAULTSORT:U0002
German Type II submarines
U-boats commissioned in 1935
U-boats sunk in 1944
World War II submarines of Germany
1935 ships
World War II shipwrecks in the Baltic Sea
Ships built in Kiel
U-boat accidents
U-boats sunk in collisions
Maritime incidents in April 1944