German submarine U-138 (1940)

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-138
Ordered	25 September 1939
Builder	Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel
Yard number	267
Laid down	16 November 1939
Launched	18 May 1940
Commissioned	27 June 1940
Fate	Scuttled 18 June 1941 west of Cadiz, in position 36°04′N 07°29′W / 36.067°N 7.483°W / 36.067; -7.483 No casualties.
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IID coastal submarine
Displacement	314 t (309 long tons) surfaced 364 t (358 long tons) submerged
Length	43.97 m (144 ft 3 in) o/a 29.80 m (97 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam	4.92 m (16 ft 2 in) (o/a) 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height	8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught	3.93 m (12 ft 11 in)
Installed power	700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels) 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	12.7 knots (23.5 km/h; 14.6 mph) surfaced 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) submerged
Range	3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	80 m (260 ft)
Complement	3 officers, 22 men
Armament	3 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 5 × torpedoes or up to 12 TMA or 18 TMB mines 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	1st U-boat Flotilla 27 June – 31 December 1940 22nd U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 30 April 1941 3rd U-boat Flotilla 1 May – 18 June 1941
Identification codes:	M 02 840
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Lüth 27 June – 20 October 1940 Kptlt. Peter Lohmeyer 21 October – 31 Dec 1940 Oblt.z.S. Franz Gramitsky 1 January – 18 June 1941
Operations:	5 patrols: 1st patrol: 10 – 26 September 1940 2nd patrol: 8 – 19 October 1940 3rd patrol: a. 5 November – 1 December 1940 b. 20 – 24 April 1941 4th patrol: 12 – 27 May 1941 5th patrol: 12 – 18 June 1941
Victories:	6 merchant ships sunk (48,564 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (6,993 GRT)

German submarine U-138 was a Type IID U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in World War II. Her keel was laid down on 16 November 1939 by Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 267. She was launched on 18 May 1940 and commissioned on 27 June 1940 with Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Lüth in command.

U-138 conducted five patrols, sinking six ships totalling 48,564 gross register tons (GRT) and damaged one vessel of 6,993 GRT.

She was scuttled on 18 June 1941 after being damaged by British warships west of Cadiz in Spain. There were no casualties from her crew of 28.