German submarine U-252

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-252
Ordered	23 September 1939
Builder	Vegesacker Werft, Bremen
Yard number	17
Laid down	1 November 1940
Launched	14 August 1941
Commissioned	4 October 1941
Fate	Sunk, 14 April 1942
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
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	4.74 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	8,500 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); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
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); 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns;
Service record
Part of:	6th U-boat Flotilla; 4 October 1941 – 14 April 1942;
Identification codes:	M 32 853
Commanders:	Kptlt. Gunter Schiebusch; 4 October – 20 December 1941; Kptlt. Kai Lerchen; 21 December 1941 – 14 April 1942;
Operations:	1 patrol:; 30 March – 14 April 1942;
Victories:	1 merchant ship sunk ; (1,355 GRT)

German submarine U-252 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 1 November 1940 at the Vegesacker Werft at Bremen as yard number 17, launched on 14 August 1941 and commissioned on 4 October under the command of Kapitänleutnant Gunter Schiebusch.

Schiebusch was replaced by Kapitänleutnant Kai Lerchen on 21 December 1941. After training with the 6th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel, U-252 was deemed to be ready for front-line service and sailed on her first patrol on 1 April 1942.

On 6 April 1942, U-252 landed espionage agent Ib Riis in Iceland.^[4]

U-252 is thought to have sunk the 1,355 GRT Norwegian Fanefield on 9 April.^[5] Five days later she encountered convoy OG 82, and was attacked and sunk by depth charges from the sloop HMS Stork and the corvette HMS Vetch on 14 April 1942.^[1]^[6]

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-252 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[7] 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 Germaniawerft F46 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 AEG GU 460/8-276 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).^[7]

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).^[7] 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-252 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 two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[7]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate^[8]
9 April 1942	Fanefjeld	Norway	1,355	Sunk

References

^ ^a ^b Kemp 1999, p. 81.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-252". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by U-252". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
^ "Ib Riis - Double Agent".
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Fanefjeld". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
^ Neistle p50
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-252". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 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). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
Niestle, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-352-8.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-252". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
Hofmann, Markus. "U 252". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.