German submarine U-138 (1940)

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-138
Ordered:	25 September 1939
Builder:	Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel
Laid down:	16 November 1939
Launched:	18 May 1940
Commissioned:	27 June 1940
Fate:	Scuttled 18 June 1941 west of Cadiz, in position 36°04′N 07°29′W / 36.067°N 7.483°W / 36.067; -7.483 No casualties.
General characteristics
Class and type:	IID
Type:	Coastal submarine
Displacement:	314 t (309 long tons) surfaced 364 t (358 long tons) submerged
Length:	43.97 m (144 ft 3 in) o/a 29.80 m (97 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:	4.92 m (16 ft 2 in) (o/a) 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught:	3.93 m (12 ft 11 in)
Installed power:	700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels) 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Range:	3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	80 m (260 ft)
Complement:	3 officers, 22 men
Armament:	3 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 5 × torpedoes or up to 12 TMA or 18 TMB 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine: 1st U-boat Flotilla 1940 22nd U-boat Flotilla 1941
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Lüth Peter Lohmeyer Oblt.z.S. Franz Gramitsky
Operations:	Five: 1st patrol: 10–26 September 1940 2nd patrol: 8–19 October 1940 3rd patrol: 5 November – 1 December 1940 4th patrol: 12–27 May 1941 5th patrol: 12–18 June 1941
Victories:	Six ships sunk for a total of 48,564 GRT One ship damaged (6,993 GRT)

German submarine U-138 was a Type IID U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in World War II. Her keel was laid down on 16 November 1939 by Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 267. She was launched on 18 May 1940 and commissioned on 27 June 1940 with Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Lüth in command.

U-138 conducted five patrols, sinking six ships totalling 48,564 gross register tons (GRT) and damaged one vessel of 6,993 GRT.

She was scuttled on 18 June 1941 after being damaged by British warships west of Cadiz in Spain. There were no casualties from her crew of 28.

German Type IID submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-138 had a displacement of 314 tonnes (309 long tons) when at the surface and 364 tonnes (358 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however. The U-boat had a total length of 43.97 m (144 ft 3 in), a pressure hull length of 29.80 m (97 ft 9 in), a beam of 4.92 m (16 ft 2 in), a height of 8.40 m (27 ft 7 in), and a draught of 3.93 m (12 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 410 metric horsepower (300 kW; 400 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).

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