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:	7 December 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) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	6th U-boat Flotilla 11 January – 14 April 1941
Commanders:	Kptlt. Gunter Schiebusch 4 October – 20 December 1941 Kptlt. Kai Lerchen 21 December 1941 – 14 April 1942
Operations:	1st patrol 1–14 April 1942
Victories:	None

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.

U-252 is thought to have sunk the 1,355 Norwegian Fanefield on 9 April. 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.

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. 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).

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