German submarine U-251

U-251 in Narvik in July 1942.
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-251
Ordered:	23 September 1941
Builder:	Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen
Yard number:	16
Laid down:	18 October 1940
Launched:	26 July 1941
Commissioned:	20 September 1941
Fate:	Sunk, April 1945 in the Kattegat by Allied aircraft
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) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	6th U-boat Flotilla 20 September 1941 – 30 June 1942 11th U-boat Flotilla 1 July 1942 – 31 May 1943 24th U-boat Flotilla 1 July – 30 November 1943 21st U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1943 – 28 February 1945 31st U-boat Flotilla 1 March – 19 April 1945
Commanders:	Kptlt. Heinrich Timm 20 September 1941 – 1 September 1943 Oblt.z.S. Franz Sack 23 November 1943 – 19 April 1945
Operations:	Ten patrols: 20–25 April 1942 26–29 May 1942 7 June – 5 July 1942 14 August 1942 14 September – 3 October 1942 14 February – 1 March 1943 18 March – 21 April 1943 12–29 May 1943 13–24 June 1943 16–19 April 1945
Victories:	Two

German submarine U-251 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 18 October 1940 at the Bremer-Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft (yard) in Bremen as yard number 16, launched on 26 July 1941 and commissioned on 20 September under the command of Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Timm.

In ten patrols, she sank two ships of 11,408 gross register tons (GRT). She was a member of three wolfpacks.

She was sunk by British and Norwegian aircraft in the Kattegat in April 1945.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-251 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 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 460/8–27 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).