German submarine U-81 (1941)

	U-81
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-81
Ordered	25 January 1939
Builder	Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number	9
Laid down	11 May 1940
Launched	22 February 1941
Commissioned	26 April 1941
Fate	Sunk on 9 January 1944 by US bombers in Pola, Italy.; Wreck raised on 22 April 1944 and scrapped;
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC U-boat
Displacement	769 t (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) (o/a); 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) (pressure hull);
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (o/a); 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) (pressure hull);
Draught	4.74 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	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced ; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,190 nmi (15,170 km; 9,420 mi) surfaced ; 81 nmi (150 km; 93 mi)submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–967 ft);
Complement	44 to 52 officers and ratings
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	1st U-boat Flotilla; 26 April – 30 November 1941; 29th U-boat Flotilla; 1 December 1941 – 9 January 1944;
Identification codes:	M 38 099
Commanders:	Kptlt. Friedrich Guggenberger; 26 April 1941 – 24 December 1942; Oblt.z.S. Johann-Otto Krieg; 25 December 1942 – 9 January 1944;
Operations:	17 patrols:; 1st patrol:; a. 17 July – 7 August 1941 ; b. 9 – 13 August 1941; 2nd patrol:; a. 27 August – 19 September 1941; b. 29 – 31 October 1941; 3rd patrol:; 4 November – 10 December 1941; 4th patrol:; 27 January – 4 March 1942; 5th patrol:; 4 – 25 April 1942; 6th patrol:; 6 May – 3 June 1942; 7th patrol:; 6 – 24 June 1942; 8th patrol:; 5 October – 16 November 1942; 9th patrol:; 24 November – 21 December 1942; 10th patrol:; 30 January – 19 February 1943; 11th patrol:; 6 March – 7 April 1943; 12th patrol:; 6 June – 4 July 1943; 13th patrol:; 14 – 25 July 1943; 14th patrol:; 1 – 10 August 1943; 15th patrol:; 20 September – 13 October 1943; 16th patrol:; 10 – 23 November 1943; 17th patrol:; 30 Dec 1943 – 3 January 1944;
Victories:	24 merchant ships sunk ; (41,784 GRT); 1 warship sunk ; (22,600 tons); 1 auxiliary warship sunk ; (1,150 GRT); 1 merchant ship total loss ; (7,472 GRT); 1 merchant ship damaged ; (6,671 GRT);

German submarine U-81 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the navy (Kriegsmarine) of Nazi Germany during World War II, famous for sinking the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.

^ Kemp 1997, p. 163.

[FOOTNOTEKemp1997163-1] Kemp 1997, p. 163.

[1]

History
U-81
Nazi Germany
Name	U-81
Ordered	25 January 1939
Builder	Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number	9
Laid down	11 May 1940
Launched	22 February 1941
Commissioned	26 April 1941
Fate	Sunk on 9 January 1944 by US bombers in Pola, Italy. Wreck raised on 22 April 1944 and scrapped^[1]
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC U-boat
Displacement	769 t (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) (o/a) 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) (pressure hull)
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (o/a) 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Draught	4.74 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	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	8,190 nmi (15,170 km; 9,420 mi) surfaced 81 nmi (150 km; 93 mi)submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft) Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–967 ft)
Complement	44 to 52 officers and ratings
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun
Service record
Part of:	1st U-boat Flotilla 26 April – 30 November 1941 29th U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1941 – 9 January 1944
Identification codes:	M 38 099
Commanders:	Kptlt. Friedrich Guggenberger 26 April 1941 – 24 December 1942 Oblt.z.S. Johann-Otto Krieg 25 December 1942 – 9 January 1944
Operations:	17 patrols: 1st patrol: a. 17 July – 7 August 1941 b. 9 – 13 August 1941 2nd patrol: a. 27 August – 19 September 1941 b. 29 – 31 October 1941 3rd patrol: 4 November – 10 December 1941 4th patrol: 27 January – 4 March 1942 5th patrol: 4 – 25 April 1942 6th patrol: 6 May – 3 June 1942 7th patrol: 6 – 24 June 1942 8th patrol: 5 October – 16 November 1942 9th patrol: 24 November – 21 December 1942 10th patrol: 30 January – 19 February 1943 11th patrol: 6 March – 7 April 1943 12th patrol: 6 June – 4 July 1943 13th patrol: 14 – 25 July 1943 14th patrol: 1 – 10 August 1943 15th patrol: 20 September – 13 October 1943 16th patrol: 10 – 23 November 1943 17th patrol: 30 Dec 1943 – 3 January 1944
Victories:	24 merchant ships sunk (41,784 GRT) 1 warship sunk (22,600 tons) 1 auxiliary warship sunk (1,150 GRT) 1 merchant ship total loss (7,472 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (6,671 GRT)