German submarine U-135 (1941)

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-135
Ordered	7 August 1939
Builder	Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number	14
Laid down	16 September 1940
Launched	12 June 1941
Commissioned	16 August 1941
Fate	Sunk, 15 July 1943
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
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	4.72 m (15 ft 6 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	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
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); Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun(220 rounds); 1 × 2 cm Flak 38 gun;
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla; 16 August – 1 December 1941; 7th U-boat Flotilla; 1 December 1941 – 15 July 1943;
Identification codes:	M 00 150
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Friedrich-Hermann Praetorius; 16 August 1941 – November 1942; Oblt.z.S. Heinz Schütt; November 1942 – 3 June 1943; Oblt.z.S. Otto Luther; 4 June – 15 July 1943;
Operations:	7 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 24 December 1941 – 31 January 1942; 2nd patrol:; 22 February – 3 April 1942; 3rd patrol:; 26 April – 5 July 1942; 4th patrol:; 8 August – 3 October 1942; 5th patrol:; 21 November – 26 December 1942; 6th patrol:; 24 January – 10 March 1942; 7th patrol:; 7 June – 15 July 1943;
Victories:	3 merchant ships sunk ; (21,302 GRT); 1 merchant ship damaged ; (4,762 GRT);

German submarine U-135 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down at the Vulkan-Vegesackerwerft in Bremen on 16 September 1940 as yard number 14, launched on 12 June 1941 and commissioned on 16 August with Oberleutnant zur See Friederich-Hermann Praetorius in command.

U-135 began her service career in training with the 5th U-boat Flotilla, before moving on to the 7th flotilla for operations.

History

Nazi Germany
Name	U-135
Ordered	7 August 1939
Builder	Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number	14
Laid down	16 September 1940
Launched	12 June 1941
Commissioned	16 August 1941
Fate	Sunk, 15 July 1943
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
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	4.72 m (15 ft 6 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	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
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) Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun(220 rounds) 1 × 2 cm Flak 38 gun
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 16 August – 1 December 1941 7th U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1941 – 15 July 1943
Identification codes:	M 00 150
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Friedrich-Hermann Praetorius 16 August 1941 – November 1942 Oblt.z.S. Heinz Schütt November 1942 – 3 June 1943 Oblt.z.S. Otto Luther 4 June – 15 July 1943
Operations:	7 patrols: 1st patrol: 24 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 2nd patrol: 22 February – 3 April 1942 3rd patrol: 26 April – 5 July 1942 4th patrol: 8 August – 3 October 1942 5th patrol: 21 November – 26 December 1942 6th patrol: 24 January – 10 March 1942 7th patrol: 7 June – 15 July 1943
Victories:	3 merchant ships sunk (21,302 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (4,762 GRT)