German submarine U-45 (1938)

U-45 conducting speed trials in 1938. Note her number on the conning tower, it was removed at the beginning of the war
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-45
Ordered	21 November 1936
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	580
Laid down	23 February 1937
Launched	27 April 1938
Commissioned	25 June 1938
Fate	Sunk, 14 October 1939, southwest of Ireland. 38 dead, no survivors.
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIB U-boat
Displacement	753 t (741 long tons) surfaced 857 t (843 long tons) submerged
Length	66.50 m (218 ft 2 in) o/a 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.50 m (31 ft 2 in)
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	17.9 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)
Complement	4 officers, 40 to 56 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems	Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 torpedoes or 26 TMA mines or 39 TMB mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	7th U-boat Flotilla 25 June 1938 – 14 October 1939
Identification codes:	M 08 204
Commanders:	Kptlt. Alexander Gelhaar 25 June 1938 – 14 October 1939
Operations:	2 patrols: 1st patrol: 19 August – 15 September 1939 2nd patrol: 9 – 14 October 1939
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk (19,313 GRT)

German submarine U-45 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was ordered on 21 November 1936 and laid down on 23 February 1937 at Germaniawerft in Kiel as yard number 580. She was launched on 27 April 1938 and commissioned on 25 June 1938 under the command of Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Alexander Gelhaar.