U-2511 (center) in Bergen, Norway
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-2511
Ordered6 November 1943
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number2511
Laid down7 July 1944
Launched2 September 1944
Commissioned29 September 1944
Fate
General characteristics
Class and typeType XXI submarine
Displacement
  • 1,621 t (1,595 long tons) surfaced
  • 2,100 t (2,067 long tons) submerged
Length76.70 m (251 ft 8 in) (o/a)
Beam8 m (26 ft 3 in)
Height11.30 m (37 ft 1 in)
Draught6.32 m (20 ft 9 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • Surfaced:
  • 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) (diesel)
  • 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) (electric)
  • Submerged:
  • 17.2 knots (31.9 km/h; 19.8 mph) (electric)
  • 6.1 knots (11.3 km/h; 7.0 mph) (silent running motors)
Range
  • 15,500 nmi (28,700 km; 17,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 340 nmi (630 km; 390 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth240 m (790 ft)
Complement5 officers, 52 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Service record[1][2]
Part of:
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • 3 – 6 May 1945
Victories: None

German submarine U-2511 was a Type XXI submarine of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The Elektroboot submarine was laid down on 7 July 1944 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, launched on 2 September 1944, and commissioned on 29 September 1944 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Adalbert Schnee.[1]

Design

Like all Type XXI submarines, U-2511 had a displacement of 1,621 tonnes (1,595 long tons) when at the surface and 1,819 tonnes (1,790 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 76.70 m (251 ft 8 in) (o/a), a beam of 8 m (26 ft 3 in), and a draught of 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in).[4] The submarine was powered by two MAN SE supercharged six-cylinder M6V40/46KBB diesel engines each providing 4,000 metric horsepower (2,900 kilowatts; 3,900 shaft horsepower), two Siemens-Schuckert GU365/30 double-acting electric motors each providing 5,000 PS (3,700 kW; 4,900 shp), and two Siemens-Schuckert silent running GV232/28 electric motors each providing 226 PS (166 kW; 223 shp).[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) and a submerged speed of 17.2 knots (31.9 km/h; 19.8 mph). When running on silent motors the boat could operate at a speed of 6.1 knots (11.3 km/h; 7.0 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) for 340 nautical miles (630 km; 390 mi); when surfaced, she could travel 15,500 nautical miles (28,700 km; 17,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[4] U-2511 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes in the bow and four 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. She could carry 23 torpedoes or 17 torpedoes and 12 naval mine. The complement was five officers and 52 men.[4]

Service history

After training with 31st U-boat Flotilla, U-2511 was transferred to 11th U-boat Flotilla at Bergen, Norway, for front-line service on 15 March 1945.[1]

U-2511 conducted one patrol. On the evening of 30 April 1945 (coincidentally the date of Hitler's death), U-2511 set out from Bergen, Norway for the Caribbean, but on 4 May Schnee received the end-of-the-war cease-fire order.[1] The commander of U-2511 claimed the U-boat had a British cruiser in her sights on 4 May when news of the German cease-fire was received. He further claimed she made a practice attack before leaving the scene undetected.[5]

Fate

On 17 June 1945, U-2511 was transferred from Bergen, and arrived at Londonderry Port on 21 June for Operation Deadlight. The U-boat was sunk on 7 January 1946 at 7:40 pm in position 55°33′N 07°38′W / 55.550°N 7.633°W / 55.550; -7.633.[1] She was sunk by gunfire after her towing cable parted.

The wreck lies at a depth 69 metres (226 ft). She had been visited by divers at least three times, in 1999 and 2001, and circa 2012 for 'Dig WW2 with Dan Snow',[6] revealing she is largely intact except for a large blast hole caused by the shellfire that sank her.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XXI boat U-2511". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
  2. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-2511". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Adalbart Schnee (Knight's Cross)". German U-boats of World War II - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, p. 85.
  5. ↑ Van der Vat, Dan (1994). Stealth at Sea. London: Orion. p. 353. ISBN 1-85797-864-1.
  6. ↑ "Dig WW2 with Dan Snow". Dig WW2 with Dan Snow. Episode 3. 29 August 2012. BBC. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  7. ↑ Innes McCartney. "Day Two: 15th July 2001". Operation Deadlight 2002 Expedition. Archived from the original on 19 April 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2011.

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Bekker, Cajus (1953). Kampf und Untergang der Kriegsmarine. Düsseldorf.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Heinz Schaeffer. U-977.
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