German submarine U-51 (1938)

U-52, a typical Type VIIB boat
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-51
Ordered21 November 1936
BuilderGermaniawerft AG, Kiel
Cost4,439,000 Reichsmark
Yard number586
Laid down26 February 1937
Launched11 June 1938
Commissioned6 August 1938
FateSunk by submarine HMS Cachalot in the Bay of Biscay, 20 August 1940
General characteristics
Class & typeType VIIB U-boat
Displacement
  • 753 t (741 long tons) surfaced
  • 857 t (843 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draught4.74 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
  • 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) surfaced
  • 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,700 nmi (16,112 km; 10,012 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)surfaced
  • 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph)
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors &
processing systems
Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 05 671
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Ernst-Günther Heinicke
  • 6 August 1938 – August 1939
  • Kptlt. Dietrich Knorr
  • 15 January – 20 August 1940
Operations:
  • 4 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 17 January – 8 February 1940
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 11 March – 22 April 1940
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 6 June – 5 July 1940
  • 4th patrol:
  • 9 – 20 August 1940
Victories:
  • 5 merchant ships sunk
    (26,296 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (4,724 GRT)

German submarine U-51 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. She was ordered on 21 November 1936 and laid down on 26 February 1937 in Kiel. She was launched on 11 June 1938 and commissioned on 6 August 1938.

During her service in the Kriegsmarine, U-51 conducted four war patrols and sank five enemy vessels for a loss of 26,296 gross register tons (GRT) and one auxiliary warship of 4,724 GRT. She was a member of one wolfpack.

She was sunk on 20 August 1940 in the Bay of Biscay by a torpedo from a British submarine.