German submarine U-107 (1940)

U-107 at Lorient in November 1941
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-107
Ordered:	24 May 1938
Builder:	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number:	970
Laid down:	6 December 1939
Launched:	2 July 1940
Commissioned:	8 October 1940
Homeport:	Lorient, France
Fate:	Sunk, 18 August 1944
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type IXB U-boat
Displacement:	1,051 t (1,034 long tons) surfaced 1,178 t (1,159 long tons) submerged
Length:	76.50 m (251 ft) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draught:	4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power:	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Range:	12,000 nmi (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft)
Complement:	48 to 56 officers and ratings
Armament:	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine: 2nd U-boat Flotilla
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Günther Hessler October 1940 – December 1941 Kptlt. Harald Gelhaus December 1941 – June 1943 Kptlt. Volker Simmermacher July 1943 – August 1944 Lt.z.S. Karl-Heinz Fritz August 1944
Operations:	16 patrols
Victories:	37 ships sunk for a total of 207,375 GRT Two auxiliary warships sunk for a total of 10,411 GRT Three ships damaged for a total of 17,392 GRT One auxiliary warship (USS Rapidan) of 8,246 GRT damaged

German submarine U-107 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. Between January 1941 and August 1944, she sailed on 16 active patrols at a time when a U-boat averaged a lifespan of seven to ten patrols. During that time, U-107 sank 39 Allied ships, in addition to damaging another four ships. The U-boat was launched on 2 July 1940, based at the U-boat port of Lorient, with a crew of 53 under the initial command of Günther Hessler. She was later commanded, in order, by Harald Gelhaus, Valker Simmermacher and her final commander, Karl Heinz Fritz.

German Type IXB submarines were slightly larger than the original German Type IX submarines, later designated IXA. U-107 had a displacement of 1,051 tonnes (1,034 long tons) when at the surface and 1,178 tonnes (1,159 long tons) while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.50 m (251 ft), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 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 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 shp) 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).