German submarine U-44 (1939)

	U-37, (an identical U-boat to U-44) at Lorient in 1940
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-44
Ordered	21 November 1936
Builder	AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number	949
Laid down	15 September 1938
Launched	5 August 1939
Commissioned	4 November 1939
Fate	Sunk by a mine on 13 March 1940 off the coast of the Netherlands. All crew members were lost
General characteristics
Class & type	Type IXA submarine
Displacement	1,032 t (1,016 long tons) surfaced; 1,153 t (1,135 long tons) submerged;
Length	76.50 m (251 ft) o/a; 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.51 m (21 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.40 m (30 ft 10 in)
Draught	4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels); 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	18.2 knots (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) surfaced; 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) submerged;
Range	10,500 nmi (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 65–78 nmi (120–144 km; 75–90 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern); 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes; 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds); 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun; 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns;
Service record
Part of:	6th U-boat Flotilla; 4 November – 31 December 1939; 2nd U-boat Flotilla; 1 January – 13 March 1940;
Identification codes:	M 13 206
Commanders:	Kptlt. Ludwig Mathes; 4 November – 13 March 1940;
Operations:	2 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 6 January – 9 February 1940; 2nd patrol:; 13 March 1940;
Victories:	8 merchant ships sunk ; (30,885 GRT)

German submarine U-44 was a Type IXA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. She was ordered in November 1936 and laid down in September 1938 in Bremen. She was launched in August 1939 and commissioned in November.

During her service in the Kriegsmarine, U-44 conducted only two war patrols and sank a total of eight ships for a loss of 30,885 GRT. On 13 March 1940, she struck a mine that was located in field Number 7 off the north coast of the Netherlands. All 47 of her crew members went down with the submarine.

History
U-37, (an identical U-boat to U-44) at Lorient in 1940
Nazi Germany
Name	U-44
Ordered	21 November 1936
Builder	AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number	949
Laid down	15 September 1938
Launched	5 August 1939
Commissioned	4 November 1939
Fate	Sunk by a mine on 13 March 1940 off the coast of the Netherlands. All crew members were lost
General characteristics
Class & type	Type IXA submarine
Displacement	1,032 t (1,016 long tons) surfaced 1,153 t (1,135 long tons) submerged
Length	76.50 m (251 ft) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.51 m (21 ft 4 in) o/a 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.40 m (30 ft 10 in)
Draught	4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	18.2 knots (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) surfaced 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) submerged
Range	10,500 nmi (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 65–78 nmi (120–144 km; 75–90 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	6th U-boat Flotilla 4 November – 31 December 1939 2nd U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 13 March 1940
Identification codes:	M 13 206
Commanders:	Kptlt. Ludwig Mathes 4 November – 13 March 1940
Operations:	2 patrols: 1st patrol: 6 January – 9 February 1940 2nd patrol: 13 March 1940
Victories:	8 merchant ships sunk (30,885 GRT)