German submarine U-510

U-505, a typical Type IXC boat
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-510
Ordered20 October 1939
BuilderDeutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number306
Laid down1 November 1940
Launched4 September 1941
Commissioned25 November 1941
CapturedBy United States Navy on 10 May 1945
FateAwarded to French Navy in 1946
France
NameBouan
Acquired1946
Commissioned24 June 1947
Stricken1 May 1959
FateBroken up in 1960
General characteristics
Class and typeType IXC submarine
Displacement
  • 1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.70 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
Speed
  • 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced
  • 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 13,450 nmi (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament
Service record (Kriegsmarine)[1][2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 42 702
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 7 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 7 July – 13 September 1942
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 14 October – 12 December 1942
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 16 January – 16 April 1943
  • 4th patrol:
  • 3 June – 29 August 1943
  • 5th patrol:
  • a. 3 November 1943 – 5 April 1944
  • b. 12 – 13 April 1944
  • c. 26 June – 7 July 1944
  • d. 7 – 19 October 1944
  • 6th patrol:
  • 26 November – 3 December 1944
  • 7th patrol:
  • 11 January – 23 April 1945
Victories:
  • 11 merchant ships sunk
    (71,100 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (249 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships total loss
    (24,338 GRT)
  • 8 merchant ships damaged
    (53,289 GRT)

German submarine U-510 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II, which later served in the French Navy. The submarine was laid down on 1 November 1940 at the Deutsche Werft yard at Hamburg as yard number 306, launched on 4 September 1941, and commissioned on 25 November 1941 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Karl Neitzel.[1]

After training with the 4th U-boat Flotilla at Stettin, U-510 was transferred to the 10th U-boat Flotilla based at Lorient in occupied France, for front-line service on 1 August 1942. Kapitänleutnant Alfred Eick took command of the U-boat on 22 May 1943, and she was transferred to the 33rd flotilla on 1 October 1944 while operating in Southeast Asian waters. During her seven war patrols the U-boat sank twelve ships totalling 71,349 gross register tons (GRT), damaged eight, totalling 53,289 GRT and cause three total loss, totalling 24,338 GRT.[1]

The U-boat was captured by American forces at Saint-Nazaire on 10 May 1945. Renamed Bouan she served in the French Navy from 1947 until struck on 1 May 1959. The submarine was broken up in 1960.[3]

  1. ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC boat U-510". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-510". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  3. ^ "Bouan ex-U-510 Type IX-B". u-boote.fr (in French). Retrieved 24 February 2010.