Type II submarine

U-1, a Type IIA submarine and lead ship of the class
Class overview
NameType II Submarine
Builders
Operators
Preceded byCV 707-type submarine
Succeeded by
Built1934–1940
In commission1935–1945
Completed
  • IIA : 6
  • IIB : 20
  • IIC : 8
  • IID : 16
General characteristics [1]
Type
Displacement
  • IIA
    • 254 tonnes (250 long tons) surfaced
    • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
    • 381 t (375 long tons) total
  • IIB
    • 279 t (275 long tons) surfaced
    • 328 t (323 long tons) submerged
    • 414 t (407 long tons) total
  • IIC
    • 291 t (286 long tons) surfaced
    • 341 t (336 long tons) submerged
    • 435 t (428 long tons) total
  • IID
    • 314 t (309 long tons) surfaced
    • 364 t (358 long tons) submerged
    • 460 t (453 long tons) total
Length
  • IIA
  • IIB
    • 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in) o/a
    • 28.20 m (92 ft 6 in) pressure hull
  • IIC
    • 43.90 m (144.0 ft) o/a
    • 29.60 m (97 ft 1 in) pressure hull
  • IID
    • 43.97 m (144 ft 3 in) o/a
    • 29.80 m (97 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam
  • IIA, IIB, IIC
    • 4.081 m (13 ft 4.7 in) o/a
    • 4 m (13 ft 1 in) pressure hull
  • IID
    • 4.916 m (16 ft 1.5 in) o/a
    • 4 m (13 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Height
  • IIA, IIB
    • 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
  • IIC
    • 8.382 m (27 ft 6.0 in)
  • IID
    • 8.10 m (26 ft 7 in)
Draught
  • IIA
    • 3.83 m (12 ft 7 in)
  • IIB
    • 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in)
  • IIC
    • 3.82 m (12 ft 6 in)
  • IID
    • 3.93 m (12 ft 11 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • IIA
    • 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
    • 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph) submerged
  • IIB
    • 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
    • 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
  • IIC
    • 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
    • 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
  • IID
    • 12.7 knots (23.5 km/h; 14.6 mph) surfaced
    • 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • IIA
    • 1,600 nmi (3,000 km; 1,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
    • 35 nmi (65 km; 40 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
  • IIB
    • 3,100 nmi (5,700 km; 3,600 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
    • 35–43 nmi (65–80 km; 40–49 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
  • IIC
    • 3,800 nmi (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
    • 35–42 nmi (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
  • IID
    • 5,650 nmi (10,460 km; 6,500 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
    • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth150 m (490 ft)
Complement3 officers, 11 non-commissioned officers, 11 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament

The Type II U-boat was designed by Nazi Germany as a coastal U-boat, modeled after the CV-707 submarine, which was designed by the Dutch front company NV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw Den Haag (I.v.S) (set up by Germany after World War I in order to maintain and develop German submarine technology and to circumvent the limitations set by the Treaty of Versailles) and built in 1933 by the Finnish Crichton-Vulcan shipyard in Turku, Finland. It was too small to undertake sustained operations far away from the home support facilities. Its primary role was found to be in the training schools, preparing new German naval officers for command. It appeared in four sub-types.

  1. ^ Gröner, Jung & Maass 1991, pp. 39–40.