German submarine U-34 (1936)

U-33, a typical Type VIIA boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-34
Ordered:	25 March 1935
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Cost:	4,189,000 Reichsmark
Yard number:	557
Laid down:	15 September 1935
Launched:	17 July 1936
Commissioned:	12 September 1936
Fate:	Sunk, 5 August 1943
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type VIIA submarine
Displacement:	626 tonnes (616 long tons) surfaced 745 t (733 long tons) submerged
Length:	64.51 m (211 ft 8 in) o/a 45.50 m (149 ft 3 in) pressure hull
Beam:	5.85 m (19 ft 2 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.50 m (31 ft 2 in)
Draught:	4.37 m (14 ft 4 in)
Installed power:	2,100–2,310 PS (1,540–1,700 kW; 2,070–2,280 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Range:	6,200 nmi (11,500 km; 7,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 73–94 nmi (135–174 km; 84–108 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	220 m (720 ft) Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems:	Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament:	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 11 × torpedoes or 22 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	2nd U-boat Flotilla 12 September 1936 – 30 September 1940 21st U-boat Flotilla 1 October – 1 November 1940 24th U-boat Flotilla 2 November 1940 – 5 August 1943
Commanders:	Ernst Sobe 12 September 1936 – 14 February 1938 Harald Grosse 4 November – 22 December 1936 Hans Pauckstadt 15 February – 17 August 1938 Hans Pauckstadt 5 September – 28 October 1938 Kptlt. Wilhelm Rollmann 26 October 1938 – 28 September 1940 Oblt.z.S. Fritz Meyer 29 September 1940 – 22 May 1941 Karl-Otto Schultz 23 May – 19 November 1941 Gerhard Remus 20 November 1941 – 15 June 1942 Oblt.z.S. Horst-Arno Fenski 16 June 1942 – 1 February 1943 Oblt.z.S. Karl-Heinz Hagenau 2 February – 11 June 1943 Lt.z.S. Eduard Aust 12 June – 5 August 1943
Operations:	Operation Ursula: 20 November - 21 December 1936 1st patrol: 19 August – 26 September 1939 2nd patrol: 17 October – 12 November 1939 3rd patrol: 1 January – 6 February 1940 4th patrol: 11–30 March 1940 5th patrol: 3–30 April 1940 6th patrol: 22 June – 18 July 1940 7th patrol: 23 July – 3 August 1940
Victories:	19 commercial ships sunk (91,989 GRT) four warships sunk (3,290 GRT) two commercial ships captured (4,957 GRT)

German submarine U-34 was a Type VIIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down in September 1935, launched in July 1936 and commissioned in September.

U-34 is known alongside U-33 to take action in the Spanish Civil War executing Operation Ursula. As a result, U-34 became the first German submarine to sink another vessel since the end of World War I in 1918. During World War II the boat carried out seven patrols, sinking 22 ships and capturing two more. She was sunk in a collision in the Baltic in August 1943.

As one of the first ten German Type VII submarines later designated as Type VIIA submarines, U-34 had a displacement of 626 tonnes (616 long tons) when at the surface and 745 tonnes (733 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 64.51 m (211 ft 8 in), a pressure hull length of 45.50 m (149 ft 3 in), a beam of 5.85 m (19 ft 2 in), a height of 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in), and a draught of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 6 V 40/46 four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 2,100 to 2,310 metric horsepower (1,540 to 1,700 kW; 2,070 to 2,280 shp) for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 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).