German submarine U-525

German submarine U-525 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.

History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-525
Ordered: 15 August 1940
Builder: Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number: 340
Laid down: 10 September 1941
Launched: 20 May 1942[1]
Commissioned: 30 July 1942[1]
Fate: Sunk by US aircraft, northwest of the Azores, August 1943[2]
General characteristics
Class and type: Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement:
  • 1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a
  • 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.67 m (15 ft 4 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
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:
Service record[3]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hans-Joachim Drewitz
  • 30 July 1942 – 11 August 1943
Operations:
  • 15 December 1942 – 3 March 1943
  • 15 April – 26 May 1943
  • 27 July – 11 August 1943
Victories: One ship sunk, 3,454 GRT

Her keel was laid down on 10 September 1941 by the Deutsche Werft in Hamburg as yard number 340. She was launched on 20 May 1942 and commissioned on 30 July with Kapitänleutnant Hans-Joachim Drewitz in command.

The U-boat's service began with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla on 30 July 1942. She then moved to the 10th flotilla on 1 January 1943 for operations.

She was a member of six wolfpacks.

She carried out three patrols and sank one ship of 3,454 GRT.

She was sunk by US aircraft, northwest of the Azores, in August 1943

Design

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-525 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged.[4] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-525 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[4]

Service history

1st patrol

The submarine's first patrol took her from Kiel on 15 December 1942, across the North Sea and into the Atlantic Ocean through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. She sank Radhurst on 20 February 1943. The ship went down in three minutes.

She arrived at Lorient in occupied France, on 3 March.

2nd patrol

Her second foray was relatively uneventful.

3rd patrol and loss

Her third sortie took her north and west of the Azores.

She was sunk by depth charges and aerial torpedoes from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft from the American carrier Card on 11 August 1943 north-west of the Azores.

Fifty-four men died; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-525 took part in six wolfpacks, namely.

  • Falke (28 December 1942 – 19 January 1943)
  • Haudegen (19 January – 15 February 1943)
  • Amsel (22 April – 3 May 1943)
  • Amsel 3 (3–6 May 1943)
  • Rhein (7–10 May 1943)
  • Elbe 1 (10–14 May 1943)

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)		 Fate[5]
20 February 1943 Radhurst  United Kingdom 3,454 Sunk

References
  1. Kemp 1997, p. 141.
  2. Kemp 1997, pp. 141-142.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-525". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  4. Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-525". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 January 2014.

Bibliography
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. p. 152. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-525". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 525". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 1 February 2015.

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