German submarine U-258 explained

German submarine U-258 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack on 20 March 1941 as yard number 23. She was launched on 13 December and commissioned on 4 February 1942.

U-258 was sunk by a Royal Air Force Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber of 120 Squadron in the North Atlantic on 20 May 1943.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-258 had a displacement of 769t when at the surface and 871t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.1m (220.1feet), a pressure hull length of 50.5m (165.7feet), a beam of 6.2m (20.3feet), a height of 9.6m (31.5feet), and a draught of 4.74m (15.55feet). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of NaNPS for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23abbr=onNaNabbr=on propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . U-258 was fitted with five 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.82NaN2 SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Wolfpacks

U-258 took part in eleven wolfpacks, namely:

• Pfeil (12 – 22 September 1942)
• Blitz (22 – 26 September 1942)
• Tiger (26 – 30 September 1942)
• Wotan (5 – 17 October 1942)
• Delphin (23 January – 9 February 1943)
• Rochen (9 – 20 February 1943)
• Adler (11 – 13 April 1943)
• Meise (13 – 27 April 1943)
• Star (27 April – 4 May 1943)
• Inn (11 – 15 May 1943)
• Donau 1 (15 – 20 May 1943)

Bibliography

• Book: Busch . Rainer . Röll . Hans-Joachim . Brooks . Geoffrey . German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary . Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press . London, Annapolis, Md . 1999 . 1-55750-186-6 .
• Book: Busch . Rainer . Röll . Hans-Joachim . 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 . 1999. IV . Mittler. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn . 3-8132-0514-2 . de.
• Book: Edwards , Bernard . Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. 1996. 0-304-35203-9. 194. Cassell Military Classics. .
• Book: Gröner. Erich. Jung. Dieter. Maass. Martin. Thomas. Keith. Magowan. Rachel. 1991. U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. 2. German Warships 1815–1945. London. Conway Maritime Press. 0-85177-593-4. CITEREFGröner1991.

External links

• Web site: The Type VIIC boat U-258 . Helgason . Guðmundur . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . 26 December 2014.
• Web site: U 258. Hofmann. Markus. Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de. de. 26 December 2014.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ships hit by U-258 . Helgason . Guðmundur . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . 26 December 2014.