German submarine U-82 (1941)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-82.

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-82
Ordered:	25 January 1939
Builder:	Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Laid down:	15 May 1940
Launched:	15 March 1941
Commissioned:	14 May 1941
Fate:	Sunk on 6 February 1942 north-east of the Azores by British warships
General characteristics
Class & type:	Type VIIC U-boat
Displacement:	769 tonnes (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
Height:	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught:	4.72 m (15 ft 6 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
Range:	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft) Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement:	44-52 officers & 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) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine 3rd U-boat Flotilla
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Siegfried Rollmann 14 May 1941 – 6 February 1942
Operations:	Three: 1st patrol: 11 August – 18 September 1941 2nd patrol: 15 October – 19 November 1941 3rd patrol: 11 January – 2 February 1942
Victories:	Eight ships sunk for a total of 51,859 GRT; one warship sunk of 1,190 tons; one ship damaged of 1,999 GRT

German submarine U-82 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Her keel was laid down on 15 May 1940 by Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft of Bremen as yard number 10. She was launched on 15 March 1941 and commissioned on 14 May with Oberleutnant zur See Siegfried Rollmann in command. U-82 conducted three patrols, sinking eight merchant ships for a total of 51,859 gross register tons (GRT), one warship of 1,190 tons and damaging another merchantman of 1,999 GRT.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-82 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 6 V 40/46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-82 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

U-82 conducted three patrols whilst serving with the 3rd U-boat Flotilla from 14 May 1941 to 6 February 1942 when she was sunk. She was a member of four wolfpacks.

1st patrol

The boat's first patrol began with her departure from Trondheim in Norway on 11 August 1941 after moving from Kiel in July. Her route took her across the Norwegian Sea and through the gap separating Iceland and the Faroe Islands toward the Atlantic Ocean.

She sank the Empire Hudson northeast of Greenland on the 10 September 1941 followed by four more ships: the Bulysees, the Gypsum Queen, the Empire Crossbill and the Scania, all on the 11th.

U-82 then docked at Lorient on the French Atlantic coast on 5 July.

2nd patrol

The boat sank two more ships on her second foray but when she returned to France she went to La Pallice on 19 November 1941.

3rd patrol and loss

On her final patrol, U-82 sank Athelcrown, and Leiesten in mid-Atlantic. At the end of January she attacked and sank HMS Belmont, a US-built, Town-class destroyer, south of Newfoundland. On 6 February 1942, while returning from patrol, she encountered convoy OS 18 north-east of the Azores. While attempting to attack she was sunk with all 45 of her crew by depth charges from the British sloop HMS Rochester and the corvette HMS Tamarisk.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship	Nationality	Tonnage	Fate
10 September 1941	Empire Hudson	United Kingdom	7,465	Sunk
11 September 1941	Bulysses	United Kingdom	7,519	Sunk
11 September 1941	Empire Crossbill	United Kingdom	5,463	Sunk
11 September 1941	Gypsum Queen	United Kingdom	3,915	Sunk
11 September 1941	Scania	Sweden	1,999	Damaged
21 October 1941	Treverbyn	United Kingdom	5,281	Sunk
21 October 1941	Serbino	United Kingdom	4,099	Sunk
22 January 1942	Athelcrown	United Kingdom	11,999	Sunk
23 January 1942	Leisten	Norway	6,118	Sunk
31 January 1942	HMS Belmont	Royal Navy	1,190	Sunk

Bibliography

• Axel Neistle : German U-Boat Losses during World War II (1998) ISBN 1-85367-352-8