U-9, a typical Type IIB boat |
| History |
|---|
| Nazi Germany |
|---|
| Name | U-7 |
| Ordered | 20 July 1934 |
| Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number | 541 |
| Laid down | 11 March 1935 |
| Launched | 29 June 1935 |
| Commissioned | 18 July 1935 |
| Fate | Sunk 18 February 1944 west of Pillau. 29 dead |
| General characteristics |
|---|
| Class & type | Type IIB coastal submarine |
| Displacement |
- 279 t (275 long tons) surfaced
- 328 t (323 long tons) submerged
|
| Length | 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in) |
| Beam |
- 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a)
- 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
|
| Draught | 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in) |
| Installed power |
- 700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels)
- 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
|
| Propulsion | |
| Speed |
- 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
- 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
|
| Range |
- 1,800 nmi (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
- 35–43 nmi (65–80 km; 40–49 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
|
| Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 22 men |
| Armament | |
| Service record |
| Part of: |
- U-boat School Flotilla
- 1 September 1935 – 1 February 1940
- 1 March – 30 June 1940
- 21st U-boat Flotilla
- 1 July 1940 – 18 February 1944
|
| Identification codes: |
M 16 723 |
| Commanders: |
- Kptlt. Kurt Freiwald
- 18 July 1935 – 3 October 1937
- Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Otto Salman
- 10 February 1938 – 5 February 1939
- 31 May – 2 July 1939
- 2 August – 1 October 1939
- 25 October – 13 November 1939
- Kptlt. Werner Heidel
- 18 December 1938 – 13 October 1939
- Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Karl Schrott
- 14 October 1939 – October 1940
- Oblt.z.S. Günther Reeder
- October 1940 – January 1941
- February 1941 – 29 March 1941
- Oblt.z.S. Ernst-Ulrich Brüller
- January - February 1941
- Oblt.z.S. Hans-Günther Kuhlmann
- 30 March – 16 June 1941
- Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Heinrich Schmid
- 17 June 1941 – 15 January 1942
- Oblt.z.S. Siegfried Koitschka
- 16 January – 7 October 1942
- Lt.z.S. Otto Hübschen
- September – December 1942
- Oblt.z.S. Hans Schrenk
- 8 October 1942 – January 1944
- Oblt.z.S. Günther Loeschcke
- January – 18 February 1944
|
| Operations: |
- 6 patrols:
- 1st patrol:
- 24 August – 8 September 1939
- 2nd patrol:
- 18 September – 3 October 1939
- 3rd patrol:
- 3 – 8 March 1940
- 4th patrol:
- 14 – 19 March 1940
- 5th patrol:
- 3 – 21 April 1940
- 6th patrol:
- 7 – 18 May 1940
|
| Victories: |
- 1 merchant ship sunk
(2,694 GRT)
- 1 merchant ship total loss
(1,830 GRT)
|
German submarine U-7 was a Type IIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, based out of Kiel during World War II. It was one of the smaller versions, and was first launched on 29 June 1935 with a crew of 29. Its first commander was Kurt Freiwald. U-7 would have 16 commanders over the course of its service, the last being Günther Loeschcke.
During the war U-7 was responsible for sinking two vessels.
On 18 February 1944, west of Pillau, U-7 sank in what is believed to have been a malfunction during a diving manoeuvre. There were no survivors.
